Unfortunately, history also has its own “scapegoats”, victims of the subjectivism of contemporaries, which for some reason passed on to posterity.
The “well-wishers” who are interested in this have tried very hard to ruin their reputation. And now, after the lapse of time, it is not easy to separate the wheat from the chaff, the truth from falsehood.
We will hardly ever wait for the full truth, even after opening all the archives. It's about getting rid of patterns and stereotypes of thinking, so as not to replace statistics with emotions.
Grigory Efimovich Rasputin is a figure in Russian history so odious, ambiguous and mysterious that disputes about this person have been going on for a century now.
Biography of Grigory Rasputin (9(21).01.1869-16(29).12.1916)
The future friend and adviser of the last royal family was a native of the village of Pokrovskoye, which was located in the Tobolsk province. Detractors pointed to the supposedly initially negative etymology of this man's surname, linking it with Gregory's subsequent way of life at the imperial court. However, most likely, the surname is by no means associated with debauchery, but with words like "crossroads" or "thaw".
Gregory came from a peasant family, and it is unlikely that the parents could even imagine what a dramatic fate was in store for their son, who was ill a lot in childhood and was on the verge of death more than once.
His biography is not rich in external events - rather, on the contrary, it is poor in them. Rasputin was married and had three children. Turning to religion, he was at home extremely rarely, especially in last years, acquiring weight and power at the royal court and taking advantage of this. Rasputin did not differ in special literacy - both in the early years and later.
Elder Grigory Rasputin
Having let go of his beard during pilgrimages to holy places and monasteries, Gregory seemed older than his years. And, of course, by the age of 47 (that was how old he was at the time of the murder), he was by no means an “old man”. Nevertheless, it was this nickname that stuck to him shortly after moving to St. Petersburg, in 1904. Two years later, Grigory made an attempt to change his surname to Rasputin-New. The request was granted.
In early November 1905, Rasputin is introduced to members of the royal family and personally to Emperor Nicholas II. In the diaries of the latter and in the letters of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the “man of God” is mentioned quite often. Rasputin gains influence on the imperial couple not only thanks to his intelligence and insight.
He owes his disposition to himself by the fact that he knew how to alleviate the suffering of the heir to the throne - Tsarevich Alexei Nikolayevich, who was ill with hemophilia. At the court there were many envious and haters who demanded the removal of Rasputin, fearing the growth of his influence. To this end, “cases” were inspired against the “old man”, compromising evidence was collected, a powerful “anti-Rasputin” campaign was launched in the media.
Assassination of Grigory Rasputin
Back in 1914, while staying in his native places, Rasputin survived an attempt on himself by a certain Khionia Guseva, who stabbed the "God's man" in the stomach with a knife. Then he miraculously survived. Two years later, death came for him. The conspiracy was made up of very high-ranking and influential persons, including Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich.
Prince Felix Yusupov was at the head of the conspirators. He enlisted the support of the deputy V.M. Purishkevich. The testimony of the killers is confused. According to the canonical version, the veracity of which today there are great doubts, Rasputin was not affected by poison, so a shot was fired in the back. However, Rasputin soon woke up and tried to escape. He was overtaken and shot a few more times. Then they lowered them under the ice of the Neva.
In 2004, it became known about the participation in the murder of British intelligence officer Oswald Rayner. Britain was afraid that Russia would withdraw from the First World War and make a separate peace with Germany, because Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, as you know, was a German by nationality. One way or another, but less than a year after the death of the "old man", one of several dozen of his predictions came true - the Russian Empire ceased to exist, and the reigning dynasty, a year later, suffered a terrible death in the basement of the Ipatiev Mansion in Yekaterinburg.
Grigory Efimovich Rasputin (New, 1869-1916) - public figure late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, who gained fame as a healer, an "old man", able to heal people from serious ailments. He was close to the family of the last emperor, especially his wife Alexandra Feodorovna. In 1915-1916, he had a direct influence on the political decisions made in the country. His name is shrouded in a halo of secrets and mysteries, and historians still cannot give an accurate assessment of Rasputin: who is this - a great soothsayer or a charlatan.
Childhood and youth
Grigory Rasputin was born on January 9 (21), 1869 in the village of Pokrovka, Tobolsk province. True, in different sources there are other years, for example, 1865 or 1872. Gregory himself never added clarity to this issue, never naming the exact date birth. His parents were simple peasants who devoted their entire lives to working on the land. Gregory was their fourth and only surviving child. From early childhood, the boy was sick a lot and was often alone, unable to play with his peers. This made him withdrawn and prone to solitude. It was in childhood that Gregory began to feel his chosenness before God and attachment to religion. There was no school in his native village, so the boy grew up illiterate. But he knew a lot in work, often helping his father.
At the age of 14, Rasputin became seriously ill and, being on the verge of life and death, managed to get out of a difficult condition. According to him, the miracle happened thanks to the Mother of God, who intervened and contributed to his healing. This further strengthened faith in religion and motivated the illiterate young man to learn the texts of prayers.
