3/14 He read much and was keenly observant of all that was happening. He saw himself treated with insolent contempt in private, but with abject servility in public. He also observed that his signature was required to give force to everything that was done, and so discovered that he was the rightful master, that the real power was vested only in him. Suddenly, in 1543, he sternly summoned his court to come into his presence, and, ordering the guards to seize the chief offender among his _boyars_, he then and there had him torn to pieces by his hounds. This was a _coup d'etat_ by a boy of thirteen! He was content with the banishment of many others, and then Ivan IV. |