ainst the Crimean Tartars for "destroying the Orthodox Faith," a war which he eventually won. "Although he had taken no part in the fighting and was never in great danger, Ivan genuinely believed that Kazan had been conquered by him and that by his presence in the battlefield he had induced God to favor Russian arms"(Payne, p.133). On the way home, Ivan received news that he had a son. Dmitry was born October 1552, but he soon died in June 1553. Ivan was heartbroken at the death of his son, because he desperately wanted an heir. In 1553, Ivan caught a cold and fell terribly ill. It is believed that he has a viral form of pneumonia, which brought him very close to death. "He had always been a suspicious man, who was inclined to see people in the worst possible light, and during his illness he grew even more suspicious, more resentful, and more cunning. His illness was a nightmare from which he emerged like a man clothed in the colors of the nightmare"(Payne, p. 143). He ranted and raved throughout the entire illness, and even though it only lasted less than a week, from then on he trusted no one. On August 7, 1560, Anastasia died. Ivan was convinced that she had been poisoned, or that a spell had been placed on her, and that in some way the boyars were determined to get rid of her to punish him. He began drinking heavily and associated with the lower forms of entertainment. Ivan became convinced that Adashev and Sylvester were behind the death of his wife and had them placed in prison.In August 1561, Ivan married Princess Kocheney Temriukana, the daughter of a Circassian chieftain, Prince Temriuk. She was baptized and changed her name to Maria. Ivan soon began his spree of vicious killings. For example, Prince Dmitry Kurliatev was arrested on charges of treason. Ivan ordered him tortured and sent to a monastery with his son. His wife and two daughters were ordered to a nunnery. Later on, he had the entire family strang...
