Difference between revisions of "Ivan the Terrible"

Ivan was a devoted follower of [[Christianity|Christian]] Orthodoxy but in his own specific manner. He placed the most emphasis on defending the divine right of the ruler to unlimited power under [[Yahweh|God]]. Some scholars explain the sadistic and brutal deeds of Ivan the Terrible with the religious concepts of the 16th century, which included drowning and roasting people alive or torturing victims with boiling or freezing water, corresponding to the torments of [[Hell]]. That was consistent with Ivan's view of being God's representative on Earth with a sacred right and duty to punish. He may also have been inspired by the model of Archangel Michael with the idea of divine punishment.

Ivan was somewhat tolerant of [[Islam]], which was widespread in the territories of the conquered Tatar khanates, since he was afraid of the wrath of the Ottoman sultan. However, his anti-Semitism was so fierce that no pragmatic considerations could hold him back. For example, after the capture of Polotsk, all unconverted Jews were drowned, despite their role in the city's economy.