Oprichnik

For the opera, see The Oprichnik.
Oprichniki, painting by Nikolai Nevrev, shows mock coronation of Ivan Fyodorov-Chelyadnin [ru] (enthroned) accused of conspiracy, before his execution by oprichniks.

Oprichniks (Russian: опри́чники, IPA: [ɐˈprʲitɕnʲɪk], oprichniki, meaning "men of oprichina"; singular: oprichnik) were a corps that served as bodyguards,[1] police, and soldiers[2] established by Tsar Ivan the Terrible. The term derives from the policy of oprichina in Russia carried out by Ivan the Terrible between 1565 and 1572 in an attempt to strengthen his autocracy.

  1. ^ Shpakovsky, V. (31 January 2006). Armies of Ivan the Terrible. Bloomsbury USA. p. 3. ISBN 1-84176-925-8.
  2. ^ Wilde, Robert (2019-05-30). "The Oprichnina of Ivan the Terrible: Part 1, Creation". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2024-04-17.