Having humbled the Tartars he acquired much land to the south and east, and then turned his attention to the west, where, however, Poland barred his way to the Baltic.

Just as in its subsequent history, so then, one of the great needs of Russia was for a good port.

Another of her needs was for better technical processes.

Anticipating Peter the Great, Ivan endeavored to get German workmen to initiate good methods, but he failed to accomplish much, partly because Charles V forbade his subjects to go to add strength to a rival state.
[Sidenote: Europe vs.

Asia] While Europe found most of the other continents as soft as butter to her trenchant blade, she met her match in Asia.