The book is created on the basis of archival and old printed materials. It covers a very curious era—from the time of Ivan the Terrible to the accession of Peter II and the downfall of the most illustrious Prince Alexander Menshikov. With vivid, flavorful language, and with reliable and precise descriptions of domestic details, it depicts deadly clashes near the throne, love intrigues of powerful rulers, the secrets of vanished treasures, and the adventurous spirit and desperate courage of the guardsmen.