From 1505 to 1689, Russia s tsars chose their wives through an elaborate ritual: the bride-show. The realm s most beautiful young maidens provided they hailed from the aristocracy gathered in Moscow, where the tsar s trusted boyars reviewed their medical histories, evaluated their spiritual qualities, noted their physical appearances, and confirmed their virtue. Those who passed muster were presented to the tsar, who inspected the candidates one by one usually without speaking to any of them and chose one to be immediately escorted to the Kremlin to prepare for her wedding and new life as...