This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria.
So, what exactly made Ivan so terrible? The seeds of the dreadful human being Ivan would become were sewn in his miserable childhood. His father, Vasili the Grand Prince of Moscow, died when Ivan was just three years old and his mother passed away when he was eight.
Why was Ivan so terrible? | Ivan the Terrible biography & facts
Monsters and Critics: Who was Ivan the Terrible? Treblinka guard and his terrible history explained
Who was Ivan the Terrible? Treblinka guard and his terrible history explained
Smithsonian Magazine: Ivan the Terrible, the Czar and Grand Prince of Russia, Wouldn’t Earn His Violent Nickname Until Years After His Reign
Ivan the Terrible, the Czar and Grand Prince of Russia, Wouldn’t Earn His Violent Nickname Until Years After His Reign
Ivan (Cyrillic: Иван) is a male given name of Slavic origin, related to a variant of the Greek name Iōánnēs (English: John), which in turn derives from the Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yôḥānnān), meaning "God is gracious". The name is strongly associated with Slavic countries and cultures.