At the beginning of the year, Tsar Ivan the Terrible was found to have a dreadful illness—decay within, a tumor without.
In March, a letter was sent out to the monasteries, in which the tsar asked them to pray for his sins and for his healing from the disease. Before his death, he issued instructions regarding the governance.
On March 18, when he was already half-dead, he was tonsured; the throne was ascended by Tsar of All Rus' and Grand Prince of Moscow Fyodor I Ivanovich, also known as Feodor the Blessed.
The city of Arkhangelsk was founded; the Kola Ostrog was built.