What's the Real Story Behind Rasputin?

Summary

In this episode of 'Decode the Unknown,' the enigmatic figure of Grigori Rasputin is explored, debunking myths and sensational claims about his life, death, and alleged supernatural abilities. The show delves into his influence on the Romanov dynasty, his purported healing powers, and the conspiracy theories surrounding him. Through meticulous research and historical evidence, the host demystifies Rasputin's legacy, revealing a complex individual rather than a supernatural being or political mastermind.

Takeaways

• 👤 Rasputin was a complex individual often portrayed as either a demonic figure or a saint, but in reality, he was a human with both positive and negative traits.
• 🔮 The rumors of Rasputin's supernatural healing powers and prophetic abilities are largely exaggerated and not supported by solid evidence.
• 🍷 Rasputin was known for his love of Madira wine, which he allegedly drank excessively, leading to some of his scandalous behavior.
• 🏰 The relationship between Rasputin and the Romanov family, particularly Tsarina Alexandra, was a significant factor in his rise to prominence and eventual downfall.
• 🤔 Rasputin's influence on the Romanovs, especially in policy matters, has been overstated. Tsar Nicholas was not easily swayed by Rasputin's advice.
• 💉 Contrary to some accounts, Rasputin's alleged healings of hemophiliac Prince Alexei may have been due to chance or the absence of certain medical treatments, rather than supernatural powers.
• 🔮 Rasputin's supposed prophecies, such as the fall of the Russian Empire and the rise of Soviet Russia, are more likely the result of later embellishments rather than genuine foresight.
• 🔫 The assassination of Rasputin was a dramatic event, but the legend of him being nearly indestructible is not supported by autopsy reports, which show he died from gunshot wounds.
• 🕵️‍♂️ There is no concrete evidence to support claims that Rasputin was a spy for either the German or British intelligence services, despite some intriguing theories.
• 📚 The legacy of Rasputin has been shaped by various factions, each with their own agenda, leading to a mix of myth, slander, and some truth about his life and actions.

Q & A

Who was Rasputin and why is he a subject of intrigue?

Rasputin, full name Grigori Rasputin, was a Siberian peasant who rose to prominence as a self-proclaimed holy man or 'starets' in the Russian Empire. He is a subject of intrigue due to his influence over the Romanov family, particularly Tsarina Alexandra, and his alleged healing abilities, as well as the sensational rumors surrounding his personal life and mysterious death.

What is the significance of Rasputin's alleged healing abilities?

Rasputin's alleged healing abilities are significant because they played a key role in his rise to power and influence within the Russian court. He was credited with stopping the bleeding of hemophiliac episodes in Tsarevich Alexei, the son of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, which earned him the trust and favor of the royal family.

What is the historical context of Rasputin's rise to prominence?

Rasputin rose to prominence during a tumultuous period in Russian history, marked by social unrest, the 1905 Revolution, and the onset of World War I. His influence in the royal court was a source of controversy and contributed to the Romanovs' unpopularity.

How did Rasputin's relationship with the royal family impact Russia's involvement in World War I?

Rasputin is known to have advised Tsarina Alexandra against Russia's involvement in World War I. His assassination was rumored to have been orchestrated by British secret services, possibly due to his influence over the royal family's decisions regarding the war, although this claim lacks concrete evidence.

What are the various legends and rumors surrounding Rasputin's personal life and death?

Legends and rumors about Rasputin include his alleged supernatural healing powers, prophetic abilities, sexual deviance, and a death that was said to be nearly impossible to achieve. These sensational stories have contributed to his status as a mysterious and controversial figure in history.

What is the 'Y' restaurant incident involving Rasputin?

The 'Y' restaurant incident refers to a sensational story in which Rasputin was said to have behaved indecently in public, claiming his manhood was the tool that ruled Russia. However, this story was later debunked as a fabrication by police officials attempting to discredit Rasputin.

What role did the secret police, the Okhrana, play in Rasputin's life?

