The Presidential Library’s video lecture illustrated life, reign and era of Sovereign of All Russia Ivan III

On April 6, 2022 the Presidential Library hosted a video lecture entitled “The Sovereign of All Russia: Ivan III and His Era” as part of the Knowledge of Russia project. Authoritative Russian historians spoke at the event, timed to coincide with the 560th anniversary of the accession to the throne of the Grand Prince of Moscow.

Ivan was the co-ruler of his father, Vasily II the Dark, for about ten years, and began to independently manage the Moscow principality at the age of 22, in March 1462. After Peter I, Ivan III “occupies the first degree among the Russian lords; before him all his predecessors were destroyed; none of his successors could compare with him”, - the writer Nikolai Polevoy described this historical figure in The History of the Russian People (1833). This rare edition is available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

The era of Ivan III left a bright mark on the history of Russia, and the trends laid down at that time continued to develop in subsequent reigns. The video lecture spotlighted the life and state activities of Ivan III in various aspects, as well as answers to the questions why this Grand Prince of Moscow was called the “Great”, “Terrible” and “Sovereign of All Russia”.

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of the History of the Slavic and Balkan Countries of the Institute of History of St. Petersburg State University Alexander Filyushkin presented a lecture "The Birth of the 'State of All Russia': Contexts and Results".

Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Honored Scientist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Sector of Archaeological Research of the Department of Ancient Russian Architecture and Urban Planning of the Andrey Rublev Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art Oleg Ulyanov revealed the topic “Ivan III the Great: The Transformation of Russia”.

Additional information about the life and reign of Ivan III is available in numerous sources on the Presidential Library’s portal in the State Authority in the 9th-15th centuries section of the State Authority basic collection.

The video lecture is available on the institution's YouTube channel.

Interactive lessons and video lectures are regularly held in the Presidential Library. Detailed information is available on the institution's portal in the Multimedia Lessons section and in the Video lecture for school section, which features records of lectures and open lessons held in the Presidential Library.