Grand Prince and Sovereign Ivan Vasilyevich

A well-known historical study by the outstanding Russian scholar, one of the founders of the national historical school, Nikolay Ivanovich Kostomarov, is devoted to the first ruler of all Rus’—Ivan III.

The reign of Ivan Vasilyevich became a key stage in the formation of a unified Russian state. It was then that the main territory of the country was taking shape, liberation from Mongol domination was completed, and the political foundations of centralized power were laid. Ivan III is presented as a major statesman—level-headed, pragmatic, and far-sighted.

Kostomarov’s book, written in a vivid and expressive style, helps readers understand one of the most complex periods in the emergence of Russian statehood. The events and facts set out by N. I. Kostomarov are included in school history curricula for grades 6–11 across all educational formats.