#12: Ivan the Terrible — Prophecy
Tsar Ivan IV maintained a deep obsession with court astrologers, seers, and apocalyptic prophecies throughout his reign. In 1584, court astrologers predicted Ivan’s imminent death based on planetary alignments. The prediction caused immense political paranoia and disruption at court, with Ivan threatening to burn the astrologers alive if they proved wrong—shortly before he collapsed and died on the predicted date.
