Long ago Russia was ruled over by a myriad of reginal Princes. It was St. Vladimir who banded these little kingdoms together to form one mighty Land. Therefore, as its new leader, he was known as the “Grand Prince” or “Great Prince.”
Later, during the reign of Ivan IV, this title was changed to “Tsar,” which is the Slavonic equivalent to the Latin term “Caesar.” The use of this title continued until 1721 when Peter I formally changed it to Imperator (Emperor). However, despite this formal change, the term Tsar remained popular amongst the masses and continued to be the Russian people’s endearing title for their ruler.
