Muscovy

: This article is about Muscovite Russia. For the duck see Muscovy Duck

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Muscovy (Moscow principality (????????? ??????????) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (??????? ????????? ??????????) to Russian Tsardom (??????? ???????) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. The Great Princedom of Moscow, as the state is known in Russian records, was the predecessor of the Russian Empire and the successor of Kievan Rus' in its northern lands.

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The reign of the tsars started officially with Ivan IV of Russia (Ivan the Terrible), the first monarch to be crowned Tsar of Russia, but in practice it started with the first to use the title of tsar, Ivan III of Russia (Ivan the Great), who completed centralisation of the state (traditionally known as the gathering of the Russian lands) at the same time as Louis XII did the same in France.

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The development of the Russian state can be traced from Vladimir-Suzdal' through Muscovy to Russia, and then, the Russian Empire. Muscovy drew people and wealth to the northeastern part of Kievan Rus'; established trade links to the Baltic Sea, the White Sea, and the Caspian Sea and to Siberia; and created a highly centralized and autocratic political system. Muscovite political traditions, therefore, exerted a powerful influence on Russian society.

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Russia: The Russian Federation (, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: ???????, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia. With an area of 17,075,400 km? (6,595,600 mi?), it is the largest coun...

14th century: As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400....

17th century: As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700 in the Gregorian calendar....