Why was Ivan The Terrible so mean?

Answer 1

Both of Ivan the Terrible's parents died at an early age. He was raised by boylars who didn't pay any attention to him. In his letters, he would talk about feeling alone. At first hsi reign was okay. As things started to go bad, he became mentally unstable. That is why he was so mean.

and he would have parties at his estate, he was a prankster.. he would make people 'chug' a gallon of rum until they literally died! He would also make the people who were late to his party do a re-lay race, and at the end there would be a balloon. The people would have to ram their head into it so that it would pop. But Ivan would hide a knife behind it. so when they pped it with their head they would get stabbed in the head by the knife and die.