Crossword Genius

Terrible ruler losing head in bed (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

ivan

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'terrible ruler' is the definition.
(Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible)

'losing head in bed' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'head' could be 'van' (I've seen this in another clue) and 'van' is found within the answer.
A single letter 'i' remains which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ivan that I've seen before include "Russian ruler - a Terrible one" , "Vain (anag) - Tsar of Russia" , "A Terrible old Russian ruler" , "One Day in the Life of - Denisovich (Solzhenitsyn)" , "__ Lendl, Czech-born American tennis star" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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