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Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man, gained the favor of Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra in 1908 by mysteriously stopping the bleeding of their hemophiliac son and heir, Alexei. Hailing from Siberia, Rasputin's influence over the ruling family of Russia eventually became potent and destructive. His privileged position within the royal circle led to controversy, as well as suspicion and near hatred from both nobles and church officials. Rasputin had become a threat to the empire, and he had to be dealt with.
Explore the following gallery to learn about Rasputin's background, his rise to power, and the gruesome circumstances surrounding his death.
Born in January 1869 in the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye, Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was one of eight, maybe nine, children. Seven of his siblings passed away in infancy.
Like many Siberian peasants of his time, Rasputin had no formal education and couldn't read or write until he reached adulthood.
Rasputin wed Praskovya Dubrovina, a peasant girl, in 1887. This photograph from 1911 shows the couple.
The rural couple established a routine in their home and eventually had seven children, but unfortunately, only Dmitry (born in 1895), Matryona (born in 1898), and Varvara (born in 1900) survived into adulthood. The photograph shows the siblings alongside their father shortly after Varvara was born.
Around the time his second child was born, Rasputin became more interested in religion. He went on various religious journeys, spending a lot of time at St. Nicholas Monastery in Verkhoturye. During his stay there, he learned how to read and write. This experience had a profound impact on him, and when he returned to Pokrovskoye, he appeared untidy and exhibited strange behavior.
In the years that came after, Rasputin began a new life as a "strannik" (a holy wanderer or pilgrim). During this time, he would occasionally depart from his family for extended periods, ranging from months to even years, to explore the nation and pay visits to different revered places.
By the early 1900s, Rasputin had gathered a few devoted followers who would pray alongside him when he was in Pokrovskoye. These gatherings took place discreetly and caused doubt and ill will among the local priest and villagers.
Rasputin was famous beyond his hometown as a wise and charismatic holy man, referred to as a "starets." Although rumors circulated of improper relationships with female followers, Rasputin was respected for providing spiritual guidance. Russian archbishop Theofan, impressed by his reputation, invited Rasputin to visit St. Petersburg based on recommendations. In this photo, Theofan is shown in the middle with Rasputin to the right and another clergyman beside them.
In 1905, Rasputin established acquaintances with various individuals from the St. Petersburg aristocracy. However, it was his encounter with Czar Nicholas II (depicted with his wife and family) that expedited Rasputin's ascent to prominence.
In 1906, Rasputin had another meeting with Nicholas II. During this encounter, the czar presented his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, and later introduced the royal couple's children. The photo captures Rasputin alongside Alexandra, nurse Maria Ivanova Vishnyakova, and the five Romanov siblings.
Alexei, the youngest child and sole son of the royal couple, was born with hemophilia. Nicholas and Alexandra firmly believed in Rasputin's exceptional healing abilities and were especially hopeful that he could alleviate Alexei's illness. Alexandra, in particular, fostered an intense conviction in the self-proclaimed holy man's potential to heal her child.
In 1912, while Rasputin was away in Siberia, Alexei suffered a severe hemorrhage in his thigh and groin, bringing him close to death. Alexandra urgently contacted Rasputin for help through a telegram. Miraculously, the bleeding stopped, astonishing the doctors. Alexandra believed Rasputin's prayers had saved her son, solidifying his role in her eyes. This event is "one of the most mysterious episodes of the whole Rasputin legend," according to historians.
The royal family's trust in Rasputin's ability to heal granted him significant influence and authority within the court. The cunning and manipulative religious figure adeptly utilized this newfound position, accepting bribes and sexual favors from female admirers.
Rasputin actively sought the company of individuals from princely and noble backgrounds in order to increase his social status. The photograph depicts him alongside General Count Mikhail Putyatin (on the right) and Colonel Dmitriy Lotman, both of whom had strong ties to the Russian royal family.
St. Petersburg's upper class had a strong interest in the occult and supernatural, leading to a great deal of curiosity about Rasputin and his unconventional behavior. The city's elite, bored and cynical, were in search of fresh experiences, which Rasputin willingly provided.
