The removal of the helmet of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible from the Warsaw arsenal by Swedish troops was undoubtedly an unusual event, especially as it had previously been captured by Polish troops during the blockade of the Russian capital.

During the 'Deluge', the robberies carried out by the Swedish army were centrally planned and organised. There were several reasons for this, including a desire to destroy ideological centres on Polish soil, to enrich Swedish culture and science (book collections and archives), but it was also linked to the need to repay loans taken by Charles X Gustav from representatives of Swedish magnate families and rich nobility. Despite the measures taken by Charles X Gustav in the first months of his reign, revenues to the central treasury did not increase enough to finance the war. Disregarding possible complications, however, the monarch persuaded the Riksdag to agree to the declaration of war, much of which was to feed itself, e.g. from the collection of extraordinary taxes (contributions) on finance and provisions. The spoils of war, on the other hand, were to help repay the loans taken out and strengthen the monarch's financial self-reliance.

One of the first objectives of the Swedish army was to capture Warsaw, the Polish king's residence city. Only a few days after entering the city, the Swedish army began looting both royal and magnate palaces, as well as churches or monasteries. Among the places looted was also the Warsaw arsenal, where various types of militaria were stored, including weapons, armour or cannons, but also other valuable items, among them two 16th century helmets.

All the objects looted during the war were taken by the army as loot, but among them a subcategory should be distinguished - secondary loot. These are objects that were looted by the Polish army during earlier wars and were later looted by the Swedish army. Examples of this type of item include the Turkish tents captured by John III Sobieski and looted during the Great Northern War (1700-1721) or the aforementioned two helmets kept in the arsenal.

Of particular interest is one helmet in particular, of the shawl type, which belonged to Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible and probably came to Warsaw after the Polish banners entered the Kremlin during the Polish-Moscow War. The shaft is made of steel and has applied gold decoration. The object weighs 1180 g and at its highest point measures 380 mm with a width of 190 mm. Its lower band has been decorated with vine decoration, and above it is another, narrower one with the same motif, but with leaves entirely filled with gold. In addition, the second belt is accompanied by the Old Russian text, also in gold, 'Helmet of Prince Ivan Vasilyevich, son of Grand Duke Vasily Ivanovich, lord and ruler of all Russia', which is interpreted to mean that the helmet was created for Ivan while his father, Vasily III (d. 1533), was still alive. Above, gold decoration and tapering fields with an arched finial, of which every other field is left blank and every other filled with gold vine leaves. The bell of the helmet - that is, its largest part, protecting the head - was finished with a ribbon, also with a vine motif. At the top is a conical spike, topped with a small ball and decorated with vines.

The object is kept in Stockholm's Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren), as it was the place where militaria went, including those taken as spoils of war. In an inventory of the collection from the 1770s, we find a reference that the helmet appeared together with a 'Roman shield made of iron, worked and gilded' [Een Romersk Skilt medh en Caschet utaf Jern medh silfuer utharbetat och förgylt], but this entry was cancelled in 1822. This fact suggests that there was a mistake in the 17th century note.

The helmet, which once belonged to Ivan IV the Terrible, is displayed - together with a second helmet of eastern type - in a permanent exhibition on the modern history of Sweden and its relations with neighbouring countries.