Introduction
The life and death of Grigori Rasputin has become something of a legend. Its historical significance and truthfulness is not fully authenticated, with some stories embellished or plainly misremembered. There are little facts between the night he disappeared and the day his body was retrieved from the river (King, p. 10). The official police investigation reported a solved murder case even when it was not the real case. Hence, the world is left with Rasputin’s memoirs and the names of his killers, Felix Yusupovand and Vladimir Purishkevich (Trounev, p. 12). As the Soviets came into power, most of the documents which formed part of the official secret investigation have been destroyed or totally dismissed. Hence, history has to contend with the actual course of events in this very controversial person.
Rasputin’s Life
Consider a situation where someone was born just as a peasant, with little or no education. He struggled throughout their life abusing substance, then, over a period of time, he became the most powerful man in his country. This is the life story of Grigori Rasputin. He was born from a peasant family in Siberia around 1860 – 1870 but he was able to elevate his status in society through education, curiosity and spiritually (Kendrick, p. 93). Although he was doubted at times, Grigori Rasputin defied the odds through his journeys, teachings and leadership. Rasputin showed his brilliance by doing the seemingly impossible and climbing the Russian caste system, thanks to his abilities of manipulation, healing and great intelligence.
Little was known about Rasputin’s childhood. One of the most significant things about his younger days was his few months at the Verkhoturye Monastery. This influenced his whole life like no other. When Rasputin became an adult, he married and bore four children (p. 93). Even when he was capable, he chose to be a bum and a con artist. After a while, two of his sons died young and Rasputin was investigated for a crime he allegedly committed. These misfortunes forced Rasputin to flee from both his family and his town with high hopes of starting a new life by himself (p. 94).
When Rasputin fled in 1901, he led a wandering life. He wandered as far as Mesopotamia. He went to holy places like Jerusalem and Mt. Athos. These places engaged him in religion and its subtle power. Later on, as Rasputin continued to wander, he met a mystic monk who taught him how to read, write and compute (p. 95). Along with the learning, the monk also taught Rasputin how to heal others. The monk also invited Rasputin to join his religion called the Khlyst. In order to become a member, Rasputin had to give up his addiction to smoking and drinking. The religion also advised him to change his name to “Rasputin” (Cook, p. 31).
As he became a learned man, Rasputin began to travel throughout Russia. He performed miracles and healed people. He rose from the peasant class and became a “social favorite” as he was introduced to many important and powerful people (p. 32). One of the VIPs he met was Grand Duchess Militsa. They became allies and did favors for each other. Fortunately, Militsa’s sister was very close with the empress of Russia, Empress Alexandra (p. 33). Hence, in 1905, Rasputin had a golden opportunity when the empress’ son suffered from hemophilia. Militsa and her sister recommended him to the empress.
Alexandra called upon Rasputin to heal her son, Alexi Nikolaevich, the young heir to the Russian empire (Ileman, p. 1). Rasputin successfully healed the boy and he positioned himself to both the empress and the emperor of Russia, Alexandra and Nicholas II as a holy man with “mystic” abilities. They thought that he was an enlightened person sent by God to help them rule Russia. Thus, over the next 11 years or more after he healed the young heir, Rasputin’s power in the Russian society impressively grew.
The Rise and Fall of Rasputin
Rasputin began to share the powers of the emperor. This was because he was able to manipulate the emperor and empress (Drazin, p. 1). He began as a nice ruler; he gave gifts to peasants and treated them with sincere respect. Soon after, Rasputin began to corrupt the powers he enjoyed. He started to show cruelty to both peasants and royalty (p. 1). One of the earliest people to recognize this was no less than the Russian Prime Minister. The latter attempted to banish Rasputin from St. Petersburg and Russia altogether, but the Emperor and Empress denied his attempts and they even cleared the prime minister from his post.
Rasputin realized his absolute political power and influence so he replaced all Russian cabinet members with his cronies (King, p. 34). However, he began to manifest his authentic power when Nicholas II had to leave Russia to lead his army in World War I. Rasputin was practically running the whole of Russia. He single-handedly ruled the country with Empress Alexandra at his side. While there were controversies revolving around their partnership, there was no concrete evidence of their relationship (p. 35). Unfortunately, Rasputin had no interest in politics. He just wanted power and so, he let his new cabinet members do whatever they want. Hence, Russia fell into disarray and chaos.
Some of the best reasons why people believed that Rasputin was corrupt and he did not deserve his power. He was considered corrupt because Rasputin was basically a political pawn (p. 36). He was used by the reactionaries, whom he considered as friends. These reactionaries gave Rasputin ideas which he passed on to the emperor. Rasputin’s ideas tended to make people’s life more miserable while giving his reactionary friends more money, support and power.