Transformation into a healer
After Rasputin turned 18, he went on a pilgrimage to the Verkhoturye Monastery, but he never took the veil. A year later he returned to small homeland and soon married Praskovya Dubrovina, who would later bear him three children. Marriage was not an obstacle to the pilgrimage. In 1893 he embarked on a new journey, visiting a Greek monastery on Mount Athos and Jerusalem. In 1900, Rasputin visited Kyiv and Kazan, where he met Father Mikhail, who was associated with the Kazan Theological Academy.
All these visits again convinced Rasputin of his God's chosenness and gave him a reason to devote others to his healing gift. Returning to Pokrovskoye, he tried to lead the life of a real "old man", but he was far from a real ascetic. In addition, his religious views did not fit in well with canonical Orthodoxy. It's all about the powerful temperament of Gregory, who could not do without women, wine, music and dance. "God is joy and gladness", - Rasputin stated more than once.
People from all over the country flocked to a small Siberian village, eager to find healing and getting rid of diseases. They were not embarrassed by the illiteracy of the "old man" and his complete lack of medical education. But good acting skills allowed Grigory to convincingly portray a folk healer, using advice, prayers and persuasion in his manipulations.
Arrival in St. Petersburg
In 1903, when the country was in a pre-revolutionary situation and was completely restless, Rasputin visited the capital for the first time. Russian Empire. The formal reason was connected with the search for funds necessary for the construction of the temple in his native village. However, there is another explanation for this. While working on the field, Rasputin had a vision of the Mother of God, who told him about the serious illness of Tsarevich Alexei and insisted on the imminent arrival of the healer in the capital. In St. Petersburg, he meets the rector of the theological academy, Bishop Sergius, to whom he turned for help due to lack of money. He brings him together with the confessor of the imperial family, Archbishop Feofan.
Doctor of the heir to the throne
Acquaintance with Nicholas II took place at a very difficult time for the country and the tsar. There were strikes and protests everywhere, heating up revolutionary movement, the opposition went on the offensive, and a wave of terrorist attacks covered Russian cities. The emperor, worried about the fate of the country, was on an emotional upsurge, and on this basis he met the Siberian seer. In general, the entire revolutionary chaos was for Rasputin an excellent basis for manifesting himself. He heals, predicts, preaches, earning himself a colossal authority.
The good actor Rasputin made a strong impression on Nikolai and his family members. Especially believed in the gift of Grigory Alexandra Fedorovna, who hoped for his ability to save his only son from the disease. In 1907, Alexei's health deteriorated noticeably, and the tsar gave permission for Rasputin's approach. As you know, the boy suffered from a severe genetic disease - hemophilia, which is associated with the inability of blood to clot and, as a result, frequent hemorrhages. He was unable to cope with the disease, but he helped bring the crown prince out of the crisis and stabilize his condition. Incredibly, Gregory managed to stop the blood, in which traditional medicine was absolutely powerless. He often repeated: "The heir will live as long as I live."
Cases of whiplash
In 1907, Rasputin received a denunciation, according to which he was accused of Khlystism, one of the varieties of religious false doctrine. The case was investigated by Priest N. Glukhovetsky and Archpriest D. Smirnov. In their conclusions, they referred to the report of D. Berezkin, a specialist in sects, who relied on the insufficiency of materials due to the conduct of the case by people who did not understand Khlysty. As a result, the case was sent for further investigation and soon “fell apart”.
In 1912, the State Duma showed interest in this case, and Nicholas II ordered the investigation to be resumed. At one of the meetings, Rodzianko suggested to the emperor that the Siberian peasant be permanently removed. But a new investigation, headed by Bishop Alexy of Tobolsk, expressed a different opinion and called Gregory a true Christian, seeking the truth of Christ. Of course, not everyone believed in this and continued to consider him a charlatan.
Secular and political life
Having settled in the capital, Rasputin, together with the cure of Alexei, plunges headlong into secular life, getting acquainted with the tops of St. Petersburg society. Especially secular ladies were crazy about the "old man". For example, Baroness Kusova frankly declared her readiness to follow him even to Siberia. Using the trust of the empress, Rasputin puts pressure on the tsar through her, promoting his friends to high government posts. He did not forget about his children either: his daughters, under the highest patronage, studied at one of the St. Petersburg gymnasiums.
The city began to be flooded with rumors about the exploits of Rasputin. They talked about his crazy orgies and carousing, drunken brawls, pogroms and bribes. In 1915, due to the difficult situation at the front, the tsar left St. Petersburg and went to the headquarters of the Russian army in Mogilev. For Rasputin, this was a serious chance to further strengthen his position. The slightly naive empress, who remained on business in the capital, sincerely wanted to help her husband, trying to rely on Rasputin's advice. Through him, a decision was made on military issues, the supply of the army and the appointment to government posts. There is a known case when Rasputin decided on the offensive of the Russian army, which ended in complete collapse and the death of thousands of soldiers in the swamp. The tsar's patience was finally undermined by the rumor about the secret closeness of the Empress and Rasputin, which, in principle, could not be by definition. Nevertheless, this became an occasion for the political environment of the king to think about eliminating such an odious figure.
