Secrets Hidden in the Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible

By: Beth Moreton | Published: Apr 07, 2024

In the 16th century, Ivan III is believed to have created a library containing many Greek, Latin, and Egyptian works.

But since Ivan IV (also known as Ivan the Terrible) fell from power, the library has not been heard of or seen. Many historians have searched for centuries for the lost library.

Various Historical Collections Have Been Destroyed Over the Years

One factor that makes it likely the library is lost is that many historical collections have been destroyed over the years.

A black and white photo of the Leuven University Library that was destroyed during World War I. Some of the library’s structure is still intact but it is covered in rubble.

Source: N. J. Boon/Wikimedia Commons

24 Wall St. has reported on various cultural treasures that were destroyed by war, including the Leuven University Library in Belgium, the National Library of Serbia, and the Royal Opera House in Valletta, Malta, which could suggest that the lost library is also no more.

Ivan III Created the Lost Library

Ivan III started the lost library when he married his second wife, Sophia Paleologue, who was the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, according to Ancient Origins.

A portrait painting of Ivan III. He has white curled hair and a long beard. Either side of the portrait has orange and purple flowers with green stems and leaves. The background of the portrait is yellow and red.

Source: Unknown Author/Wikimedia Commons

When the pair got married, Sophia brought with her a collection of old books to Moscow, which Ivan III used to help create his library.

Ivan the Terrible Added to his Grandfather’s Library

When Ivan the Terrible came into power, he is believed to have added his collection of books and documents to the library.

A portrait of Ivan the Terrible. He is wearing a gold crown and robe and is holding a golden scepter. On either side of the portrait are some painted red, orange, yellow, and pink flowers with green stems and leaves.

Source: Unknown Author/Wikimedia Commons

This collection is believed to have consisted of documents written in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Egyptian, and Chinese, texts from the 2nd century, and documents from Ivan the Terrible’s era.

The Library Was Kept Underground

One reason why people have been unable to locate the lost library is because Ivan the Terrible is believed to have kept it in the basement of the Kremlin.

The Moscow Kremlin. The walls are red with turrets that have a green top. The building is white, with a green roof and gold on top. It is positioned next to the water.

Source: Vyacheslav Argenberg/Wikimedia Commons

This was to protect the documents from coming into contact with any fire that might have gone through the city at that time.

The Library Disappeared with Ivan the Terrible

When Ivan the Terrible died in 1584, the library is believed to have gone with him.

A printed painting of Ivan the Terrible. He has a gold crown, a red and gold robe, and is holding a golden sceptre. The background of the painting is blue.

Source: Unknown Author/Wikimedia Commons

This is because no one has encountered the library since his death, and many question whether it even existed.

Other Libraries Have been Lost throughout History

The Lost Library of Ivan the Terrible isn’t the only library to have gone missing; other libraries have been lost or destroyed throughout history.

A black and white drawing of the Great Library of Alexandria. It shows some workers who are picking items off the floor, putting items on shelves, or sitting around a table. There are some pillars throughout the building that have faces at the top of them.

Source: O. Von Corven/Wikimedia Commons

One of these was the Great Library of Alexandria, which was destroyed on two separate occasions, according to Book Riot. One was when Julius Caesar set fire to ships in the harbor, with the fire also believed to have destroyed the library. The other was when Roman Emperor Theodosius ordered all pagan temples to be destroyed, which included the Great Library.

One Historian Claims to Have Seen the Missing Collection

One 19th-century historian, Christopher von Dabelov, previously claimed to have seen a list of what was in the lost library.

A pile of old books stacked on top of each other, with one book leaning against the pile. Behind the pile of books is a bookshelf full of books.

Source: Prateek Katyal/Unsplash

However, Russia Beyond reported that von Dabelov never actually showed this list to anyone, so this list cannot be trusted.

A Russian Officer Discovered a Secret Passage

It was written in the Journal of Library History that a Russian officer had come across a secret passage in the Kremlin in 1724.

A wooden bookshelf with lots of old books on it. On one side of the bookshelf is a secret door that leads to another room. The secret door is slightly open.

Source: Stefan Steinbaur/Unsplash

He found numerous trunks within the passage, and when the then-regent Sophia found out about this, access to these rooms was banned.

Other Historians Have Said the Library Never Existed

The confusion as to whether the lost library even existed is because even when it was believed to have been in existence, no one ever saw it.

An old library. There are various old, brown, wooden bookshelves that all have old books on each shelf.

Source: Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Komsomolskaya Pravda reported that Peter Arkudy visited Moscow in 1600 to see if the supposed manuscripts that were held there would be of any interest to the Vatican. When he couldn’t find any information about it, Arkudy reported that the library had never existed.

A Scholar Has Said the Lost Library No Longer Exists

One scholar, BL Fonkich, believes that even if it did exist, it no longer does, according to Book Riot.

Some old, brown, wooden bookshelves that have old books covering every shelf.

Source: Roman Kraft/Unsplash

He even questioned the old books Sophia bought with her when she married Ivan III and claimed that this specific collection was actually in Istanbul.

The Kremlin Hasn’t Been Excavated

The lost library, having long believed to have been underneath the Kremlin, is the one place that hasn’t been dug up.

The Moscow Kremlin lit up at night. Lights are running along the outside of the Kremlin, with these lights being reflected into the water.

Source: Pavel Kazachkov/Wikimedia Commons

Regardless of whether it does or doesn’t exist, the lost library remains a 500-year-old mystery that is likely to remain just that.