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Ivan the Terrible admiring his sixth wife, Vasilisa Melentyeva.  Source: Public Domain

The Eight Wives of Ivan the Terrible and Their Horrific Fate (Video)

Ivan the Terrible , infamous for his tyrannical rule over Russia , had a complex romantic history with eight wives, each facing distinct and often tragic fates. Anastasia Romanova, his first wife,...
If you think some of today’s world leaders are nuts, you’ll be surprised by some of history’s other crazy rulers. Source: Source: master1305/Adobe Stock

They Were Nuts! Seven of History’s Craziest Rulers

When one looks at the state of the world today, one could be forgiven for thinking that some, if not all of our leaders are at least a little bit loopy. Rest assured: this feeling is nothing new...
Russian with a beard. 	Source: venerala / Adobe Stock

Peter the Great Ordered a Beard Tax to Discourage Russian Facial Hair!

Peter the Great (1672 – 1725 AD), ruler of the Tsardom of Russia, was so hellbent on modernizing Russia according to European standards that he ordered all men to ditch their long overcoats and shave...
The Pskov-Caves Monastery and its 10,000 Monk Necropolis

The Pskov-Caves Monastery and its 10,000 Monk Necropolis

The Pskov-Caves Monastery is a Russian Orthodox monastery located in the town of Pechory, in the northwestern part of Russia. The monastery was established during the 15th century AD and is well-...
Tsarverets fortress at Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria          Source: Ongala/ Adobe Stock

Tsarverets Castle, Bulgaria: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

The Balkan nation of Bulgaria is blessed with many archaeological sites. One which played an important part in Bulgarian history is the Tsarverets (or Tsarevets) Castle. This bastion, now mostly in...
Portrait of Ivan IV, the first tsar of Russia, by Viktor Vasnetsov.

Ivan the Terrible: How Did He Become the First Tsar of Russia?

The Tsar of Russia was the title used by the ruler of the Tsardom of Russia, a state that existed from 1547 to 1721. The Tsardom of Russia was preceded by the Grand Principality of Moscow, and was...
The Search for the Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible

The Search for the Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible

The thought of a lost library is a tantalizing one, as one can speculate and imagine the kind of knowledge it might provide to the person who finds it. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that there...
The theory that Tsar Alexander I craved a holy life as a monk is based on him seeking forgiveness for coming to power after the murder of his father, Paul I. Source: Vesti Tomsk

Science ‘To Answer Russian Royal Mystery’: Did Tsar Stage Death to Become Siberian Monk?

By The Siberian Times reporter Officially, Alexander I died of typhus aged 47 on December 1, 1825, but evidence suggests he faked his demise and lived as a holy man. Genetic analysis is soon to be...
The Tsar Bath of the Babolovo Palace

Why Was Such a Colossal Bath Tub Built for Tsar Alexander I?

Babolovo (known also as Babolovka) Palace is a historical building located near the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. This palace was built in towards the end of the 18 th century, during the reign of...
The gleaming riches no-one was meant to see belonging to an ancient nomad potentate, and his queen...or was she his concubine?

Examining the Stunning Treasures - and Macabre Slaughter - in the Siberian Valley of the Kings

By Olga Gertcyk, The Siberian Times The royal tomb known as Arzhan 2 in the modern-day Republic of Tuva - to many, the most mysterious region in all Russia - is some 2,600 years old but its valuables...
Tsarevich Dimitry by Mikhail Nesterov. (1899)

Dmitri of Uglich and the Three False Dmitris: One of the Most Bizarre Episodes in Russian History

Dmitri (Dmitry) of Uglich, known also as Tsarevich Dmitri or Dmitri Ivanovich, was the youngest son of the first Tsar of All the Russias, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, more commonly known as Ivan Grozny or...
Ivan IV of Russia ("Ivan the Terrible") demonstrates his treasures to the ambassador of Queen Elizabeth I of England

12th century sword found in Russia may have belonged to Ivan the Terrible

A new theory has been put forward by a Russian archaeologist to explain the mystery of a 12 th century blade made in Germany, adorned in Sweden, and found in Siberia – the sword may have belonged to...