Grigori Rasputin

Lore & Background

Rasputin was born to a family of peasants in the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye. He had a religious conversion experience after embarking on a pilgrimage to a monastery in 1897 and was described as a monk or strannik, though he held no official position in the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1903 or the winter of 1904–1905, he traveled to Saint Petersburg and captivated several religious and social leaders, eventually meeting Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in November 1905.

In late 1906, Rasputin began acting as a faith healer for the imperial couple's only son, Alexei Nikolaevich, who suffered from haemophilia. His power reached an all-time high in 1915, when Nicholas left Saint Petersburg to oversee the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War. In the emperor's absence, Rasputin and Alexandra consolidated their influence, but as Russian military defeats mounted, both became increasingly unpopular. He was assassinated in the early morning of 30 December [O.S. 17 December] 1916 by a group of conservative Russian noblemen who opposed his influence.

Reader's Guide

Historians often suggest that Rasputin's scandalous and sinister reputation helped discredit the Tsarist government, thus precipitating the overthrow of the House of Romanov shortly after his assassination. Accounts of his life and influence were often based on common rumors, and he remains a mysterious and captivating figure in popular culture. His early life is poorly documented, with historians noting a lack of reliable sources, though it is agreed he was illiterate into early adulthood. Despite rumors linking him to the Khlysty sect, repeated investigations failed to establish that he was ever a member. His legacy is tied to the decline of the Russian Empire, as his presence at court symbolized the perceived corruption and decay of the monarchy.

Did You Know?

• Rasputin was born to a family of peasants in the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye.
• He had a religious conversion after a pilgrimage to a monastery in 1897.
• He began acting as a faith healer for Alexei Nikolaevich, who had haemophilia, in late 1906.
• He was assassinated by conservative Russian noblemen in the early morning of 30 December [O.S. 17 December] 1916.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"God has seen your tears and heard your prayers. Do not grieve. The Little One will not die. Do not allow the doctors to bother him too much." — Grigori Rasputin "God has seen your tears and heard your prayers. Fear not, the child will not die." — Grigori Rasputin "This devil who was dying of poison, who had a bullet in his heart, must have been raised from the dead by the powers of evil. There was something appalling and monstrous in his diabolical refusal to die." — Grigori Rasputin "What eyes he has! You cannot endure his gaze for long." — Grigori Rasputin