To make his point, Ivan staged a sensational demonstration. Some time before Christmas he had arrested two Lithuanians employed in the Moscow Kremlin. He charged them with plotting to poison him. The accusations against Jan Lukhomski and Maciej the Pole did not sound very credible; but their guilt or innocence was hardly relevant. They were held in an open cage on the frozen Moskva River for all the world to see; and on the eve of the departure of Ivan’s envoy to Lithuania, they were burned alive in their cage.50 As the ice melted under the fierce heat of the fire and the heavy iron cage sank beneath the water, taking its carbonized occupants down in a great hiss of steam, one could have well imagined that something was being said about Lithuania’s political future. Norman Davies
About This Quote

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, Russia suffered from multiple invasions. The grand prince was disturbed by these invasions. He always wanted to know what was happening in Lithuania. He was afraid that Lithuania might be planning to invade Russia.

As a result, the grand prince decided to send spies into Lithuania. These spies were to gather information about Lithuania. Later on, they were supposed to come back and tell everything they found out about Lithuania to Ivan the Terrible.

After hearing all the information they found out, Ivan would decide what he should do about it. This way Ivan could protect his country from any possible attacks from Lithuania.

Source: Europe

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