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Tsar Ivan IV of Russia, known as Ivan the Terrible, made two notable attempts to establish marital ties with the English royalty, reflecting the complex interplay of political and personal ambitions in the 16th century.
The first attempt occurred in 1570, when Ivan, who had already been twice widowed and was about 40 years old, proposed to Queen Elizabeth I of England. This proposal, conveyed through English envoy Anthony Jenkinson, included mentions of some "secret business of great value". Historians believe this referred to the marriage proposal. Ivan's reaction to the refusal was harsh; he scornfully remarked that Elizabeth lived not like a queen but like a "common girl," hinting at her perceived inability to rule effectively.
Despite this failed attempt, Ivan did not abandon the idea of an alliance with England. In 1582, he sent his envoy Fyodor Pisemsky to propose marriage to Mary Hastings, a distant relative of Elizabeth I, known in Russia as the Princess of Hountinski. This proposal was made despite Ivan being married at the time to his sixth (or possibly seventh) wife, Maria. Pisemsky was instructed to assure that Ivan would divorce Maria and that the children from the new marriage would receive significant holdings, although they would not inherit the throne.
The negotiations for this marriage were complicated by a plague epidemic in London and apparent reluctance from the English side. An English envoy, arriving in Moscow with Pisemsky, tried to dissuade Ivan from pursuing the marriage with Mary Hastings. However, before a final decision could be made, Ivan the Terrible died in 1584.
These two failed attempts to intermarry with the English royalty fueled theories about Ivan the Terrible's violent death. Some historians speculate that his persistence in marrying an Englishwoman was a factor in his demise, as it went against the ambitions of Boris Godunov and his relatives. The marriage with a close relative of the English queen could have led to claims to the Russian throne for the offspring of such a union, challenging the position of Ivan's son, Fyodor Ivanovich, married to Godunov's sister, Irina.
Overall, these events illustrate the complex and often personal nature of international politics in the 16th century, where marriage proposals among monarchs were as much about strategic alliances as they were about personal relationships.
2 минуты
19 декабря 2023