Just at this time, the book “My Thoughts and Reflections” was published from the healer’s pen, in which he presented the reader with his memories of visiting holy places and reflections on religious, moral and ethical topics. In particular, the author devotes a lot of time to presenting his opinion about love. “Love is a big figure, prophecies will stop, but love will never,” the “old man” claimed.
CONSPIRACY
The active and controversial activity of Rasputin disgusted many representatives of the then political establishment, who rejected the Siberian upstart as a foreign element. Surrounded by the emperor, a circle of conspirators formed who intended to deal with an objectionable character. At the head of a group of murderers were: F. Yusupov - a representative of one of the richest families and the husband of the tsar's niece, cousin Emperor, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, and deputy of the IV State Duma V. Purishkevich. On December 30, 1916, they invited Rasputin to the Yusupov Palace on the pretext of meeting with the emperor's niece, who was reputed to be one of the most beautiful women in the country.
The dangerous poison cyanide was sprinkled into the offered dishes of Gregory. But he acted too slowly and did not cause the expected effect. Then Yusupov decided to resort to a more effective method and fired at Rasputin, but missed. He ran away from Felix, but ran into his accomplices, who seriously injured the healer with their shots. However, even being in a serious condition, he tried to escape and attempted to escape. But he was caught, and then thrown into the cold Neva, having previously been tightly tied and packed in a bag with stones. At the insistence of Alexandra Fedorovna, the body of Grigory was raised from the bottom of the river, then it was found out that Rasputin woke up in the water and fought for his life to the last, but, exhausted, choked. At first, Rasputin was buried near the chapel of the Imperial Palace in Tsarskoye Selo, but after the Provisional Government came to power in 1917, his corpse was exhumed and burned.
Rasputin's predictions
Interestingly, shortly before the assassination, Rasputin wrote a letter to the emperor, in which he predicted his own death no later than January 1, 1917. He claimed that he would die at the hands of a relative of Nicholas II, but his family would also die and "none of the children would be left alive." Rasputin predicted the rise and fall of the Soviet Union new government and the mountains of the slain"), as well as his victory over Nazi Germany. Some of the predictions of the “old man” also apply to our days, in particular, he saw through the veil of times the threat of terrorism for Europe and rampant Islamic extremism in the Middle East.
Rasputin and the Jews. Memoirs of Grigory Rasputin's Personal Secretary [with photographs] Simanovich Aron
Rasputin's personality
Rasputin's personality
In appearance, Rasputin was a real Russian peasant. He was burly, of medium height. His light gray sharp eyes were set deep. His gaze was piercing. Only a few survived it. It contained a suggestive force that only a few people could resist. He wore long, shoulder-length hair that made him look like a monk or a priest. His brown hair was heavy and thick.
Rasputin did not place high clergy. He was a believer, but he did not pretend, he prayed little and reluctantly, he liked, however, to talk about God, to have long conversations in religious themes and, despite his ignorance, he liked to philosophize. He was deeply interested in the spiritual life of man.
He was a connoisseur of the human psyche, which was of great help to him. He did not like regular work, as he was lazy, but if necessary, he could work hard physically. At times, physical work was necessary for him.
An uncountable number of legends have gathered around Rasputin. I do not intend to compete with the writers of all sorts of scandalous stories and I only want to convey my observations on the real Rasputin.
Rasputin had a bump on his forehead, which he carefully covered with his long hair. He always carried a comb with him, with which he combed his long, shiny and always oiled hair. His beard was almost always in disarray. Rasputin only occasionally combed it with a brush. In general, he was quite clean and often bathed, but at the table he behaved uncultured.
He rarely used a knife and fork and preferred to take food from plates with his bony and dry fingers. He tore big pieces like a beast. Only a few could look at him without disgust. His mouth was very large, but instead of teeth, some black roots were visible in it. While eating, food debris very often got stuck in his beard.
He never ate meat, sweets and cakes. His favorite dishes were potatoes and vegetables, which were delivered to him by his admirers. Rasputin was not an anti-alcoholic, but he did not put high vodka high either. Of other drinks, he preferred Madeira and port. He was accustomed to sweet wines in monasteries and could bear them in very large quantities.
In his clothes, Rasputin always remained true to his peasant attire. He wore a Russian shirt girded with silk lace, wide trousers, high boots, and an undershirt over his shoulders. In St. Petersburg, he willingly put on silk shirts, which were embroidered for him and brought to him by the queen and his admirers. With them, he also wore high patent leather boots.
Rasputin liked to teach people. But he spoke little and limited himself to short, abrupt, and often even incomprehensible phrases. Everyone should have listened carefully to him, as he had a very high opinion of his words.
Admirers of Rasputin can be divided into two categories. Some believed in his supernatural powers and his holiness, in his divine appointment, while others simply considered it fashionable to look after him or tried to achieve some advantages through him for themselves or their loved ones.
