[The horseman on pale horse: the plague of Ivan the Terrible].

Since the ancient times, epidemics affect the processes proceeding in various spheres of life of human society. Hence, steadfast attention of historians to this biological phenomenon and its investigation. Quite a lot of of research studies is devoted to the first-rate epidemics, for instance, the famous «Black Death» in the middle of XIV century. At the same time, far from all such occurrences were properly interpreted in historical literature. Among little-studied and factually unknown epidemics, the pestilence, the plague, that struck the Russian state in the second half of 60s-early 70s of XVI century, stands out for. The article considers this occurrence, demonstrates its origin, time and geographical limits and also analyzes its consequences.