The Tudor Society
  • October 28 – Ivan the Terrible’s rather rude letter to Elizabeth I

    On this day in Tudor history, 28th October 1570, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Ivan IV of Russia wrote a rather rude letter to the English queen.

    Ivan IV, more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was upset with Elizabeth I’s reaction to his idea of a political alliance, an agreement to help each other if their lives were in danger, and wrote the letter while he was still angry.

    His rude letter must have angered Elizabeth, but unlike Ivan, she waited to reply until her anger had subsided.

    Find out what Ivan the Terrible and Elizabeth I wrote in their letters to each other, and how they came to be corresponding in the first place…

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  • 28 October – Ivan the Terrible writes a rude letter to Elizabeth I

    On this day in Tudor history, 28th October 1570, Ivan IV of Russia, known commonly as Ivan the Terrible, wrote a rather rude letter to Queen Elizabeth I.

    Ivan was upset with Elizabeth’s reaction to his idea of a political alliance, an agreement to help each other if their lives were in danger, and wrote the letter while he was still angry. They were words that must have made Elizabeth see red for a while, but she managed to write a calm reply to him.

    Find out exactly what Ivan the Terrible and Elizabeth I wrote to each other, and how they came to be corresponding in the first place, in today’s talk.

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  • Elizabeth I and Ivan IV

    In this week’s Claire Chats video talk, Claire looks at the relationship between England and Russia in Elizabeth I’s reign, and specifically at some correspondence between Elizabeth I and Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible).

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