Joseph Volotsky was a prominent Russian theologian and monastic leader who lived from approximately 1440 to 1515. Born Ivan Sanin into a wealthy family in the Grand Principality of Moscow, he eventually became the abbot of the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery, which he founded in 1479. He is most recognized for his theological writings and his vigorous defense of monastic landownership against the non-possessors. Additionally, he was an early advocate for the absolute authority of the tsars, viewing them as divine deputies on Earth.