When Rasputin was reproached with his weakness for the female sex, he usually answered that his fault was not so great, since a lot of high-ranking persons directly hang their mistresses and even wives on his neck in order to obtain some benefits from him for themselves in this way. . And most of these women entered into an intimate relationship with him with the consent of their husbands or loved ones.
Rasputin had admirers who visited him on holidays to congratulate him, and at the same time hugged his tar-soaked boots. Rasputin, laughing, said that on such days he especially abundantly smears his boots with tar, so that the elegant ladies lying at his feet would stain their silk dresses more.
His fabulous success with the royal couple made him some kind of deity. All Petersburg bureaucracy was in a state of agitation. One word from Rasputin was enough for officials to receive high orders or other distinctions. So everyone was looking for his support. Rasputin had more power than any top dignitary. No special knowledge or talents were needed to make the most brilliant career with his help. Rasputin's whim was enough for this.
Appointments, for which long-term service was necessary, were carried out by Rasputin in a few hours. He delivered positions to people that they had never dared to dream of before. He was an almighty miracle worker, but at the same time more accessible and reliable than any high-ranking person or general. Not a single tsar's favorite has ever achieved such power in Russia as he did.
Rasputin did not try to adopt the manners and habits of well-bred Petersburg society. He behaved in aristocratic salons with impossible rudeness.
Apparently, he deliberately showed his peasant rudeness and bad manners.
It was an amazing picture when Russian princesses, countesses, famous actresses, all-powerful ministers and high-ranking officials courted a drunken peasant. He treated them worse than he treated footmen and maids. At the slightest provocation, he scolded these aristocratic ladies in the most obscene manner and in words that would have made grooms blush. His impudence was indescribable.
He treated the ladies and girls of society in the most unceremonious manner, and the presence of their husbands and fathers did not bother him at all. His behavior would have outraged the most notorious prostitute, but despite this, there were almost no cases when anyone showed his indignation. Everyone feared him and flattered him. The ladies kissed his food-stained hands and did not disdain his black nails.
Without using cutlery, at the table he distributed pieces of food among his admirers with his hands, and they tried to assure him that they consider this some kind of bliss. It was disgusting to watch such scenes. But Rasputin's guests were accustomed to this and accepted all this with unparalleled patience.
I have no doubt that Rasputin often behaved outrageously, ugly, in order to show his hatred for the nobility. With special love, he cursed and mocked the nobility, called them dogs and claimed that not a drop of Russian blood flows in the veins of any nobleman.
When talking to peasants or his daughters, he did not use a single swear word. His daughters had a special room and never entered the premises in which there were guests. The room of Rasputin's daughters was well furnished, and from it a door led to the kitchen, in which Rasputin's nieces Nyura and Katya lived, watching his daughters. Rasputin's own rooms were almost completely empty and contained very little of the cheapest furniture.
The table in the dining room was never covered with a tablecloth. There were only a few leather armchairs in the working room, and it was the only more or less decent room in the whole apartment. This room served as a place for Rasputin's intimate meetings with representatives of high Petersburg society.
These scenes usually proceeded with impossible simplicity, and in such cases Rasputin escorted the corresponding lady out of his working room with the words: "Well, well, mother, everything is in order!" After such a ladies' visit, Rasputin usually went to the bathhouse opposite his house. But the promises given in such cases were always fulfilled.
During Rasputin's love affairs, it was evident that he could not stand obsessive persons. But, on the other hand, he annoyingly pursued ladies who did not succumb to his lusts. In this regard, he even became an extortionist and refused any help in the affairs of such persons. There were also cases when the ladies who came to him with requests directly offered themselves, considering this a necessary prerequisite for the fulfillment of their request. In such cases, Rasputin played the role of an indignant one and read the most strict moralizing to the petitioner. However, their requests were granted.
This text is an introductory piece.
How Rasputin was killed in 1923-1924. I happened to meet in the tavern "Nizok" with one of its regulars, who bore the rather strange nickname "Chertophaya". This man, about forty-five years old, blond, dressed as a ragamuffin, one might say, did not stand out in any way from the crowd.
The return of Rasputin The influence of his mother on the tsar during this period weakened, and the position of his wife strengthened, who believed that parliamentarism and reforms were destroying the country, and favored, we recall, Rasputin. Rasputin experienced a fierce enmity towards Stolypin. It is known that
Masha RASPUTINA For the first 16 years of her life, Masha Rasputina (real name - Alla Ageeva, pseudonym - the surname of her great-grandfather) lived in the Siberian village of Urop, Kemerovo region, which is five thousand kilometers from Moscow. Despite his outwardly fighting character, the future star
Fighting for Rasputin Shabelskaya continued to regularly send advice “upstairs” until her death. By 1916, she, like other Black Hundreds, was becoming more and more uneasy. She sensed that something was going wrong. And she wrote about the most subtle and sensitive - about Grigory Rasputin.
