Anastasia Romanovna

Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yurieva (; 1530 – 7 August 1560) was the tsaritsa of all Russia as the first wife of Ivan IV, the tsar of all Russia. She was also the mother of Feodor I, the last lineal Rurikid tsar of Russia, and the great-aunt of Michael of Russia, the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty. Early life and ancestry Anastasia was the second daughter of the boyar Roman Yurievich Zakharyin-Yuriev, who served as Okolnichy during the reign of Grand Prince Vasily III. The house of Zakharyin-Yuriev was a minor branch of a noble family that had already been at court, so it's possible that Ivan met Anastasia before the bride show, though no records of that exist. One of her uncles had been one of Ivan's guardians during the regency of his mother, Grand Princess Elena Glinskaya, who held all the real power. Anastasia's father was descended from the boyar Feodor "Koshka" ("Cat") Kobyla, fourth son of Andrei Kobyla. The origins of her mother, Uliana Ivanovna, are unknown. Anastasia had at least three older siblings – Daniel, Nikita and Anna. Both girls spent most of their childhood and early youth with their mother, and had the traditional upbringing of noblewomen of their rank. Roman Yurievich Zakharyin-Yuriev died on 16 February 1543. Marriage Anastasia was selected as the best bride for Ivan from a large number of suitable mates brought to the Kremlin specifically for the selection process. All the noble families throughout Russia were given an invitation to present their eligible daughters for this purpose (it is said that there were between 500 and 1500 girls to choose from). Anastasia and Ivan's marriage took place on 3 February 1547, at the Cathedral of the Annunciation. She gave birth to a total of six children: Anna, Maria, Dmitry, Ivan, Eudoxia, and Feodor.