Gregory
Yefimovich Rasputin, the son of a Russian peasant, was born in Pokrovskoye,
Siberia, in 1872. Although he briefly
attended school he failed to learn how to read or write.
Rasputin
entered the Verkhoture Monastery but decided against becoming a monk.
He returned to Pokrovskoye and at the age of 19 married Proskovia
Fyodorovna. Over the next few years the couple had four children.
Rasputin
eventually left home and traveled to Greece and the Middle East. He
claimed he had special powers that enabled him to heal the sick and
lived off the donations of people he helped. Rasputin also made money
as a fortune teller.
Soon after
arriving in St. Petersburg in 1903, Rasputin met Hermogen, the Bishop
of Saratov. He was impressed by Rasputin's healing powers and introduced
him to Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra
Fedorovna. The
Tsar's only son, Alexis, suffered from hemophilia (a disease whereby
the blood does not clot if a wound occurs). When Alexis was taken
seriously ill in 1908, Rasputin was called to the royal palace. He
managed to stop the bleeding and from then on he became a member of
the royal entourage.
In
September, 1915,
Nicholas II assumed supreme command of the
Russian Army fighting on the Eastern
Front.
As he spent most of his time at GHQ, Alexandra
Fedorovna
now took responsibility for domestic policy. Rasputin served as her
adviser and over the next few months she dismissed ministers and their
deputies in rapid succession.
Rumours
began to circulate that Rasputin and Alexandra
Fedorovna were
leaders of a pro-German court group and were seeking a separate peace
with the Central Powers in order to help
the survival of the autocracy in Russia.
Rasputin
was also suspected of financial corruption and right-wing politicians
believed that he was undermining the popularity of the regime. Felix
Yusupov, the husband of the Tsar's niece, Vladimir
Purishkevich, the leader of the monarchists in the Duma,
and Grand Duke Dmitri, formed a conspiracy to murder Rasputin. On
29th December, 1916, Rasputin was invited to Yusupov's home where
he was given poisoned wine and cakes. When this did not kill him he
was shot by Yusupov and Purishkevich and then dropped through a hole
in the frozen canal outside the house.
Russian
cartoon showing how Rasputin dominated
the Royal Court (1916)
(1)
Michael
Rodzianko, the President of the Duma,
later wrote about the role of Rasputin during the First
World War in his book, The Fall of the Empire.
Profiting by the Tsar's arrival at Tsarskoe I asked
for an audience and was received by him on March 8th. "I must
tell Your Majesty that this cannot continue much longer. No one opens
your eyes to the true role which this man (Rasputin) is playing. His
presence in Your Majesty's Court undermines confidence in the Supreme
Power and may have an evil effect on the fate of the dynasty and turn
the hearts of the people from their Emperor". My report did some
good. On March 11th an order was issued sending Rasputin to Tobolsk;
but a few days later, at the demand of the Empress, the order was
cancelled.
(2)
Alexander Kerensky, Russia and History's
Turning Point (1965)
The Tsarina's blind faith in Rasputin led her to seek
his counsel not only in personal matters but also on questions of
state policy. General Alekseyev, held in high esteem by Nicholas II,
tried to talk to the Tsarina about Rasputin, but only succeeded in
making an implacable enemy of her. General Alexseyev told me later
about his profound concern on learning that a secret map of military
operations had found its way into the Tsarina's hands. But like many
others, he was powerless to take any action.
On January
19, Goremykin was replaced by Sturmer, an extreme reactionary who
hated the very idea of any form of popular representation or local
self-government. Even more important, he was undoubtedly a believer
in the need for an immediate cessation of the war with Germany.
During
his first few months in office, Sturmer was also Minister of Interior,
but the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs was still held by Sazonov,
who firmly advocated honouring the alliance with Britain and France
and carrying on the war to the bitter end, and who recognized the
Cabinet's obligation to pursue a policy in tune with the sentiments
of the majority in the Duma.
On August
9, however, Sazonov was suddenly dismissed. His portfolio was taken
over by Sturmer, and on September 16, Protopopov was appointed acting
Minister of the Interior. The official government of the Russian Empire
was now entirely in the hands of the Tsarina and her advisers.
(3)
Bernard Pares, a British academic, met
Gregory Rasputin several times before his death in 1916.
Count Witte never swerved from his conviction, firstly,
that Russia must avoid the war at all costs, and secondly, that she
must work for economic friendship with France and Germany to counteract
the preponderance of England. Nicholas detested him, and now more
than ever; but on March 13th Witte died suddenly.
