"It was the boy's illness that brought Rasputin to the palace."
-Sir Bernard Pares
Gregory Efimovich was born a peasant in Pokorovskoe, Siberia, in 1872. His father's name was Efim, a farmer who had once been an Imperial Mail coachman.
There is a story that, at age twelve, Gregory first earned a local reputation as a seer. When he got a little older, he gained a bad reputation, drinking and fighting and womanizing. The people of Pokorovskoe began calling him "Rasputin", a Russian word meaning "dissolute".
At the age of twenty, Rasputin married a 24-year-old peasant girl named Praskovie. She had four children by him: two sons and two daughters. The eldest son died when he was a baby and the second son was mentally deficient. The two girls, named Maria and Varvara, went to live with their father in St. Petersburg.
When Rasputin first arrived in St. Petersburg in 1903, he was in his late 20s or early 30s. Most people found Rasputin extremely repulsive. He dressed as a peasant and rarely bathed, which caused him to have "a strong animal smell, like the smell of a goat," Paléologue described.
Rasputin's most striking features were his eyes. Anna Vyrubova, one of Rasputin's devoted followers, said that his eyes were "the most extraordinary eyes, large, light, brilliant." Paléologue said, "The full expression of his personality...seemed concentrated in his eyes. They were pale blue, of exceptional brilliance, depth, and attraction."
Rasputin's eyes, however, were more than blue. He had a hypnotic talent in which he could hypnotize people with his eyes. Prince Yussoupov, the man who later killed Rasputin, went to him, claiming sickness, to see if Rasputin really had the extraordinary healing powers that he was rumored to have.
"The 'starets' made me lie down on the sofa. Then, staring intently at me, he gently ran his hand over my chest, neck, and head, after which he knelt down, laid both hands on my forehead, and murmured a prayer. His face was so close to mine that I could see only his eyes. He remained in this position for some time, then rising brusquely, he made mesmeric passes over my body.
"Rasputin had tremendous hypnotic power. I felt as if some active energy were pouring heat, like a warm current, into my whole being. I fell into a torpor, and my body grew numb; I tried to speak but my tounge no longer obeyed me and I gradually slipped into a drowsy state, as though a powerful narcotic had been administered to me. All I could see was Rasputin's glittering eyes; two phosphorescent beams of light melting into a great luminous ring which at times drew nearer and then moved farther away. I heard the voice of the starets but could not understand what he said.
"I remained in this state without being able to cry out or to move. My mind alone was free, and I fully realized that I was gradually falling into the power of this evil man. Then I felt stir in me the will to fight his hypnosis. Little by little the desire to resist grew stronger and stronger, forming a protective armour around me. I had the feeling that a merciless struggle was being fought out between Rasputin and me. I knew I was preventing him from getting complete mastery over me, but still I could not move: I had to wait until he ordered me to get up," Prince Yussoupov later wrote.
Rasputin's first visit to St. Petersburg lasted for five months. Before he had even arrived, there was talk of him and his having extraordinary powers. He was even recieved by Father John of Kronstadt, the most revered priest in the country.
Rasputin went back to St. Petersburg in 1905. There, he met with several other church officials. What was peculiar was the fact that Rasputin treated them as his equals, not his superiors.
Rasputin soon became friends with the Montengrin sisters, the Grand Duchesses Militsa and Anastasia. Militsa introduced Rasputin to Nicholas and Alexandra at Tsarskoe Selo on November 1, 1905. He was not the first "Holy Man" that Militsa had brought to the palace. She had first brought Philippe Vachot, a French mystic and "soul doctor" who was said to be able to determine the gender of unborn children. He failed twice during his stay with the Czar and Czarina and was sent away.
The royal family warmed up to Rasputin. The children liked him very much. Rasputin's main focus was on Alexei, the heir and hemophiliac. Rasputin would tell Alexei stories of his travels as well as old Russian folk tales.
One thing that made Rasputin such a contrast from stuffy royal society was the way he referred to Nicholas and Alexandra. He called them Batuishka and Matushka, the "Father" and "Mother" of the Russian peasants. Both Nicholas and Alexandra had great faith in Rasputin and spoke with him freely and often. Nicholas said, "He is just a good, religious, simple-minded Russian. When in trouble or assailed by doubts, I like to have a talk with him, and invariably feel at peace with myself afterward." Alexandra felt much more strongly about Rasputin, that he was sent to her directly from God.
Perhaps the most extraordinary and fascinating thing about Rasputin was his ability to stop Alexei's bleeding. If Alexei was hurt or hemhorrhaging, Rasputin could appear at the boy's bedside and stop his bleeding almost immediately. Most people believe that Rasputin hypnotized Alexei to stop the bleeding, although there is no solid proof that he did so. Unfortunately, the few medical records that were made concerning Alexei's treatment did not survive the Russian Revolution.
Once Rasputin had been accepted at Tsarskoe Selo, he was accepted most everywhere. His ratty peasant clothes were exchanged for brightly colored silks and fine linens. One thing that was shocking to many people, though, was his intense curiosity. He would ask very personal questions of guests at parties, especially the women, which in turn made many of them very uncomfortable around him. Rasputin used vulgar expressions and told stories that left the high society shocked. The odd thing was that society seemed to gravitate toward this man rather than turn him away.
Soon, stories of Rasputin's immorality spread throughout Russia. When people tried telling Alexandra that she should get rid of Rasputin, she would not listen, insisting that he was a holy man and the only reason people didn't like him was because she, Nicholas, and the children did. The fact that Alexandra thought so highly of Rasputin lead to rumors that the two were having an affair.
