It’s 16 January, and that means it’s time for another edition of Throwback Thursday! Today, we’re taking a look back at three prominent events that went down on this day in history:

1547 – Russia’s Most Terrible

The Russian landscape changed forever when 16-year-old Ivan IV Vasilyevich – better known as Ivan the Terrible – became the country’s first tsar on this day exactly 478 years ago.

Born into royalty on 25 August 1530, Ivan was three-years-old when his father, Vasili III, the Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia, died due to blood poisoning. Ivan’s mother, Elena, was to serve as the state’s regent until her son was old enough to assume the throne. However, she would die when he was eight-years-old; her death was said to be as a possible result of assassination via poisoning.

Growing up, Ivan and his brother, Yuri, were left in the hands of noble families (known as “boyars”) who feuded for regency over Russia. By his own account, Ivan and his brother suffered poorly and were neglected by the boyars – whether this was true or not, it cannot be denied that Ivan’s childhood was lacking, and it may have contributed to what he would become in later life.

When he was 16-years-old, full power was transferred to Ivan, who was crowned as the first tsar of Russia on 16 January 1547. Over the course of his 37-year reign, he established himself as a political, economic and cultural reformist (from updating Russia’s legal code to bringing the first printing press to the country), he created the first Russian army, and he established trading ties with countries such as England as he expanded his empire.

On the other side of the coin, however, Ivan – while noted for his intelligence and sense of culture – also became a figure synonymous with bloodthirst, violence and rage borne of paranoia and deteriorating mental stability.

He conducted wars with his European neighbours such as Turkey and a coalition consisting of Norway, Sweden and Poland; he ransacked the Russian city of Novgorod because he believed that their nobility, clergymen and citizens were conspiring against him; and he was quick to execute or torture those whom he felt were committing treason – impalement, being boiled alive, and being drawn and quartered were among the preferred methods of torture if the victims didn’t die in the gas chambers first.

The tsar’s exploits earned him the moniker “Ivan the Terrible”; most famously of these was when he (accidentally or intentionally) killed his son and heir, Ivan Ivanovich, by hitting him on the head with his sceptre following a disagreement.

Ultimately, Ivan the Terrible met his death on 28 March 1584.

1749 – Conjuring Up a Hoax

In 1749, the Great Bottle Hoax captured the imagination of London, England, revealing the depths of human gullibility.

According to legend, during a discussion on this very topic, the Duke of Portland wagered that even the most absurd claims could attract a crowd. The Earl of Chesterfield challenged him in response, suggesting that no one would believe a man could jump into a quart bottle.

Undeterred, the Duke and his companions crafted an outrageous advertisement that appeared in the newspapers, promising performances at the New Theatre in the Haymarket. The show claimed to include a miraculous feat of a performer squeezing his entire body into a common wine bottle while singing, all under the scrutiny of the audience.

“This bottle is placed on a table in the middle of the stage, and he (without any equivocation) goes into it in sight of all the spectators, and sings in it,” the advertisement read. “During his stay in the bottle, any person may handle it, and see plainly that it does not exceed a common tavern bottle.”

The event generated immense buzz, and on the night of the performance on 16 January, the theatre was packed to capacity.

However, as the hour passed with no sign of the performer, frustration mounted. The crowd eventually erupted into chaos, demanding a refund and ultimately transforming the theatre into a scene of destruction. Wigs, hats and cloaks were abandoned amid the uproar, as everything that could be carried was tossed into the street to fuel a bonfire.

Despite efforts to uncover the source of the hoax, it remained a mystery for years. The public’s gullibility became the subject of ridicule, with pamphlets and humorous explanations circulating widely. One tale suggested the performer had been captured by a gentleman who corked him in a bottle before he could take to the stage, keeping the public amused long after the initial spectacle.

1864 – The Marriage of Mary Ann Nichols

On this day 161 years ago, Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols – the first purported victim of the infamous Jack the Ripper – got married.

When she was 18, Mary Ann married William Nichols, a printer’s machinist, on 16 January 1864 at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street in London, England. The couple initially settled in Bouverie Street before moving to live with her father in Walworth for a decade, where they welcomed five children: Edward, Percy, Alice, Elizabeth and Henry.

In 1875, the family moved to a flat in Peabody Buildings, South London, paying a weekly rent of five shillings and ninepence. However, Nichols’ marriage faced turmoil as she began drinking heavily, exacerbated by her husband’s affair with the nurse attending her during the birth of their last child.

Despite Mr Nichols’ claims that Mrs Nichols’ drinking caused their problems, the couple separated in September 1880, with their children remaining primarily with their father.

By August 1888, Mary Ann had moved to the East End of London and was living in a female-only lodging house known as Wilmott’s; with little to no options to support herself, she plied her trade as a lady of the night. Tragically, on 31 August 1888, she was found murdered, becoming one of the first victims attributed to the infamous Jack the Ripper.

Despite her tragic end, Nichols’ life story remains a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by women of her time, particularly those in precarious circumstances.