Rasputin's personality Rasputin's appearance was that of a true Russian peasant. He was burly, of medium height. His light gray sharp eyes were set deep. His gaze was piercing. Only a few survived it. It contained a suggestive force against which only
Rasputin's house Rasputin's dining room usually gathered the most diverse society. Each visitor considered it his duty to bring something to eat. Meat dishes were not revered. They brought a lot of caviar, expensive fish, fruits and fresh bread. Also on the table
Rasputin's Power Rasputin often claimed that he possessed a special power with which he could achieve everything and, in dangerous moments, even save his life. The skeptics didn't believe it. In fact, Rasputin had a special ability, which he called his
Rasputin's house Rasputin's dining room usually gathered the most diverse society. Each visitor considered it his duty to bring something edible. Meat dishes were not revered. They brought a lot of caviar, expensive fish, fruits and fresh bread. Also on the table
Rasputin's "Power" Rasputin often claimed that he possessed a special power with which he could achieve everything and, in dangerous moments, even save his life. Skeptics did not believe this. In reality, Rasputin had a special ability, which he called his
Rasputin's gift of clairvoyance I always visited Rasputin in the morning, and he and I set up the program for the day. At the same time, I learned the events of the previous evening. We always exchanged our information. Once I found Rasputin in great agitation and concluded from this that with him
Assassination attempts on Rasputin I was well aware of how much Rasputin was hated by his enemies, and I was constantly worried about his safety. It was clear to me that the unheard-of elevation of this peasant should lead to a tragic denouement.
The Murder of Rasputin At midnight Rasputin called me on the phone and said: - The "little one" has arrived, I will go with him. - God forbid, - I exclaimed, frightened. "Stay home or they'll kill you." The word "small" horrified me. "Don't worry," Rasputin objected. -
Rasputin's funeral After the discovery of Rasputin's body, Protopopov, the head of the political guard, Globachev, the head of the St. Petersburg garrison, General Khabalov, the St. Petersburg mayor Balk, and the chief of police, Halle, appeared there. In their presence, the body was transferred to
Rasputin's Testament After the assassination of Rasputin, the tsar continued to remain in a depressed state. He lost all vitality. Only this can explain the fact that he signed his abdication without much opposition. Even before the revolution, the tsar was confident in
Rasputin's protege Here it is appropriate to touch on the question of Rasputin's attitude towards our department. By this time, that is, by the end of 1915, as I said, Sazonov's situation in connection with his "liberal swearing" on Polish, Jewish and Duma questions and in connection with failures in
Everyone loved this man royal family and hated the educated society of Russia. Perhaps he was the only one who brought such hatred upon himself. Rasputin was called the servant of the Antichrist. During his life and after his death, there were many rumors and gossip about him. And to this day, many are wondering: who was he after all - a saint or an adventurer?
Grigory Efimovich Rasputin (real name Novykh) was born into a peasant family in the village of Pokrovsky, Tobolsk province. As the only assistant to his father, he started working early: shepherded cattle, was a cab driver, fished, and helped to harvest. There was no school in Pokrovsky, and Gregory was illiterate until the beginning of his wandering. In general, he did not stand out among other peasants, except for his morbidity, which in peasant families was assessed as inferiority and gave rise to ridicule. At the age of 19 he married a peasant woman Praskovya Feodorovna. She bore him three children.
However, something prompted Rasputin to drastically change his life. He began to pray often and fervently, quit drinking and smoking. Starting in the mid-1890s, Rasputin began to wander around the country, earning his living with any work that turned up. He visited dozens of monasteries, visited an Orthodox monastery on the sacred Greek Mount Athos, twice reached Jerusalem. Rasputin learned a lot in his wanderings, but for some reason he did not fully learn to read and write. He wrote constantly with gross errors in almost every word.
Repeatedly the wanderer helped the sick, even those who were considered incurable. Once, in a Ural monastery, he healed a "possessed woman" - a woman who suffered from severe seizures.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Rasputin was already respectfully called the "old man." So he was nicknamed not for his age, but for his experience and faith. In those days, he came to St. Petersburg. People who did not find complete solace in the state church reached out to the Siberian "old man". They visited Grigory Efimovich Rasputin, listened to his stories and instructions. The visitors were especially impressed by the eyes of the elder, as if looking into the very soul of the interlocutor.
Bishop Feofan became interested in Rasputin. He was struck by a special religious ecstasy into which the elder fell from time to time. Such a deep prayerful mood, said the bishop, he met only in rare cases among the most prominent representatives of Russian monasticism.
1908 - thanks to the bishop, Rasputin met with the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna herself. Count Vladimir Kokovtsov conveyed the content of this conversation in the following way: “Rasputin began to say that it was especially difficult for her and the sovereign to live, because they could never know the truth, since there were more and more flatterers and selfish people around them, who could not say what was necessary for that. to make it easier for people. The king and she need to be closer to the people, see him more often and believe him more, because he will not deceive the one whom he considers almost equal to God himself, and will always tell his real truth, not like ministers and officials who do not care about people's tears and to his need. These thoughts sunk deep into the soul of the Empress.
