Empress Maria

The historical poem "Empress Maria," of the well known Kabardinian poet, Luba Balagova opens for the readers a little known history of the relationship between the Muscovy government (Kremlin) of the 16th century and the Kabardinian Princedom (the Warks) of the North Caucasus. The epic historical poem tells the story of love between Tsar Ivan IV (The Terrible) and his second wife, the Circassian princess Maria Temrokovna, which is full of drama and passion. At the same time the Poet effectively and colorfully succeeded in showing the life and times of the principality of Muscovy and that of the Kabardinians.