He yielded to the popular demand and appointed two men to administer the government, spiritual and temporal--Adashef, belonging to the smaller nobility, and Silvester, a priest.

Believing absolutely in their fidelity, he then concerned himself very little about affairs of state, and engaged in the completion of the work commenced by Ivan III .-- a revision of the old code of laws established by Yaroslaf.

These were very peaceful and very happy years for Russia and for himself.

But Ivan was stricken with a fever, and while apparently in a dying condition he discovered the treachery of his trusted ministers, that they were shamefully intriguing with his Tatar enemies.

When he heard their rejoicings that the day of the Glinskis and the Romanoffs was over, he realized the fate awaiting Anastasia and her infant son if he died.