Terrible by ~sister-Annabel
Russia and Ivan the Terrible.
Artist’s Comments:
”’Gosudar’ = ‘Your Majesty’
…
Strictly speaking his nickname should be translated as ‘the awesome’ – no, I’m serious– but, well, people get used to him as to ‘Ivan the Terrible’ so Terrible he is. Not like he really was a good guy, he was mad, paranoid and bloodthirsty dude D: His oprichniki killed from 4500 (according to the church chronicles and funeral pray lists) to 500.000 (but this number includes those who died of hunger and plague) of his own subjects during 41 year of his reigning.
But he was absolutely worthy of his time, time of inquisition, legal tortures, witch-hunting (in some places in Europe 1/3 of the women were executed as witches) and other not so charming stuff. For example, in England in period 1509-1547 only for vagrancy there were hanged 70.000-72.000 men, and also there’s the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre (3000-10.000 killed during few days in Paris), the German Peasants’ War (executed 100,000 peasants) etc. etc.etc.
Not the happiest time in the world, other words :<
So we dealed with the bitter facts… “