Grigori Rasputin remains one of the most mysterious figures in Russian history. He rose from a Siberian peasant to become the most trusted advisor of the Tsar and Tsarina. Furthermore, his legendary ability to survive assassination attempts earned him a terrifying reputation. Consequently, stories of his dark powers continue to fascinate the world over a century later. Explore these fascinating details about the Mad Monk.
Rasputin
He was not actually a monk in the Russian Orthodox Church. Technically, he was a “strannik,” or religious wanderer, who never took official monastic vows.
His daughter Maria became a lion tamer in the United States. After fleeing Russia, she worked in a circus and billed herself as the daughter of the famous madman.
Scientists believe the cyanide in the cakes did not kill him because of the sugar. Chemical reactions with the glucose likely neutralized the poison before it could stop his heart.
He wrote a chilling letter predicting the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. Specifically, he warned Nicholas II that if nobles killed him, the entire royal family would die within two years.
A beggar woman without a nose stabbed him in the stomach in 1914. Remarkably, he survived this brutal attack just two years before his eventual assassination.
Rasputin reportedly had terrible personal hygiene. He famously licked spoons before serving others and often let food rot in his long beard.
He temporarily cured the Tsar’s son, Alexei, of hemophilia symptoms. Historians suspect he used hypnosis or simply stopped the doctors from giving the boy blood-thinning aspirin.
A museum in St. Petersburg claims to possess his preserved body part. Allegedly, a jar containing his pickled penis sits in the Museum of Erotica, though experts doubt its authenticity.
His last name does not mean “debauched” as many people believe. Instead, it likely comes from the Russian word for “crossroads,” although his behavior certainly fit the other definition.
The autopsy revealed he died from a gunshot wound to the forehead. Contrary to the popular legend that he drowned, the water in his lungs was likely a result of the body being dumped post-mortem.
He learned to read and write only as an adult. He spent his early years as an illiterate peasant before finding religion and traveling to holy sites.
Crowds of women gathered just to hear him speak. Witnesses claimed his pale blue eyes had a hypnotic quality that could charm almost anyone he met.
The Bolsheviks dug up his body and burned it in a forest. They wanted to destroy his remains completely to prevent his grave from becoming a shrine for his followers.
The hit song “Rasputin” by Boney M contains a historical error. The lyrics claim he was the “lover of the Russian Queen,” but no evidence exists that he and Alexandra ever had an affair.
Finally, he advised the Tsar not to enter World War I. He correctly predicted that the conflict would bring only suffering and destruction to the Russian people.
