Rasputin
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (Russian: Григорий Ефимович Распутин; IPA: [ɡrʲɪˈɡorʲɪj (j)ɪˈfʲiməvʲɪtɕ rɐˈsputʲɪn];[1] 21 January [O.S. 9 January] 1869 – 30 December [O.S. 17 December] 1916[2]) was a Russian peasant, mystical faith healer, and trusted friend of the family of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. He became an influential figure in Saint Petersburg, especially after August 1915, when Nicholas took command of the army fighting in World War I. Advising his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in countless political issues Rasputin became an easy scapegoat for Russian aristocrats, nationalists and liberals.
There is uncertainty over much of Rasputin's life and the degree of influence that he exerted over the weak-willed Tsar and the strong-willed Tsarina.[3] Accounts are often based on dubious memoirs, hearsay, and legend.[note 1] While his influence and position may have been exaggerated — Rasputin became synonymous with power, debauchery and lust — his presence played a significant role in the increasing unpopularity of the Imperial couple.[7] Rasputin was murdered by monarchists who hoped to save Tsarism by ending his sway over the royal family.
Contents
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- 1Early life
- 2Turn to religious life
- 3Healer to Alexei
- 4Controversy
- 5Assassination attempt
- 6Yar restaurant incident
- 7World War I
- 8Government
- 9Murder
- 10Perception
- 11In popular culture
- 12Notes
- 13References
- 14Bibliography
- 15External links
Early life
Grigori was the fifth of nine children. Only two survived, Grigori and Feodosiya.[14][15] He never attended school, as there was not one in the area.[16] (The first Russian Empire Census in 1897, registered 87.5 per cent of the Siberian population as illiterate.[17]) In Pokrovskoe, a village with 200 dwellings and roughly thousand inhabitants, Grigori was regarded as an outsider, but one endowed with mysterious gifts. In those days Rasputin acquired a reputation as a brawler. Having a rude attitude towards the district head, he was locked up in jail for two nights. This seems to be the only mention of Rasputin's criminal past.[18]Grigori Rasputin was born the son of a well-to-do peasant and postal coachdriver (yamshchik) in the small village of Pokrovskoe, in the Tobolsk Governorate (now Yarkovsky District in the Tyumen Oblast) in the immense West Siberian Plain. The parish registercontains the following entry for 9 January 1869 [O.S.][note 2]: "In the village of Pokrovskoe, in the family of the peasant Yefim Yakovlevich Rasputin and his wife,[note 3] both Orthodox, was born a son, Grigory."[10][11][12] The next day, he was baptized and named after St. Gregory of Nyssa, whose feast day is on 10 January.[13]
On 2 February 1887, Rasputin married Praskovia Fyodorovna Dubrovina (1865/6–1936) and they had three children: Dmitri, Matryona and Varvara. Two earlier sons and a daughter died young.[note 4] In an unknown year Rasputin left his village, his wife, children and parents and spent several months in a monastery in Verkhoturye.[19] Alexander Spiridovich suggested after the death of a child.[20] May be Rasputin was curious as the monastery was enlarged to receive more pilgrims.[21] Outside the monastery lived starets Makary, a hermit, whose influence led him to give up tobacco, alcohol and meat. When he returned to the village, he had become a fervent and inspired convert.[22][23][24] His children dreaded the long hours of enforced prayer and fasting "for which everything, anniversaries or penitence, served as an excuse."[25]