Over time, Grigory Efimovich Rasputin began to be called the "friend" of the royal couple. He treated their children, especially the hemophilic heir Alexei. The “old man” kept himself with the king and queen surprisingly freely and naturally. He called them simply “Mom” and “Dad”, and they called him Grigory. “He told them about Siberia and about the peasant needs, about his wanderings,” wrote the lady-in-waiting Anna Vyrubova. “When he left after an hour of conversation, he always left Their Majesties cheerful, with joyful hopes and hope in their souls.”
For more than 10 years, Rasputin was one of the closest people to the royal family. The Romanovs believed him, but at the same time they repeatedly collected information about the Siberian wanderer and especially checked the information that they very often presented to them in order to push them away from the old man.
Nicholas II sometimes consulted with Rasputin on the appointment of certain important dignitaries. And although his opinion was taken into account, it was far from always decisive. The king reckoned with him, but made decisions on his own.
Many of the prominent officials who were looking for promotions were now trying to please the Siberian peasant, fawning over him. Millionaires, ministers and aristocrats frequented the elder's apartment along with beggarly petitioners.
But if the monarch consulted with Gregory on the appointment of officials, then he listened to his political advice much less frequently. For example, in 1915-1916 the State Duma sought the right to appoint ministers. Rasputin persuaded the tsar to bow to the demands of the time. Nicholas II agreed, but never did so.
The emperor did not welcome the frequent appearances of the "old man" in the palace. Moreover, soon rumors began to circulate in St. Petersburg about the extremely obscene behavior of Rasputin. It was rumored that, using his enormous influence on the empress, he took bribes for the promotion of people in the service, although the commission of the Provisional Government could not establish a single real case (but there were many rumors about this) when, according to Rasputin's notes, a request was carried out that was in violation of law.
Investigator of the Provisional Government Commission V. Rudnev writes: “When examining the papers of the Minister of Internal Affairs Protopopov, several typical letters from Rasputin were found, always talking only about some interests of private individuals for whom Rasputin was fussing. Among the papers of Protopopov, as well as among the papers of all other high-ranking persons, they did not find a single document indicating the influence of Rasputin on foreign and domestic policy.
Many people came to Rasputin with requests to pray for their deeds, telegrams and letters were sent to him. However, most of all, of course, direct contact with him was valued. Unbiased sources testify that at a personal meeting he charmed people with some kind of special confidence, the ability to present himself, benevolence and simply kindness.
Many noted the deep insight and intuition of the elder. He could aptly characterize a person immediately after meeting. A subtle psychological instinct for people struck many in him. Rasputin's special psychological abilities also underlay the ability to cure diseases. A number of cases are documented that confirm his gift as a healer. These cases are also confirmed by the materials of the commission of the Provisional Government.
Rasputin showed the ability to heal many times in his life. Rudnev established the undoubted fact that the seizures of the "dance of St. Witt" were cured in the son of Rasputin's secretary, Aron Simanovich, while all the manifestations of the disease disappeared forever after two sessions. The “old man” undoubtedly possessed some kind of hypnotic gift, knew how to inspire what he wanted, and was especially successful in healing women and children, who, as you know, are more easily amenable to outside influence. As already mentioned, with the greatest force he showed his gift in the treatment of the prince, who suffered from hemophilia, thereby winning the trust and deep recognition of the empress.
In addition to prayerful help and healing, people went to Rasputin with purely material requests, petitions, complaints of insults and oppression.
The Commission of the Provisional Government, which interrogated hundreds of people who visited Rasputin, established that he often received money from petitioners for satisfying their petitions. Usually, these were wealthy people who asked Gregory to transfer their request to the Highest name or to intercede in one or another ministry. They gave money of their own free will, but he did not spend it on himself, but distributed it to the same petitioners, only more victorious.
Rasputin's apartment in Petrograd, where he spent most of his time, according to eyewitnesses, was overflowing with all kinds of poor people and various petitioners who, believing rumors that he had a huge influence on the tsar, came to him with their needs.
In fact, the doors of his apartment were open to all the public. Rasputin rarely refused a request for help if he saw that the person was really in need.
But along with this kind of characterization of the activities of the "man of God" Grigory Efimovich Rasputin, there was another, absolutely opposite. Some time after his arrival in St. Petersburg, rumors began to spread in secular society about the rampant behavior of the “old man” and the “prophet”, his communication with various rabble, ugly revels (for which they called Grigory Rasputin).
They even talked about his too close relationship with the empress, which greatly undermined the authority of the king. However, society was even more outraged by the influence that this Siberian peasant had on the tsar in solving state issues.
Hostility towards Grigory Efimovich Rasputin was experienced by all educated sections of the population. The monarchist nobles and the intelligentsia, both revolutionary and liberal, agreed on his negative role in the royal court, calling him the evil genius of the Romanovs. On September 19, 1916, Black Hundreds deputy Vladimir Purishkevich said in State Duma passionate speech against Rasputin. He exclaimed ardently: "The dark peasant should not rule Russia any longer!"
