Death of Rasputin
Grigori Efimovich Rasputin was a controversial Russian monk known for his significant influence over the royal family, particularly Czar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. He gained prominence due to his purported healing abilities, especially in relation to their son, who suffered from hemophilia. His closeness to the Romanovs, however, also led to public and political backlash, as many viewed him as a corrupting influence on the monarchy amid widespread social and economic turmoil in Russia. Fearing his power, a group of conspirators, including Prince Felix Yussupov, plotted to assassinate him on December 30, 1916. Their attempts to poison him failed, and after various violent methods, they ultimately drowned him. Rasputin's death marked a significant moment in Russian history, as it occurred just months before the Bolshevik Revolution, which led to the fall of the Romanov dynasty. Despite his demise, the issues facing the monarchy persisted, underscoring the complexities of Russian society at that time.
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Death of Rasputin
Death of Rasputin
Grigori Efimovich Novjkh, more commonly known as Rasputin, was a charismatic Russian monk and a controversial historical figure. He died in the early morning hours of December 30, 1916, at the hands of conspirators who feared his influence over the Russian royal family.
As discussed elsewhere in this book, the Romanovs, Russia's royal family for three centuries, experienced a series of crises in the early 20th century which eventually led to their overthrow in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. These problems included widespread poverty, social inequality, political repression, and the outbreak of World War I. There was one problem in particular, however, which especially haunted Russian ruler Czar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra. Their son, the heir to the throne, was a hemophiliac and could be seriously injured, almost to the point of death, by the slightest accident. However, Rasputin (a nickname that comes from the Russian word for “degenerate” and other undesirable persons) had mysterious healing powers that seemed to save the boy's life on several occasions. The royals, particularly Alexandra, fell under his influence and turned a blind eye to his heavy drinking, sexual indiscretions, and other faults. Rasputin also became a political problem, using his position to influence government policies in corrupt and arbitrary ways. Finally, a small group of conspirators led by Prince Felix Yussupov and consisting of other members of the upper classes decided to remove this blight from the royal family.
They invited Rasputin to join them on the evening of December 29, 1916, for wine and sweets that had all been secretly poisoned. He proved to have an amazing physical constitution, however. After Rasputin showed no signs of suffering from the poisoning, they shot and beat him repeatedly, yet still he would not die. Finally, sometime after midnight, they tied him up and dumped him into the nearby river, where Rasputin finally died. The evidence suggests that he was still struggling to free himself when he drowned. Rasputin's body was recovered by the authorities several days later and buried in a silver casket at the Romanov family retreat known as Tsarkoe Selo, a tribute to his memory by the distressed royals. Although his unhealthy influence was finally gone, Rasputin's death did not prevent the fall of the Russian monarchy several months later in 1917.