Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 327 - How Terrible Was Ivan?
I hope that from the previous episode, you have come to the conclusion that Ivan the Terrible was a very formidable guy. But how did he get the name Ivan the Terrible?
Well, you see, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, earned his most common name due to a combination of linguistic interpretation, his fearsome reputation as a ruler, and his actions during his reign. The nickname "Ivan the Terrible" is a translation of the Russian term Ivan Grozny. However, the word grozny does not directly mean "terrible" in the modern English sense of being evil or bad. Instead, it is better translated as "formidable," "awe-inspiring," or "fearsome." It conveyed a sense of power, majesty, and the ability to inspire fear and obedience among both enemies and subjects. You see, in 16th-century Russia, grozny was a term associated with strength and authority. It described someone who commanded respect and instilled fear—qualities seen as essential for a ruler in a turbulent era. The English translation "terrible" reflects an archaic meaning of the word, akin to "terrifying" or "impressive," rather than its modern connotation of moral failing or incompetence - basically communicating that “this is a guy you don’t want to fool around with.”
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