Ivan the Terrible

About Ivan the Terrible

Ivan IV Vasilyevich, known as Ivan the Terrible (1530–1584), was the first Tsar of Russia, significantly expanding the Russian state's territory through military conquest and centralizing autocratic power. His reign is historically notable for the conquest of the Kazan and Astrakhan Khanates, establishing a vast, if often brutally ruled, Russian Empire. MIT’s Pantheon project places him at #431 in global historical importance, reflecting his foundational role in Russian statehood and geopolitics.

Despite this significant historical placement, Ivan the Terrible's modern internet attention appears disproportionate. He accrued 1.1 million annualized Wikipedia views in 2025, resulting in an Attention Gap score of +3x, indicating significant overattention relative to his established historical rank. For comparison, Pol Pot, also a politician, ranks lower in importance (#710) but garners more than double the views at 2.4 million. This suggests a modern internet curiosity that privileges certain controversial political figures over foundational empire-builders.

His declining engagement is also evident in the data: Ivan's 2025 Momentum, comparing Q1 to Q3, dropped by -22%, alongside an 11.9% year-over-year decrease in pageviews, hinting at waning, though still considerable, contemporary online interest.