Draft:Alexei Basmanov

Alexei Basmanov (born 1515 or earlier, died 1570 or 1571) was a boyar influential in the founding of the oprichnina. He was a favorite of Ivan the Terrible until his execution c. 1570.

Biography
His father was Daniil Andreyevich Pleshcheev. Daniil Pleshscheev was taken prisoner in the Battle of Orsha in September 1514 and died in Lithuania.

The first mention of Basmanov dates to 1543, on the side of the Princes Shuysky, participating in the persecution of Prince Feodor Vorontsov. He was mentioned by Tsar Ivan as "seditious."

In 1552 he was bestowed the title of okolnichy and participated in the Siege of Kazan.

He was a leading member of the Boyar Duma, and was considered by Skrynnikov to be a representative of the extremists of the Boyar Duma.

He had two sons, Pyotr and Fyodor, the latter of which who also was a favourite of the Tsar and was accused of being the Tsar's lover by Prince Kurbsky and others. In 1555 he participated in the Battle of Sudbishchi, in 1558 he seized Narva.

In 1570 Ivan the Terrible had both Alexei and Fyodor Basmanov arrested under suspicion of conspiracy. According to Kurbsky, Basmanov was executed by his own son.

In popular culture

 * In Sergei Eisenstein's 1944 epic film Ivan the Terrible, Basmanov was portrayed by Amvrosy Buchma.
 * In the 2009 historical film Tsar, Basmanov was portrayed by Aleksandr Domogarov.