Bloody Facts About Ivan the Terrible, The Mad Tsar Of Russia
"Terrible" doesn't even begin to describe Ivan III, the mad tyrant of Russia. From his tragic childhood to his reign of terror to his failed legacy, Ivan the Terrible was one of the most disturbing monarchs in history.
Wielding completely unchecked power, Ivan brought Russia to the brink of ruin—but that doesn't even scratch the surface of just how bad things got. Read on and find out how this infamous Tsar got his dark nickname.
Ivan the Terrible Facts
1. His Father Was...Adequate
The apple fell far from the tree with Ivan the Terrible. His father was Grand Prince Vasili III, also known as Vasili the...Adequate.
Compared to his tempestuous son, Vasili's reign was relatively uneventful—but that doesn't mean his time on the throne was completely void of scandal...
2. Before He Was Born, His Dad Had a Major Problem
By all accounts, Vasili seemed to care for his first wife, but the two of them had a major problem. The couple had been married for 20 years, yet had never managed to conceive a child.
By this point, Vasili was 47 and well into his middle age, and the lack of an heir started to make the boyars (Russian aristocrats) restless. According to rumors, Vasili and his wife grew desperate—and they went to dark lengths to produce an heir.
3. Vasili's First Wife Did Everything She Could...
To her credit, Vasili's wife did everything in her power to try and solve their fertility woes. She went on distant pilgrimages to holy sites, and when that failed, she even consulted strange sorcerers to try and find a magical solution.
Unfortunately, magic didn't work any better then than it does now, and she remained barren. Finally, her time was up.
.JPG){kind=link}
