Yuri of Uglich

Yuri Vasilievich (Юрий Васильевич; 30 October 1532 – 24 June 1563) was the only brother of Ivan the Terrible.

According to letters written by his older brother Ivan to another Russian prince, Andrey Kurbsky, the two children customarily felt neglected and offended by the mighty boyars from the Shuisky and Belsky families.

An excerpt from their correspondence, describing their mistreatment, reads as, “My brother Yuri, of blessed memory, and me they brought up like vagrants and children of the poorest… What have I suffered for want of garments and food!” Unlike his brother who spent his spare time in learning theology, Yuri was apparently only interested in food and games including ice-skating.

On 16 June 1552, during the Russo-Kazan war, Yuri was given full charge of state affairs while his brother accompanied the army to Kazan.

Yuri was married on 3 November 1547 to Princess Ulyana of Palekh (Paletskaya) and had a son, Vasili, in 1559.