A complete list of the wives of Ivan the terrible. Do not stray from the account
Tsar Ivan the terrible created for himself the image of the monk on the throne, who is forced not to pray, and to rule. His oprichnina army resembled a monastic order, and in the Royal residence, Alexandrovskaya Sloboda was instituted by monastic Charter. However, the spiritual quest and the terrible austerity harmoniously coexisted with the liberties in his intimate life. Contemporaries just writing that Tsar Ivan had fallen "in lust". The ruler married seven times, but only the first marriage, as they say, "was God".
Venables Kingdom on the 17-year-old Ivan decided to look for his Queen. Across the country rushed messengers that passed boyar families the news of the intent young ruler to marry. Fathers sent their daughters to the governors, and those were selected the most beautiful and were sending them to Moscow to the bride. So looking for brides emperors of Byzantium, the experience of the Romans decided to repeat the first Moscow Prince Vasily III, and now his son, the future Ivan the terrible.
From hundreds of girls, the young king chose a 17-year-old Anastasia from the kind Zachariah-in the forest. According to the documentary information bride differed not tall, but handsome face. She was humble, pious and intelligent. Apparently, Ivan has made a choice for love. But his wife came from Neratovice nobility that revolted court of the Moscow elite.
Queen Anastasia after childbirth. Miniature from the illustrated chronicle of
From the marriage were born six children but only two survived sons Ivan and Fedor. Anastasia ran her own workshop for embroidery and several of her works have reached us. The Queen was able to calm her hot-tempered husband, but was in conflict with close friends of Ivan Archpriest Sylvester and okolnichy Alexei Adasheva.
The death of the tsarina Anastasia. Miniature from the illustrated chronicle of
In the summer of 1560, after 13 years of marriage, beloved wife of the king died. Ivan was convinced that she was poisoned and rightly so. Spectral analysis of the surviving scythes Anastasia showed abnormal levels of mercury in her hair. And it was a favorite weapon of poisoners in this dangerous era. Anastasia did not, and the wrath of Ivan there was no one to hold, and he began to earn his nickname "the terrible".
It's only been eight days since the death of Anastasia and the nobles offered the king a new bride. Following the wife of Ivan was the daughter of the Kabardian Prince Temryuk, 15-year-old beauty Kuchina, who after baptism received the name Maria. Caucasian wife did not meet the knights of expectations.
She captivated the king beauty, but not replaced him Anastasia, who was not just a wife but a friend. Hot Maria, on the contrary, fueled the rage hot-tempered husband. The Queen had a dissolute temper and violent nature of the character. Died Kabardian Princess in the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. Ivan and this time he accused the boyars, most likely, true.
During the terrible life as a simple man, and the king was regulated by the Church. The Orthodoxy did not approve of some marriages, but allowed three wedding. Ivan made an exception, and in 1571 at the Moscow Kingdom has announced a new review of brides. The selection tested, the level of education of girls and their health.
Reconstruction of the appearance of Marfa Sobakina
As a result from two thousand contestants 41-year-old king chose Martha Sobakina from poor families Kolomna nobility. During the preparation for the wedding the bride became ill but Ivan has decided that she will recover soon and 28 Oct 1571 still married. The status of the Queen Martha was only 15 days and died from the disease. Ivan suspected internal enemies, which led to another round of terror. In the film "Ivan Vasilyevich changes occupation" drunk Bunche spoke to Martha Sobakina.
King said that due to illness of Martha, he did not join her in an intimate relationship, and therefore the wife she he was not. Because of fear of the formidable Lord of the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church to argue they did not give him permission for a fourth marriage. Second place at the last review took 16-year-old noblewoman Anna Koltovskaya. Her and Ivan got married.
After Anne's Church marriages of Ivan the terrible was not blessed, and the king himself permission Orthodox hierarchs did not ask. The first wife of the Christian ruler, he lived "in fornication" was a 14-year-old Maria Dolgorukaya. Information about this person differ, and surrounded by speculation.
The detractors of Ivan the terrible, including the English Ambassador Jerome Horsey wrote that on the wedding night the king discovered that the bride is not a virgin. He got mad and drowned the poor in the lake in the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. Many modern scholars consider this story as an example of contemporary propaganda and generally put the marriage of Maria Ivan Dolgoruky in question.
In 1574 Ivan married Anna Vasilchikova. The blessing of the Church the king did not ask for and the wedding was attended by only close friends of the ruler. But the family happiness did not last long.
A year later, the king lost interest in his young wife and tonsured her a nun in Suzdal Pokrovsky monastery. In the monastery she died two years later.
Following wife Vasilis Melentiev many historians believe is not a legitimate wife and a concubine, but the information about it has the document of the XVII century "the Chronograph on the marriage of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich". It says that the ruler drew the girl's attention because of her beauty.
In 1550 50-year-old Ivan the terrible married the last time the 27-year-old daughter of okolnichy Fedor Nagoga Mary and the wedding was attended by only the inner circle of the king. Three years later, Ivan died, but the last marriage he had a son, Dmitry. Marriage the Church is not blessed, and therefore could not claim the throne.
The new Tsar Fedor Ivanovich sent Mary and younger brother at a traffic light, where during the game "to poke" 8-year-old boy died. The Prince has an epileptic seizure, and he fell on the knife that ripped the neck. From the received wounds Dmitry died.
For the oversight of the child Maria was tonsured as nuns. The name of the deceased Dmitry emerge during the Troubles, when the number of impostors posing as the deceased Prince.
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