The other
formidable opponent still remained. Rasputin was opposed to the war
for reasons as good as Witte's. He was for peace between all nations
and between all religions. He claimed to have averted was both in
1909 and in 1912, and his claim was believed by others.
(4) Gregory
Rasputin, in conversation with Felix Yusupov
(29th December, 1916)
The aristocrats can't get used to the idea that a
humble peasant should be welcome at the Imperial Palace. They are
consumed with envy and fury. But I'm not afraid of them. They can't
do anything to me. I'm protected against ill fortune. There have been
several attempts on my life but the Lord has always frustrated these
plots. Disaster will come to anyone who lifts a finger against me.
(5) Felix
Yusupov, Lost
Splendor (1953)
I looked at my victim with dread, as he stood before me,
quiet and trusting. What had become of his second-sight? What good
did his gift of foretelling the future do him? Of what use was his
faculty for reading the thoughts of others, if he was blind to the
dreadful trap that was laid for him? It seemed as though fate had
clouded his mind. But suddenly, in a lightening flash of memory, I
seemed to recall every stage of Rasputin's infamous life. My qualms
of conscience disappeared, making room for a firm determination to
complete my task.
"Grigory
Yefimovich," I said, "you'd better look at the crucifix
and say a prayer." Rasputin cast a surprised, almost frightened
glance at me. I read in it an expression which I had never known him
to have: it was at once gentle and submissive. He came quite close
to me and looked me full in the face.
I realized
that the hour had come. "O Lord," I prayed, "give me
the strength to finish it." Rasputin stood before me motionless,
his head bent and his eyes on the crucifix. I slowly raised the crucifix.
I slowly raised the revolver. Where should I aim, at the temple or
at the heart? A shudder swept over me; my arm grew rigid, I aimed
at his heart and pulled the trigger. Rasputin gave a wild scream and
crumpled up on the bearskin. For a moment I was appalled to discover
how easy it was to kill a man. A flick of a finger and what had been
a living, breathing man only a second before, now lay on the floor
like a broken doll.
On hearing
the shot my friends rushed in. Rasputin lay on his back. His features
twitched in nervous spasms; his hands were clenched, his eyes closed.
A bloodstain was spreading on his silk blouse. A few minutes later
all movement ceased. We bent over his body to examine it. The doctor
declared that the bullet had struck him in the region of the heart.
There was no possibility of doubt: Rasputin was dead. We turned off
the light and went up to my room, after locking the basement door.
Our hearts
were full of hope, for we were convinced that what had just taken
place would save Russia and the dynasty from ruin and dishonour. As
we talked I was suddenly filled with a vague misgiving; an irresistible
impulse forced me to go down to the basement.
Rasputin
lay exactly where we had left him. I felt his pulse: not a beat, he
was dead. All of a sudden, I saw the left eye open. A few seconds
later his right eyelid began to quiver, then opened. I then saw both
eyes - the green eyes of a viper - staring at me with an expression
of diabolical hatred. The blood ran cold in my veins. My muscles turned
to stone.
Then a
terrible thing happened: with a sudden violent effort Rasputin leapt
to his feet, foaming at the mouth. A wild roar echoed through the
vaulted rooms, and his hands convulsively thrashed the air. He rushed
at me, trying to get at my throat, and sank his fingers into my shoulder
like steel claws. His eyes were bursting from their sockets. By a
superhuman effort I succeeded in freeing myself from his grasp.
"Quick,
quick, come down!" I cried, "He's still alive." He
was crawling on hands and knees, grasping and roaring like a wounded
animal. He gave a desperate leap and managed to reach the secret door
which led into the courtyard. Knowing that the door was locked, I
waited on the landing above grasping my rubber club. To my horror
I saw the door open and Rasputin disappear. Purishkevich sprang after
him. Two shots echoed through the night. I heard a third shot, then
a fourth. I saw Rasputin totter and fall beside a heap of snow.
(6) General Peter Wrangel
was on the Eastern Front when he heard of Rasputin's death. He wrote
about this incident in his Memoirs (1929)
During the march an orderly came to inform me that General
Krymov, who was marching at the head of our column, wanted me. I found
him with our General Staff busily reading a letter which had just
come. Whilst I was still some way off he called out to me: "Great
news! At last they have killed that scoundrel Rasputin.!"
The newspapers
announced the bare facts, letters from the capital gave the details.
Of the three assassins, I knew two intimately. What had been their
motive? Why, having killed a man whom they regarded as a menace to
the country, had they not admitted their action before everyone? Why
had they not admitted their action before everyone? Why had they not
relied on justice and public opinion instead of trying to hide all
trace of the murder by burying the body under the ice? we thought
over the news with great anxiety.
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