Rasputin quickly became a controversial figure due to his privileged status within the royal circle. His critics accused him of heretical beliefs and sexual misconduct. The church started opposing Rasputin's influence and branded him a heretic. Illustrations like this portrayed the royal couple as manipulated by a cunning and treacherous individual, endangering the monarchy.
This satirical Russian drawing depicts Rasputin at the forefront, with the czar's family surrounding him in "passionate attachment" connection to the mystic.
Russia's economy declined rapidly due to factors like the start of World War I, the end of feudalism, and a burdensome government bureaucracy. Alexandra and Rasputin were often blamed for the country's problems. Vladimir Purishkevich, a vocal Duma member, expressed concern about Rasputin's influence over Alexandra, seeing it as a threat to the empire. Purishkevich (pictured) would later play a direct role in Rasputin's assassination.
The initial attack on Rasputin's life was not driven by political motives. Instead, in June 1914, a peasant woman named Chionya Guseva, 33 years old, attempted to end Rasputin's life by stabbing him in the stomach near his residence in Pokrovskoye. Rasputin sustained severe injuries and underwent a lengthy hospitalization to recuperate. The assailant was subsequently deemed mentally unstable.
In 1914, Felix Yusupov, a Russian aristocrat and prince, married Princess Irina of Russia, who was the only niece of the czar. In 1916, Yusupov, along with Vladimir Purishkevich and Dmitri Pavlovich, organized a plot to assassinate Rasputin, who had faced allegations of inappropriate behavior during his visits to the royal family, especially with the czar's teenage daughters Olga and Tatyana.
On December 30, 1916, Rasputin met with Felix Yusupov at the Yusupovs' Moika Palace. Yusupov poisoned Rasputin by putting cyanide in his food and drinks, but the mystic showed no signs of illness. Finally, Yusupov became impatient and shot him in the chest. Still alive, Rasputin managed to flee as far as the palace courtyard where he was shot again by Purishkevich.
Dmitri Pavlovich, a grandson of Czar Alexander II of Russia and a first cousin of Czar Nicholas II, provided his revolver to Yusupov for the initial shot fired at Rasputin. Pavlovich and the rest of the group waited in a ground-floor study during the attack.
The conspirators wrapped Rasputin's body in cloth and dumped it into the Malaya Nevka River at the Petrovsky Bridge. On January 1, his frozen corpse was found, and the next day, a private funeral was held with only royal family members in attendance. However, after the czar abdicated in March 1917 during the Russian Revolution, soldiers exhumed and burned Rasputin's body, signifying the end of the Romanov dynasty's 300-year rule over Russia.
In Yekaterinburg, on the night of July 16-17, 1918, Czar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their five children were executed by communist revolutionaries. This 1928 photograph shows Ipatiev House, where the royal family was taken before their fate was sealed.
Matryona Rasputin, also known as Maria, authored a pair of memoirs discussing her father's encounters with Czar Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, the assault by Chionya Guseva, and the subsequent assassination. In addition, a third memoir titled 'The Man Behind the Myth' was released in 1977.
In 1917, Maria married Boris Soloviev and left Russia in 1920, eventually settling in Paris. After Boris's death in 1926, she became a circus dancer, moved to the United States, and remarried in 1940. Maria acquired US citizenship in 1946 and lived in Los Angeles, relying on Social Security benefits. She passed away on September 27, 1977. A photograph captures her being interviewed by a journalist from the Spanish magazine Estampa in 1930.
Sources: (History) (Biography) (History Daily)
See also: Disturbing facts about Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia
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The self-proclaimed holy man had the ear of the Russian royal family
LIFESTYLE History
Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man, gained the favor of Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra in 1908 by mysteriously stopping the bleeding of their hemophiliac son and heir, Alexei. Hailing from Siberia, Rasputin's influence over the ruling family of Russia eventually became potent and destructive. His privileged position within the royal circle led to controversy, as well as suspicion and near hatred from both nobles and church officials. Rasputin had become a threat to the empire, and he had to be dealt with.
Explore the following gallery to learn about Rasputin's background, his rise to power, and the gruesome circumstances surrounding his death.