During the reign of the mighty
Ivan the Terrible, the country's history is considered the bloodiest. Ivan the Fourth headed the country in childhood. In those days, the governance of the state was solved by the omnipotent
Boyar Duma, which consisted of noble boyars and princes. Desiring to obtain undivided power, in 1565 Tsar Ivan founded the oprichnina. An army was created, consisting of noble nobles, designed to fight the boyars and princes. For the impoverished nobles, service in the oprichnina was a good career prospect. These included Skuratov-Belsky, who received the nickname Malyuta for his
small growth .
The ambitious and cruel Malyuta Skuratov, whose biography is fanned by myths and legends, tried his best to break into noble people and get a high position at the royal court. With the advent of the oprichnina in Moscow, a series of bloody executions began. Many boyars and princes lost their lands and were sent into exile. Malyuta Skuratov took an active part in executions, cruel tortures, and also expulsion of boyars objectionable to Ivan. The biography of this man, according to historians, is written in blood.
Ivan the Terrible noticed the zeal of his guardian. After some time, the detective case in the oprichnina was headed by Malyuta Skuratov. After a brutal reprisal against the princes, Tsar Ivan began a struggle with the boyars and nobles. As a result of this war, a new wave of ships and executions swept through Moscow. Some were killed on the spot without bringing the matter to court. As before, it could not do without this name - Malyuta Skuratov. The executioner's biography is full of scary stories of torture and bullying of people. The brutal reprisals that this man led led to the deaths of 150 major boyars and hereditary nobles. Together with them 300 servants perished. The vigorous activity of Malyuta was highly appreciated by the king, after which the executioner began to quickly move up the ranks in the oprichnina.
In 1569, Malyuta Skuratov received the tsar’s order to arrest his cousin, Prince Staritsky, and to destroy the defeated Metropolitan Philip. Malyuta completed both of these tasks fully and personally.
In 1570, he became a duma nobleman and as close to the king. Malyuta constantly increased influence and as a result received unlimited powers. He began to command the arrow troops, controlled everything that happens at the court of the sovereign. In addition, he still conducted diplomatic negotiations.
Malyuta Skuratov, whose biography was such that those around him (as well as himself) called him "sovereign dog", showed the king his servile devotion. However, for him, the bloody service was not a burden. He enjoyed the torment that he brought to his victims. You can see the portrait of Malyuta Skuratov in this article.
The cruel royal executioner was killed during the assault on the Livonian fortress. According to legend, on his deathbed he deeply repented of his sins, and the inconsolable Ivan ordered that all the prisoners captured in the Livonian War be burned alive.
Despite the cruelty of the oprichnik, the history of Russia will forever remember his image - in fact, for several years, he ruled the country.
Until now, researchers and connoisseurs of old Moscow have been arguing about the Malyutinsky Chambers where Malyuta Skuratov’s house was in Moscow. But, unfortunately, there is no exact and scientifically confirmed information on this issue.