Ivan, a lonely tsar, seeks friendship after his wife's poisoning and his chief warrior's defection to the Poles. He appoints Kolychev, now a monk named Philip, as Moscow's metropolitan bishop. However, Philip's loyalty lies with the boyars, who aim to control Ivan. The tsar's private force, the Oprichniks, are unleashed on the boyars, who plot to assassinate Ivan and replace him with his aunt's son, Vladimir.
Ivan the Terrible, Part Two
Ivan the Terrible, driven by a desire for supremacy, gathers a loyal army to amplify his authority, but a secretive cabal of powerful Russian nobles secretly conspires to bring about his downfall.
