Grigory Lukyanovich Skuratov-Belskiy (Russian: Григорий Лукьянович Скуратов-Бельский),[1] better known as Malyuta Skuratov (Малюта Скуратов) (?Malyuta Skuratov rose to prominence in 1569 for his role in the trial and execution of Prince Vladimir of Staritsa, Ivan IV's only cousin and a possible claimant to the throne of the Tsardom of Russia.[2] In December 1569, by order of Ivan the Terrible, Malyuta Skuratov strangled a former Metropolitan of Moscow, Philip II (in office: 1566–1568) for his criticism of the Oprichnina.[3] In January 1571 Skuratov led a punitive expedition against Novgorod, killing thousands of its citizens on suspicion of treason.He lies buried near the grave of his father Lukian Afanasyevich Belskiy (Russian: Лукьян Афанасьевич Бельский) in the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery.
Malyuta Skuratov approaches
Philip II
in order to kill him