The Rest of Ivan's Wives

Just when you thought Ivan the Terrible couldn't possibly get any worse, we're back to finish the story of his VERY unfortunate wives.

In the final installment of our Ivan the Terrible series, Katy picks up after the suspicious death of his third wife, Marfa Sobakina. The Russian Orthodox Church has some pretty firm opinions about fourth marriages, but Ivan has never been particularly interested in following the rules.

We're talking discarded wives, forced trips to convents, suspicious deaths, possible affairs, and a few women whose very existence is still debated by historians. Seriously, depending on who you ask, Ivan had anywhere from six to eight wives. And somehow, none of these stories are particularly happy.

We'll also meet his final wife, Maria Nagaya, whose son Dmitry would become a major figure in the chaos that followed Ivan's death.

So, who had it worse: the wives of Ivan the Terrible or the wives of Henry VIII?

Content warning: Discussions of violence, torture, and suspicious deaths.

Cheers, bitches!