On the same day, the plan was born to kill Rasputin. After listening to Purishkevich's accusatory speech, Prince Felix Yusupov approached him with this proposal. Then several more people joined the conspiracy, including Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich.
The murder of Rasputin was scheduled for December 16, 1916. F. Yusupov invited Rasputin to his mansion. At the meeting, according to Russian custom, they kissed each other. Rasputin unexpectedly mockingly exclaimed: “I hope this is not a Judas kiss!”
They wanted to poison him with potassium cyanide. He ate several cakes with poison - and no consequences. After consulting, the conspirators decided to shoot Rasputin. Yusupov fired first. But Rasputin was only wounded. He rushed to run, and then Purishkevich shot several times at him. The elder fell only after the fourth shot.
The murderers lowered the bound body of Rasputin into a hole in the Malaya Nevka ice near Krestovsky Island. As it turned out later, he was thrown under the ice while still alive. When the body was found, they found that the lungs were full of water: Rasputin tried to breathe and choked. He freed his right hand from the ropes, the fingers on it were folded for the sign of the cross.
The names of the killers immediately became known to the police. However, they got off very easily - Yusupov was sent to his own estate, the Grand Duke - to the front, and Purishkevich was not touched at all.
Grigory Efimovich Rasputin was modestly buried in Tsarskoye Selo. But he did not rest there for long. After the February Revolution, his body was dug up and burned at the stake.
According to Pavel Milyukov, the peasants said this: “So, for once, a peasant got to the royal choir - to tell the kings the truth, and the nobles killed him.”
During his lifetime and after, attempts were repeatedly made to investigate his activities. But, covering the problem from the point of view of some political forces, almost all of them were tendentious. As the historian O. Platonov wrote in his study: “There is not a single article, let alone a book, where Rasputin's life is considered consistently, historically, based on a critical analysis of sources. All the writings and articles about Rasputin that exist today are a retelling - just in different combinations - of the same historical legends and anecdotes, most of which are outright fiction and falsification.
Unfortunately, despite the thoroughness and detail of research, Platonov's book is also not free from tendentiousness. As you can see, it is almost impossible, in the absence of consistent and credible evidence, to objectively characterize Grigory Efimovich Rasputin. Only the trace that he left in the history of Russia will remain undoubted.
Name: Grigory Rasputin
Age: 47 years old
Place of Birth: With. Pokrovskoe
A place of death: St. Petersburg
Activity: peasant, friend of Tsar Nicholas II, seer and healer
Family status: was married
Grigory Rasputin - Biography
A long time ago, back in the 17th century, Izosim Fedorov's son came to the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye and "came to the arable land." His children received the nickname "Rasputa" - from the word "crossroads", "crossroads", "crossroads". From them came the Rasputin family.
Childhood
In the middle of the 19th century, a son was born to the coachman Efim and his wife Anna Rasputin. He was baptized on January 10, the day of memory of St. Gregory of Nyssa, in whose honor he was named. Grigory Rasputin subsequently hid his exact age and clearly exaggerated it in order to better match the image of the “old man”.
Grisha Rasputin was born frail, did not differ in health and special strength. As a child, he did not know how to read and write - there was no school in the village, but he was trained in peasant labor from childhood. He married a girl from a neighboring village, Praskovya, who bore him three children: Matryona, Varvara and Dmitry. Everything would be fine, but Gregory was tormented by illness: in the spring he did not sleep for forty days, he suffered from insomnia, and even urinated on the bed.
There were no doctors in the village, sorcerers and healers did not help. One road remained for a simple Russian peasant - to the saints, to atone for sins. I went to the Verkhotursky Monastery. With this, the transformation of Grigory Rasputin began.
Rasputin: in fasting and prayers
The saints helped: Grigory Rasputin abandoned drunkenness and meat-eating. He set off on wanderings, endured a lot, tortured himself with fasting. I didn’t change my clothes for six months, I wore chains for three years. He met with murderers and saints, talked about life. At home in the stable, he even dug a cave in the form of a grave - at night he hid in it and prayed.
Then the villagers noticed something strange in Rasputin: Grigory walks around the village, waving his arms, muttering to himself, shaking his fist at someone. And once in the cold in one shirt, like a madman, he ran all night, calling people to repentance. In the morning I fell at the fence and lay unconscious for a day. The villagers got excited: what if their Grishka really is a man of God? Many believed, they began to go for advice, for a cure. Even a small community gathered.
Grigory Rasputin - Lighter of the Royal Icons
In the early 1900s, Grigory and his family arrived in St. Petersburg. I met with the bishop, Father Sergius, the future patriarch. A thread was pulled, high-society doors began to open in front of the Siberian healer, right up to the palace doors. And after he was awarded the title of "igniter of the royal lamps", even the fashion went around the capital: not to visit Rasputin is as ashamed as not to hear Chaliapin.
