The twelve-volume “History of the Russian State,” to which Karamzin devoted the last 22 years of his life, covers the period from ancient times to the beginning of the 17th century and is not only a significant historical work, but also an excellent literary work. Karamzin contributed a lot to the understanding of the general the course of Russian history and in assessing individual historical events, revealed, with the help of psychological analysis, the ideological and moral motives for the actions of historical figures. Believing that the history of mankind is the history of global progress, the basis of which is the struggle of reason against error, enlightenment against ignorance. Karamzin saw the historian’s task as instructing people in their social activities. The eighth volume is dedicated to the reign of Grand Duke John IV Vasilyevich. The description covers the historical period from 1533 to 1560.