Beats pregnant daughter-in-law, then mortally wounds son

Beats pregnant daughter-in-law, then mortally wounds son
11/15/1581 AD attacked

In October 1581, Yelena was found to be pregnant. However, on 15 November, the Tsar accused her of supposedly wearing immodest clothing and he began to beat her.

Hearing her screams, Yelena's husband hurried to her defense, shouting at his father,

"You sent my first wife to a convent for no reason, you did the same with my second, and now you strike the third, causing the death of the son she holds in her womb."

Subsequently, Yelena did indeed suffer a miscarriage.

The Tsarevich confronted his father on the matter, only to have the topic changed to his insubordination regarding Pskov.

The elder Ivan accused his son of inciting rebellion, which the younger Ivan denied, but vehemently stuck to the view that Pskov should be liberated.

Angered, Ivan's father struck him on the head with his sceptre. Boris Godunov, who was present at the scene, tried to intervene but received blows himself. The younger Ivan fell, barely conscious and with a bleeding wound on his temple.

The elder Ivan immediately threw himself at his son, kissing his face and trying to stop the bleeding, whilst repeatedly crying, "May I be damned! I've killed my son! I've killed my son!"

Alexandrov, Vladimir Oblast

Lattitude: 56.4° N
Longitude: 38.7333° E
Region: Russia and Eastern Bloc

Modern Day Russia

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