People found him undeserving because they traditionally believed that one must stay in his original social class. This was how the Russian caste system worked (p. 36). Their criticisms only heightened recently, when people thought that a man who was once a peasant cannot jump through the caste system to become the most powerful man in Russia (Drazin, p. 1). Because of this, a majority of the Russians hated his immense power. Rasputin’s fellow monk and friend, Heliodor, attempted to take his life by poisoning his drink. Thanks to Rasputin’s immunity to most poisons, he survived the plot and he executed Heliodor. This was the first assassination attempt at Rasputin in the year 1914 (p. 1). It made a positive effect on his reputation and some people began to accept him.
As Rasputin’s fame and power grew, more and more people began to resent him. This was particularly true of the noblemen. They considered the situation unfair and they all plotted against Rasputin. Many of these attempts involved shooting, poisoning and even beating (p. 1). They all failed, however. A successful attempt was plotted by a group of nine noblemen. Their simple plot consisted of a dinner invitation for Rasputin at the Yusupovsky Palace. This happened on the early hours of December 30, 1916 (p. 1). At the party, they poisoned Rasputin’s food and drink.
Their poison was intense; it can actually kill at least three men. Still, Rasputin escaped the poisoned food and drinks. He was completely fine. Hence, one of the plotters became so terrified. He pulled out a gun and shot Rasputin. Still, Rasputin leaped out at his attacker and he appeared totally alright even after being shot (p. 1). A second plotter pulled out a gun and shot Rasputin again. However, Rasputin was able to shrug off the bullet as he continued to beat his original attacker. All his attackers became absolutely terrified. They ganged up on Rasputin and they successfully beaten him to his death. They were afraid that Rasputin would still come alive so they threw and drown his body in a nearby river (p. 1). According to legends, he was still alive and kicking when they threw him unto the river (Ileman, p. 1). They had murdered the man whom the Empress Alexandra considered as friend.
Empress Alexandra initiated the recovery of Rasputin’s body. She was convinced that Rasputin was God’s messenger. She also believed that Rasputin was the rightful ruler of Russia and therefore, should be considered as a royalty. For this reason, Alexandra had Rasputin buried in the royal tombs. Three years later after Rasputin's death, the Russian rebels dug up and burned Rasputin’s body in absolute fear that he would one day return (p. 2). Rasputin’s face was said to have turned black and the rebels also found an icon on his chest. It bore the signatures of Vyrubova, Alexandra, and her four daughters (Drazin, p. 2). His body was placed in a packing case which once held a piano and it was led in secret to the imperial stables in Petrograd. After a day, his body was loaded into a truck and was taken out of Petrograd on the Lesnoe Road (p. 2).
Fresh research from the Russian archives showed a different picture of Rasputin's death. It showed that Rasputin was not hard to kill. This contradicted the story his murderers told the people at that time. It also foretold of Rasputin’s eerie prediction before he died. According to research, Rasputin wrote this before he died:
“If I am killed by common assassins and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia”
“if it was your relations who have wrought my death, then no one in your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for two years. They will be killed by the Russian people”
“I shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, think of your blessed family.”
Grigory
Rasputin’s rise through the caste system was a very amazing exploit. It exemplified Rasputin’s pure hunger for power. Throughout his life, he was able to show his three greatest tributes: his healing ability, which helped him meet the royal family; his power of manipulation, which helped him manipulate the Russian Emperor and Empress; and his great intelligence, which actually reflected in all his accomplishments.
Works Cited:
Cook, Andrew. To Kill Rasputin: The Life and Death of Gregori Rasputin (Revealing History). London: Tempus.
Drazin, Israel. Just How Mad Was He? Journal for the Study of Anti Semitism. Vol. 3 (1201). Accessed on 9 February 2014 < http://www.jsantisemitism.org/reviews/DrazinJSA212(3).pdf>.
Ileman, Steffan. Op-Ed: Rasputin's Murder And Canadian Politics. Digital Journal. Accessed on 9 February 2014 < http://digitaljournal.com/article/307166>.
Kendrick, John M. L. Russia’s Imperial Blood: Was Rasputin Not the Healer of Legend? American Journal of Hematology, 77: 92-102. 2004.
King, Greg. The Man Who Killed Rasputin: Prince Felix Youssoupov and the Murder That Helped Bring Down the Russian Empire. London: Citadel.
Trounev, Alexander. Grigori Rasputin. Life and Death. International Journal of the World Astrology Review. No. 2 (50). February 2006.
