75. Ivan the Terrible - Part One

Ivan the Terrible is a key figure in Russian history. To understand him you need to separate man and myth, and there are many myths because all we know about Ivan is based on very limited evidence. And to strip the myths away you need to see Ivan not as an evil monster, but rather as an erratic Renaissance Eurasian prince. In this 8th episode in the 'Black Legend of Russian History' series, the myths about Ivan are outlined, and then the stranger stories of his life are told. More details are available at theburningarchive.com You can buy my newly released book, From the Burning Archive: Essays and Fragments 2015-2022 at Amazon here and other retailers.