Grigori Efimovich Rasputin
He was known as a mystic healer, a prophet and visionary, as well as for his hypnotic light eyes; but what he was most famous for was the tremendous power he had over the Russian imperial family. He became a very important part of the Tsar’s life, Nicholas II and particularly his wife the Tsarina, Alexandra.
Grigori Efimovich Rasputin was born in Pokrovskoe, a village in Siberia, on January 10, 1869 although the exact date of birth is still in question as there are little supporting documents. At the time he was nothing more than a peasant who had only acquired minimal elementary school education. He first exhibited his supernatural and psychic abilities at a young age when he was able to heal a horse in his village that had fallen ill simply through touch. In another instance he was able to identify the thief in the village when a horse was stolen. When Rasputin transitioned into his early adulthood he fled to a monastery after accusations of being a thief. It was at this monastery where the doors were opened to a new ritualized form of religion. He met a holy man named Makari who was famous for being a wonderer and had also advised the Tsar, Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. This is when Rasputin understood his mission in life- he had to devote himself completely to God and through his wonderings he gained his reputation as a holy man who had divine, supernatural powers. At the time it was believed by Russian people that holy men had access to god and they could give advice to the Tsars.
In 1903 the Tsarevich and only heir, Alexei, had fallen ill with hemophilia. At the time this was a deadly and incurable illness without any helpful treatments. The Tsarina Alexandra was very superstitious and a large believer in anyone who had mystical powers and access to god. She believed that only peasant people could exhibit these sorts of powers and so by 1905 she and the Tsar desperately sought the help of Rasputin. When Rasputin met the Tsar and Tsarina he asked to see Alexei right away and he began to prey on him; he claimed to have known what was wrong with the Tsarevich right away and through touch he was able to heal and cure him by the next day. At that moment Rasputin gained the confidence of the Tsar and Tsarina and he informed them that their son’s survival could only be ensured only with his help. Rasputin immediately gained full access to the Tsar and Tsarina, particularly Alexandra who also received treatment from him. Over time he began to gain more influence over the Tsar and Tsarina.
Over the same time that Rasputin developed his close relationship with the Tsar and Tsarina, more controversy began to stir around him. Rumours developed and word started spreading that he should not be trusted; the Tsarina was supposedly confiding with a dark man. In the Russian bath houses he began to conduct forms of worship and rituals where he was calling the devil to him. He became consumed by it and he was unable to rid himself of this devil anymore and it drove him to madness. Church officials noticed this and accused Rasputin of healing through the power of the devil and was beaten. When Rasputin told the Tsarina of this, she banished the church officials into exile- this only further showed the influence that Rasputin had over the empress. More scandals surrounded Rasputin due to his open sex life and constant visits from prostitutes as well as his drunken escapades.
As World War I came around he began to have more political significance by advising the empress while the Tsar, Nicholas II was on the front lines. He became highly involved in the hiring and firing of politicians. World War I proved to be the worst thing that ever happened to Russia and much of the blame was put on Rasputin and at the same time the imperial family slowly began falling out of favour as well.
In an effort to regain some dignity for the royal family, the Tsar’s Cousin Prince Felix Yusupov along with Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovitch Romanov, decided to murder Rasputin. Initially he had been invited to Yusupov’s palace where he believed his healing powers were needed by his wife Irina. While waiting for Irina he had been given pastries to eat which contained high doses of cyanide. After two hours of no effects from the poison, Yusupov shot Rasputin with a revolver because he believed that dark forces were keeping him alive. Rasputin was shot in the head, and chest- but he was still alive. After trying to escape Rasputin was eventually beaten. He was then tied up and thrown into the river Neva. A disfigured Rasputin floated in the river two days later where he was picked up and then burned. Grigori Efimovich Rasputin died on December 29, 1916.