After Rasputin's many years of being part of the Duma and having an almost hypnotic control over the Czar and Czarina, Prince Felix Yussoupov began planning to murder him. The Prince gathered four friends: Purishkevich, who was part of the Duma; Sukhotin, an officer; Lazovert, an army doctor; and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, who was Nicholas's much younger first cousin.
The murder was planned for December 31, 1916, since that was the first open date on Dmitri's full calendar. Throughout the month, the five men met regularly, planning out step by step their actions.
Rasputin soon began to realize that his life was in danger. Purishkevich, unable to keep quiet, began hinting that something was about to happen. Picking up on this, Rasputin became moody and quiet, refusing to go out into daylight and asking Nicholas for a blessing instead of blessing him. It was during this time that his letter, and part of his legend, "The Spirit of Gregory Efimovich Rasputin-Novykh of the village of Pokrovskoe", was written:
I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before January 1. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian Mother and to the Children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Czar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your throne and govern, and you, Russian Czar, will have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles, and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twenty-five years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave Russia. Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other, and for twenty- five years there will be no nobles in the country. Czar of the land of Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Gregory has been killed, you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for more than 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.
Gregory
In order to sucessfully carry out their plan, the conspirators had to get Rasputin to the cellar of the Moika Palace. Yussoupov spent much of his time around Rasputin throughout the month of December, and, toward the end, invited Rasputin to spend an evening with him. Yussoupov told Rasputin that his wife, Irina, would be there (though she was actually in the Crimea with Felix's parents), knowing that Rasputin had long wished to meet her. Rasputin readily accepted the invitation.
Yussoupov described the cellar where the murder was to take place:
"A low vaulted ceiling...walls of gray stone, the flooring of granite...carved wooden chairs of oak...small tables covered with ancient embroideries...a cabinet of inlaid ebony which was a mass of little mirrors, tiny bronze columns and secret drawers. On it stood a crucifix of rock crystal and silver, a beautiful specimen of sixteenth century Italian workmanship...A large Persian carpet covered the floor and, in a corner, in front of the ebony cabinet, lay a white bear skin rug...In the middle of the room stood the table at which Rasputin was to drink his last cup of tea.
"On the table the samovar smoked, surrounded by plates filled with the cakes and dainties that Rasputin liked so much. An array of bottles and glasses sat on a sideboard...On the granite hearth a log fire crackled and scattered sparks on the hearthstones...I took from the ebony cabinet a box containing the poison and laid it on the table. Doctor Lazovert put on rubber gloves and ground the cyanide of potassium crystals to powder. Then, lifting the top of each cake, he sprinkled the inside with a dose of poison which, according to him, was sufficient to kill several men instantly."
When Rasputin arrived, he had bathed and was well dressed for the occasion. Yussoupov told him that Irina was attending a party upstairs, but would be down soon. To simulate the party, the other conspirators were upstairs, playing the song "Yankee Doodle" over and over on the phonograph.
Nervously, Felix offered Rasputin the poisoned cakes. Rasputin first refused, but then changed his mind and ate two. Nothing happened. He then asked for a drink, which had also been poisoned; he drank this, and again nothing happened. After that, he took some poisoned tea and asked Yussoupov to play him a song on the guitar and sing.
Upstairs, the four other men were nervous wrecks. This all went on for two and a half hours, and finally, a desperate Felix rushed upstairs to ask the others what he should do. The men decided that Rasputin could not leave the house only half dead; they would have to finish the job.
Felix took Dmitry's revolver back down to the cellar with him, hiding it behind his back. As Rasputin called for more wine, he suggested that he and Felix go see the gypsies. Felix showed the crucifix that stood on the cabinet to Rasputin and said, "Gregory Efimovich, you'd far better look at the crucifix and say a prayer." As Rasputin turned to the cross, Yussoupov shot him in the back.
After the other four men came downstairs after hearing the shot, Dr. Lazovert pronounced Rasputin dead. The diagnosis was too early. Rasputin opened his eyes and looked straight at the Prince. Foaming at the mouth, Rasputin jumped up, grabbed Felix by the throat, and tore an epaulet off his shoulder. Yussoupov broke away and quickly ran up the stairs. As he reached the top, he yelled to Purishkevich, "...Fire, fire! He's alive! He's getting away!"
Purishkevich chased Rasputin out into the courtyard. He said:
"What I saw would have been a dream if it hadn't been a terrible reality. Rasputin, who half an hour before lay dying in the cellar, was running quickly across the snow-covered courtyard towards the iron gate which led to the street....I couldn't believe my eyes. But a harsh cry which broke the silence of the night persuaded me. 'Felix! Felix! I will tell everything to the Empress!' It was him, all right, Rasputin. In a few seconds, he would reach the iron gate...I fired. The night echoed with the shot. I missed. I fired again. Again I missed. I raged at myself. Rasputin neared the gate. I bit with all my force the end of my left hand to concentrate and I fired a third time. The bullet hit him in the shoulders. He stopped. I fired a fourth time and hit him probably in the head. I ran up and kicked him as hard as I could with my boot in the temple. He fell into the snow, tried to rise, but he could only grind his teeth."
Yussoupov reappeared and started beating Rasputin with a rubber club. When he was finally still, the men rolled him up in a blue curtain, tied it with a rope, and pushed him through a hole in the ice in the frozen Neva River. When Rasputin's body was found three days later, he had cyanide running through his veins and bullet holes in his body... yet Gregory Rasputin had died from drowning.
