Grigori Rasputin Facts & Worksheets

• Soon after this event, Alexandra's friend Anna Vyrubova became convinced that Rasputin possessed miraculous abilities and emerged as one of his most prominent supporters.
• In the summer of 1912, Alexei suffered a haemorrhage in his thigh and groyne after a bumpy carriage ride, resulting in a large hematoma. In immense pain and feverish delirium, the tsarevich was believed to be on the brink of death. Desperate for help, Alexandra requested Vyrubova to send Rasputin, who was then in Siberia, a telegram asking him to pray for Alexei. Rasputin responded promptly with words of reassurance.
• Despite no change in Alexei's condition the next morning, Alexandra found some solace in Rasputin's message and regained hope that he would survive. 
• Surprisingly, Alexei’s bleeding ceased by the following day which left Dr. S. P. Fedorov puzzled as he acknowledged that "the recovery was entirely inexplicable from a medical perspective."
• This reliance on Rasputin as a healer and confidant gave him unprecedented access to the inner workings of the royal household and allowed him to exert considerable influence over matters of state. As his influence grew, he began to interfere in political appointments and affairs, often appointing his own candidates to positions of power.
• This led to resentment and opposition from the nobility and political elites who saw him as an uneducated and uncouth outsider meddling in state affairs. His actions further worsened the existing tensions within the Romanov dynasty and contributed to the growing disillusionment with the imperial rule.

Controversial Healings and Spiritual Practices

• Rasputin's controversial healings and spiritual practices have been a subject of much debate and scrutiny. His reputation as a mystic with supposed healing powers drew both followers and detractors, and his methods have sparked controversy and acknowledgement from various quarters.
• One of the most controversial aspects of Rasputin's spiritual practices was his unorthodox methods of healing. He claimed to have the ability to heal the sick through prayer, touch, and intense spiritual communion. His supporters hailed him as a miracle worker, citing numerous instances where individuals claimed to have been cured of ailments after seeking Rasputin's assistance.
• However, his detractors accused him of exploiting the vulnerable and performing fraudulent healings. They argued that his methods lacked scientific basis and were rooted in superstition rather than genuine medical knowledge. The lack of transparency in his healing sessions and the absence of verifiable evidence added to the scepticism surrounding his supposed abilities. Rasputin's influence with the Russian royals sparked rumours and concerns about his control over state matters.
• Many viewed his position as an unwarranted intrusion into matters of governance and questioned the legitimacy of his authority in political and administrative decisions. In 1907, the local religious leaders in Pokrovskoye condemned Rasputin as a heretic, and the Bishop of Tobolsk initiated an investigation into his actions, alleging that he was "spreading false doctrines similar to the Khlysts". 
• In Saint Petersburg, Rasputin encountered opposition from important figures such as Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin and the Okhrana, the tsar's secret police. Despite ordering an inquiry into Rasputin's behaviour, Stolypin failed to control Rasputin's influence or force him out of Saint Petersburg.
• Beyond the royal circle, Rasputin taught that physical contact with him purged others. He participated in excessive drinking and had extramarital relationships with various women ranging from prostitutes to high-society ladies. 
• In 1909, Kehioniya Berlatskaya, one of Rasputin’s early supporters, accused him of rape. Betlatskaya sought help from Theofan who became convinced that Rasputin posed a threat to the monarchy. Rumours circulated about assaults on female followers by Raspuitn and inappropriate conduct during visits with the imperial family—especially involving Nicholas's teenage daughters Olga and Tatiana.

Assassination Attempts and Death

• Rasputin's increasing influence and controversial reputation made him a target for several assassination attempts. The first recorded attempt on his life occurred on 12 July 1914 when a 33-year-old peasant woman named Khioniya Guseva attempted to attack him with a knife.
• She managed to wound him, but Rasputin survived the attack, which only served to enhance his mystique and reinforce his perceived invincibility.
• Guseva was a supporter of Iliodor, an ex-clergyman who initially backed Rasputin but later exposed his sexual activities and excessive self-importance in December 1911. Iliodor, known for his extreme conservative views and anti-Semitic beliefs, had joined others in trying to create discord between Rasputin and the imperial family in 1911. After this plot failed, Iliodor was expelled from Saint Petersburg and eventually stripped of his religious status.
• Guseva stated that she acted independently after reading about Rasputin in the newspapers and viewing him as a fraudulent prophet and an Antichrist. Nonetheless, both the authorities and Rasputin suspected that Iliodor had incited the assassination attempt. Before being questioned, Iliodor fled the country, while Guseva was deemed not accountable for her actions due to insanity.
• The death of Rasputin remains a subject of intrigue and speculation. A coalition of aristocrats, including Purishkevich, Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, and Prince Felix Yusupov, felt that Rasputin's control over Alexandra posed a threat to the Russian Empire. They devised a plan to eliminate Rasputin by enticing him to visit the Moika Palace owned by the Yusupov family.
• Rasputin died on the morning of 30 December 1916, after sustaining three gunshot injuries, including a close-range shot to his forehead at the Moika Palace. The specific occurrences that took place inside the palace have sparked a great deal of speculation and intrigue.
• According to Yusupov's account, Rasputin was initially offered cakes and wine laced with cyanide in an attempt to poison him. Surprisingly, Rasputin seemed unaffected by the poison, prompting Yusupov to resort to more direct measures.
• At around 2:30 am, Yusopov took a revolver and shot Rasputin multiple times, leaving him seemingly lifeless. However, when Yusupov returned to check on the body, Rasputin suddenly revived and attacked him. Yusupov managed to escape from Rasputin's grasp and fled to the palace's courtyard. Rasputin followed him but he was shot again, this time by Purishkevich. 
• The shot proved fatal as he finally succumbed to his wounds. The conspirators subsequently enveloped his body in fabric, transported it to the Petrovsky Bridge, and disposed of it in the Little Nevka river. This version of events presents Rasputin as an almost supernatural figure, impervious to poison and resilient in the face of multiple gunshot wounds. It reinforces the enigmatic aura that surrounded Rasputin during his lifetime and beyond, fueling theories of his mystical powers and invincibility.
• Grand Duchess Tatiana, who was previously rumoured to have been sexually assaulted by Rasputin, was at the centre of another unsubstantiated claim on Rasputin's death. Reportedly, she was present at the location of his murder, disguised as a lieutenant of the Chevaliers-Gardes with the aim of seeking retribution. 
• Maurice Paléologue, the French ambassador to Russia, stated that Tatiana had apparently witnessed Rasputin being castrated but raised doubts about the accuracy of this report.
• In a modern analysis of his death, Dr. Carolyn Harris from the University of Toronto points out that according to evidence, the reality surrounding his death seems to have been less sensational than portrayed in Yusupov's version of events. According to Rasputin's daughter, her father disliked sweet foods and would not have consumed the alleged poisoned cakes. Additionally, there is no mention of poisoning or drowning in the autopsy report by the attending surgeon; it simply states that death occurred due to a gunshot fired at close range into his head.
• News of Rasputin's murder spread rapidly, even prior to the discovery of his body. Following the detection of blood on the Petrovsky Bridge railing and a boot on the ice below by two workers, authorities commenced an investigation in the vicinity. On 1 January, Rasputin's remains were located beneath the river ice approximately 200 metres downstream from the bridge. Dmitry Kosorotov, the chief city autopsy surgeon, examined the remains.