According to another version, it all started in the Kyiv Lavra. Grigory was chopping firewood in the yard, looking terrible, all in black. Two pilgrims approached him, who turned out to be the Montenegrin princesses Milica and Stana, got to know each other, got into a conversation. Grishka boasted that he knew how to heal with his hands, he spoke any disease.
Then the sisters remembered the heir. They reported to the queen, and Rasputin pulled out his lucky ticket: the empress called him to her. The grief of a mother who has a terminally ill child in her arms is easy to understand. There were quite a few of God's people, both domestic and foreign, at the court. The queen clutched at every opportunity like a straw. And here comes a friend!
The debut of the sorcerer Gregory stunned many. The prince had severe nosebleeds. The "old man" pulled out a lump of oak bark from his pocket, crushed it and covered the boy's face with a mass. Doctors only threw up their hands: the blood stopped almost instantly! And Rasputin healed with his hands. He puts his palms on the sore spot, holds a little and says: "Go." He also healed with a word: he would whisper, whisper, and the pain would be removed as if by hand. Even at a distance, on the phone.
Grigory Rasputin: the power of sight
Grigory knew how to recognize people right off the bat. He will look frowningly - and he already knows what kind of person is in front of him, a decent person or the last scoundrel.
His heavy hypnotic gaze subjugated many. The omnipotent Stolypin kept himself on the verge of reason only by force of will. The future killer of Rasputin, Prince Yusupov, lost consciousness upon meeting him. And women simply went crazy from Grishka's strength, they became slaves regardless of age and position in the world, they were ready to lick honey from their boots.
Grigory Rasputin - predictions and prophecies
Rasputin also had another amazing gift - to see the future, and there are eyewitness accounts of this.
For example, Bishop Feofan of Poltava, confessor of the Empress, said: “At that time, the squadron of Admiral Rozhdestvensky was sailing. So we asked Rasputin: "Will the meeting with the Japanese be successful?" Rasputin answered this: "I feel in my heart, he will drown ..." And this prediction later came true in the battle of Tsushima.
Once, while in Tsarskoye Selo, Gregory did not allow the imperial family to dine in the dining room. He said to go to another room, because the chandelier might fall. He was obeyed. And two days later the chandelier really fell...
They say that the elder left behind 11 pages of prophecies. Among them is a terrible disease, which is described as similar to AIDS, and sexual promiscuity, and even an invisible killer - radiation. Rasputin wrote - of course, allegorically - and about the invention of television and mobile phones.
He was praised and feared at the same time: where did he get a gift from God or from the Devil? But the king and queen believed Gregory. Only the nobility whispered: Grishka's demonic phone number is "64 64 6". Hidden in it is the number of the Beast from the Apocalypse.
And then everything collapsed, taking the ground from under their feet. Admirers have become the worst enemies. Rasputin, who only yesterday played with fate, became a hindrance in someone else's game.
Grigory Rasputin: Life after death
On December 17 (December 30, according to a new style), 1916, Grigory arrived at a party at the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. The reason for the visit was far-fetched: Felix's wife, Irina, allegedly wanted to meet the "old man". He was met former friends: Prince Felix Yusupov, State Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich, member of the royal family, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov, lieutenant of the Preobrazhensky regiment Sergei Sukhotin and military doctor Stanislav Lazovert.
First, the conspirators invited Gregory to the basement - they treated him to Madeira and cakes with potassium cyanide. Then they shot, beat with a weight, stabbed with a knife ... However, the "old man", as if charmed, continued to live. He tore off the epaulette from Yusupov's uniform and tried to escape, but he was caught. They tied me up and lowered me under the ice into the ice hole on Malaya Nevka, not far from Kamenny Island. Divers found the body three days later. Rasputin's lungs were full of water - he managed to untie his bonds and almost escaped, but failed to break through the thick ice.
At first, they wanted to bury Gregory in his homeland, in Siberia. Yes, but they were afraid to take the body across all of Russia - they buried it in Tsarskoye Selo, then in Pargolovo. Later, on the orders of Kerensky, Rasputin's body was exhumed and burned in the boiler room of the Polytechnic Institute. But they did not rest on this either: they scattered the ashes in the wind. They were afraid of the "old man" even after his death.
With the murder of Rasputin, the royal family also split, everyone quarreled because of him. Clouds were gathering over the country. But the "old man" warned the emperor:
“If the nobles, your relatives, kill me, then none of your children will live even two years. The Russian people will kill them."
That's how it turned out. Of the children of Rasputin himself, only Matryona survived. Son Dmitry with his wife and the widow of Grigory Efimovich disappeared in Siberian exile already under Soviet rule. Daughter Barbara suddenly died of consumption. And Matrena went to France, and then to the USA. She worked as a dancer in a cabaret, and as a governess, and as a tamer. The poster read: "Tigers and the Mad Monk's Daughter, Whose Exploits in Russia Surprised the World."
Recently, a film about the life of Grigory Rasputin was released on the screens of the country. The film is based on historical materials. The role of Grigory Rasputin was played by a famous actor
