Welcome to the Russian rulers podcast episode number 20.

Ivan the fourth, the Reign of Terror begins.

In my original outline of my podcast, by episode 20, we were going to be well into the time of troubles.

But even plans like mine can be waylaid by the intricacies and fascinations of history.

While I was aware of the enormity of Ivan's reign and its influence on Russian history,

it was the abundance of interesting comrades of his brave few like Prince Andrew Kerbsky, who dared to stand up to the Tsar, of course by staying

out of reach of his murderous henchman.

It is of the men who joined Ivan in his upcoming reign of terror we shall first turn to.

Ivan had decided that Moscow, with all its boyar intrigue, was someplace he could do without, so

he went to his hunting lodge, Alexandrovna, where he could brood and gather

around him people who would be utterly loyal to him.

This Sloboda, or large village, was a bustling place with its main intent being the supplying of everything that SARS wanted. Cooks, tailors, builders, bakers, servants, butchers, priests, falconers, as well as the families of the

men serving the Tsar, soon turned the hunting lodge into a bustling and thriving town, some 75 miles outside

Moscow in a thick forest.

It was the leading members of his court, no longer known as the chosen council, but now called

the Council of Four, who cow towed to Ivan's whims and demands.

These four men were blamed by Prince Kurbsky as the main leaders of the horrors to come

from the enforcement of the Alprich Naina.

The two most influential of the four were Prince Alexi Bismanov and Prince Afanasi Viasmeski.

Basmanov was known as being particularly cruel and unscrupulous.

He bought in his son, Fyodor, into the click who was noted for his handsome features,

which some said caused him to share the bed with the Tsar. The fourth member of the council was one Peter Zaytsev, who led the team

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