The monograph is dedicated to the history of Russia in the second half of the 16th century. The focus is on the oprichnina of Ivan the Terrible: Based on a wide range of sources, the author analyzes the origin of the repressive regime of the oprichnina, reveals the mechanisms of terror, its scale and influence on the historical destinies of the country. The book contains vivid characteristics of Ivan IV, Metropolitan Philip Kolychev and other figures of that era. The book is intended for historians, teachers and university students and readers interested in Russian history.