The rewriting of history in the 16th century Russia led to changes in the structure and frames of “our past.” The growth of state power needed new exemplifications based on historical exempla virtutis in common “Russian past.” The histories told in politically engaged chronicles included invented stories about Emperor Prus, the alleged forefather of the Rurikids, whose image was borrowed, adopted and reconstructed in Moscow from European chronicles. This image emerged as one among other similar ideological constructs as translatio insignium, e.g. Attila’s domination in prehistoric times, the Third Rome etc. Ivan IV crowned officially in 1547 maintained the idea of his imperial origins. In the Livonian War Ivan especially stressed the role of his legendary Roman forefather. Polish diplomats and intellectuals saw danger in Muscovite historical arguments and made efforts to undermine them. This deconstruction of the myths provoked all but no reaction in Moscow and had no effect on Russian historiography.
Source: Jerusalimski K. (2019). Emperor Prus, Emperor Augustus’ brother, in Russian and anti-Russian propaganda in the second half of the 16th century. History Notebooks. Is. 146 (1): 63-80
Source web-site: http://www.ejournals.eu/Prace-Historyczne/2019/Numer-1/art/13720/
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