rasputin

Grigoryrasputin

The Mad Monk Made by Nipun! (with help from Encyclopedia Brittanica, Russia Beyond, The Guardian; links at the end)

Grigory Rasputin

Grigori Yefimovich Novykh (born 1869) was a Russian mystic ("Rasputin" means "the debauched one"). He became influential in the Russian royal court for his alleged mystical powers just before the 1917 Revolution.

What was the Russian Revolution?Who was Rasputin? Are the two (somehow) related?

Before we start...

BEFORE THE ROYAL COURT

Rasputin was illiterate and joined a monastery to become a monk, but he eventually left, becoming a wanderer and a self-proclaimed holy man. Rasputin arrived in St. Petersburg in 1903. The city's high society were fascinated with mysticism at this time, and so this mystical man eventually met...

tHE rOYAL fAMILY.

Convinced that Rasputin could help their hemophiliac son, Tsar Nicholas II and Queen Alexandra came to trust him as a holy man. Outside the royal court, Rasputin gained a reputation as a seducer and a licentious man.

his fortune, his downfall

Rasputin became the Tsarina's personal advisor when the Tsar left to lead Russian troops during World War I. He now held influence over church appointments, cabinet selection and occasionally military matters. This walking scandal of a man faced several assassination attempts.The last one was successful...

Rasputin, Boney M

Rasputin, 1916

in 1916.

Two members of the royal family and a member of the Russian Duma invited Rasputin to a "party." According to legend, there he survived cakes and wine laced with cyanide, until being shot and thrown into an icy river. (interesting fact- his descendants are alive!)

DISCUSSION

Why was it so hard to kill Rasputin? (interesting stuff if you are interested)

Do you think Rasputin personally played any role in the Russian Revolution?

Give one more example of such a rags-to-riches story.

THANKS!

Oh, this Russian...