Simeon Bekbulatovich held power during an interregnum in this man's reign, and despite early successes such as the annexation of Astrakhan and Kazan, he led his country into the disastrous Livonian War.
Simeon Bekbulatovich held power during an interregnum in this man's reign, and despite early successes such as the annexation of Astrakhan and Kazan, he led his country into the disastrous Livonian War. He sent the oprichniki after the entire city of Novgorod, one of several questionable decisions that led to the sack of Moscow in 1571, and his murder of his son Ivan Ivanovich left only the feeble-minded Fyodor as a legitimate heir. For 10 points, name this crazy Russian czar who earned his epithet for his random bouts of cruelty.
Simeon Bekbulatovich held power during an interregnum in this man's reign, and despite early successes such as the annexation of Astrakhan and Kazan, he led his country into the disastrous Livonian War.
Ivan the {Terrible} [or Ivan {IV}; or Ivan {Grozny}; prompt on "{Ivan}"]