The Assassination of Rasputin

This is Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin. Known as a mystic with magical powers and a self-proclaimed "*Holy Man"*. He is known to have quite an influence on the Russian Royal Family and was one of the biggest scapegoats for the Russian army when they were losing World War 1 and was the target for not one but 2 assassination attempts. But how did it happen? This is what this page will try to explore.

## Brief History

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was born in a small town called Pokrovskoye which is in Siberia. At the age of 28 is where he got a "mystical awakening" and said to have gained his so-called magical powers and then proclaimed himself to be a *"Holy Man"*. Because of this, he went all over Russia and he made his name well known across the nation (though he was better known as Rasputin).

This even caught the attention of the Russian Royal Family, especially now that they have a bit of a crisis themselves. In 1906, the Royal Family called upon Rasputin as they believe that his "magical powers" could heal their heir (or Tsarevich) Alexei who was born of a rare blood condition known as Hemophilia (which means that one's blood can't form clots which is crucial to stop a bleeding cut). Especially Alexei's mother, Tsarina Alexandra (a staunch Orthodox Christian and a firm believer of magic and the supernatural) who decided to have Rasputin be appointed as a helper for the Russian Royal Family.

Scientifically speaking, Rasputin just took Alexei off his "prescribed" Aspirin.

Over the years, however, Rasputin's influence over the Russian Royal Family has grown and has even caused growing concern and resentment on the Russian people.

By 1914, as we know that World War 1 has begun, and Russia wanted to get in on the action. Almost immediately the War would go south for Russia, and with this everybody in Russia was looking for a scapegoat and very soon the Russian people were blaming not just Tsarina Alexandra but also Rasputin whose influence over the Royal Family has grown so big that he practically has control over them now that Tsar Nicholas the 2nd is leading the Russian military on the frontlines. With this, the Russian high military command and other Russian authorities are trying to get rid of Rasputin.

## Assassination Attempts

### 1st attempt

The first assassination attempt came in the summer of 1914 when Rasputin was visiting his hometown of Pokrovskoye when a peasant woman named Chinoya Guseva stabbed Rasputin in the stomach as she believed Rasputin was a symbol of evil. The wound that Rasputin suffered seemed to be fatal, but somehow he survived after extensive surgery. Guseva was then sent to a mental institution for her attempt to kill Rasputin.

### 2nd attempt

Now, what you are about to read isn't entirely accurate since most of the information is based on rumors or truths that aren't entirely true.

Another attempt at killing Rasputin won't come until late 1916 when 2 Russian nobles: Prince Felix Yusupov and Archduke Dimitri Pavlovich formed a plan to kill him as of this time Rasputin is severely effecting the Russian War Effort. What the 2 noblemen did is that they invited Rasputin over to Yusupov's Moika Palace as Felix wanted Rasputin to help out Felix's wife; Irina, and give him some cakes, tea and Mediera Wine. But what Rasputin won't know that this is just a ruse to try to assassinate him as (according to legend) the cakes, tea, and the Wine were all soaked with enough cyanide (a powerful, deadly poison) to kill several men.

Rasputin was then escorted into the basement of the Moika Palace and then was presented with the desserts. At first, Rasputin rejected the desserts, but eventually gave in.

Rasputin had a few of the cyanide soaked cakes and drank the tea, but they didn't kill him. Rasputin then asked for some of that Madeira Wine, even after having 3 glasses the only thing the wine did was get him drunk, give him a slight headache, and a bit of a "tummy wummy".

A few minutes later, Prince Yusupov than came down to the basement and then draws a revolver which was given to him to a few conspirators, Yusupov shot Rasputin in the right side of the chest, he then fell to the floor and was assumed to be dead. This is when Yusupov and Pavlovich along with another conspirator were wearing Rasputin's hat and coat to make people believe that Yusupov and Pavlovich were taking Rasputin home.

As they returned to the Palace to confirm Rasputin's death, the resumed "dead" Rasputin than sprung up and attacked Yusupov and Pavlovich, and the tried to escape from the palace.

As Rasputin staggered out into the courtyard. A conspirator of Yusupov and Pavlovich, Vladimir Purishkevich then shot Rasputin twice. This allowed Yusupov to come out and beat on Rasputin with a barbell.

Then they wrapped Rasputin's body in cloth and thrown it over the Petrovski Bridge and into the Malaya Nevka River. Some unreliable eyewitness reports say that Rasputin was still alive waving his arms and hanging onto a chunk of ice.

Rasputin's body went missing for about 2 days, it wasn't until around New Year's Day in 1917 (on the new style calendar) when his body was found around 700 feet from the bridge.

The details of Rasputin's assassination are indeed exaggerated. But his autopsy has revealed some details. It's been confirmed that he was indeed shot 3 times which included a close-range shot to the head which was the cause of his death and was more than likely already dead when his body was thrown into the river, medical examiners of his body found no trace of cyanide anywhere in his body, but they did find bruises and cuts on his body but not from a beating as previously thought but more than likely from the huge chunks of ice as his body was flowing downstream.

## Aftermath

In the aftermath of the assassination. Rasputin's body was buried and was accompanied by the Russian Royal Family. The assassination attempt by Yusupov and Pavlovich was quickly discovered and the Tsarina wasn't at all happy about this, she ordered Yusupov's and Pavlovich's immediate execution by firing squad without trial. Though this order wouldn't be followed. Instead, Yusupov was exiled to his private estate in Belgograd-Oblast whereas Pavlovich was assigned to a Russian Army garrison in Persia (present-day Iran).

It is also said that Rasputin was also responsible for the hastening of the abdication of the Russian Tsar family as the February Revolution soon followed Rasputin's death. Thus ending the Russian Empire, and Russia would be held in awkward limbo for several years until the Russian Civil War which ended in a Soviet victory in 1923.

Do you want to know what exactly happened during the Russian Revolution? Try clicking on this link.

Don't forget to check out my Games and Movies wikis as well. Until next time, this is JohnnyOTGS signing out.