Ivan the Terrible, the first Czar of Russia, was known for his volatile and bloodthirsty nature throughout his life. From a young age, Ivan showed a disturbing fascination with maiming and slaying both animals and humans. This obsession only grew stronger as he grew older, culminating in a reign marked by extreme bouts of violence and cruelty.
As a child, Ivan enjoyed torturing small animals for his own entertainment. He would pull the wings off flies, cut the heads off birds, or hang kittens by their tails. His parents, angry and disturbed by their son’s strange behavior, attempted to have him committed to a mental institution, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
As Ivan matured into adulthood, his enjoyment of torture turned into a full-blown obsession. He began to inflict pain and suffering on a much grander scale, targeting not just animals, but human beings as well. Ivan’s victims ranged from innocent bystanders to political enemies, with no one deemed safe from his wrath.
One particularly gruesome episode occurred in the year 1560 when Ivan ordered the execution of twelve high-ranking government officials in the infamous “Night of November Blood.” The officials were called into Ivan’s chambers under the guise of discussing political matters, only to be brutally murdered in front of their families. The bodies were then left to rot in the streets for several weeks as a warning to others who dared to oppose Ivan’s authority.
On another occasion, Ivan reportedly boiled a man alive, forcing him into a large pot filled with water and oil. The man’s screams could be heard for hours as Ivan and his courtiers enjoyed the spectacle.
But Ivan’s methods of torture and murder were not limited to boiling or impaling his victims. He also enjoyed roasting people over open fires. According to historical accounts, Ivan once ordered the construction of a giant woodenframework resembling a cross, which was then used to burn alive wealthy merchants accused of opposing his policies.
As the years went by, Ivan’s brutal reign became increasingly erratic and unpredictable. He would fly into fits of insane rage, lashing out at innocent bystanders and close confidantes alike. His wife, Anna, once saved herself from being beaten to death by pleading with Ivan’s advisers, who feared for their own safety.
Despite his atrocious deeds, Ivan was also convinced of his own divine power and considered himself a messenger of God. He built numerous churches and cathedrals, even orchestrating the construction of a standalone church, the Church of the Savior on Blood, on the site where he had murdered his own son.
IVAN THE TERRIBLE, who is also known as Ivan Grozny, or Ivan the Fearsome, died in 1584. His legacy, however, continues to be hotly debated to this day, with some historians hailing him as a crucial figure in the formation of modern-day Russia, and others viewing him as a despicable and cruel dictator. The truth, as ever, lays somewhere in between.
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