The Okhrana, the secret police, closely monitored Rasputin from 1909 onwards. They compiled reports detailing his scandalous behavior, which contributed to the slander campaign against him and indirectly against the Tsarina.

How did Rasputin's assassination contribute to the legend of his invincibility?

Rasputin's assassination was sensationalized with accounts claiming that he survived being poisoned, shot, beaten, and even submerged in freezing water before finally dying. These stories have fueled the legend of his near-invulnerability.

What are some of the conspiracy theories surrounding Rasputin's identity and actions?

Some conspiracy theories suggest that Rasputin was an immortal being, the Count of St. Germain, who has appeared throughout history to bring about significant change. Others propose that he was a German spy or had British intelligence involvement in his assassination.

What is the significance of the claim that Rasputin was a German spy?

The claim that Rasputin was a German spy is significant as it suggests a level of foreign manipulation within the Russian court. However, this claim has been largely debunked by historical research, including the findings of author Douglas Smith, who found no evidence of a link between Rasputin and German intelligence.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Introduction to Rasputin's Enigma

The script opens with the host and writer engaging in a light-hearted banter about the historical figure Rasputin, setting the stage for an exploration of his life and the myths surrounding him. They discuss the sensationalized stories of Rasputin's alleged invincibility and his controversial presence in the Russian royal court, hinting at the embellishments and misconceptions that have been woven into his narrative.

05:01

👑 Rasputin's Portrayal and Impact on Russian Court

This paragraph delves into the various perceptions of Rasputin, from a manipulative conman to a saintly figure with miraculous powers. It outlines the conflicting narratives spun by different factions, including the Orthodox Church and Romanov loyalists, as well as the potential political motivations behind discrediting Rasputin. The script also speculates on the possibility of Rasputin's assassination being orchestrated by foreign secret services, a claim that is yet to be substantiated.

10:02

📚 Rasputin's Biography and Early Life

The script provides a detailed account of Rasputin's early life, from his humble beginnings in Siberia to his religious awakening and eventual journey to St. Petersburg. It dispels myths about his background, clarifying that he was not a monk and that his influence on the royal family was not as extensive as believed. The paragraph also discusses his marriage, family life, and the development of his reputation as a preacher and self-proclaimed holy man.

15:02

🤝 Rasputin's Introduction to the Romanovs

The narrative continues with Rasputin's introduction to the royal family through the aristocracy and his first encounter with Tsar Nicholas II and his family. It highlights the critical moment when Rasputin allegedly healed the Tsarevich Alexei's hemophilia, leading to his frequent invitations to the court and his growing role as a confidant to the royal couple, particularly Alexandra.

20:03

🔮 Rasputin's Alleged Healing and Prophetic Powers

This section examines Rasputin's purported healing abilities, particularly in relation to the Tsarevich's hemophilia, and his prophetic skills. It presents various instances where Rasputin's intervention allegedly led to the cessation of bleeding episodes, as well as his predictions about the future, including the fall of the Russian Empire and other global catastrophes. The script also addresses the skepticism surrounding these claims and the lack of concrete evidence supporting them.

25:04

💉 Rasputin, Aspirin, and Hemophilia Treatment Controversy

The script explores the possibility that Rasputin's 'healings' may have been due to the absence of medical intervention, specifically the discontinuation of aspirin, which could have exacerbated the Tsarevich's bleeding episodes. It presents the perspective of Pierre Gillard, who suggested that Rasputin's advice to avoid doctors and their treatments may have inadvertently improved the health outcomes for the hemophiliac prince.

30:05

🌍 Rasputin's Prophetic Predictions and Their Accuracy

This paragraph scrutinizes Rasputin's alleged prophecies about global events, including the rise of Bolshevism, the execution of the Romanov family, and a series of cataclysmic events that were to befall Europe. The script questions the authenticity of these prophecies, given that they are largely based on secondhand accounts and lack primary sources for verification.

35:05

💔 Rasputin's Assassination and Its Aftermath

The script recounts the dramatic story of Rasputin's assassination, the conspiracy behind it, and the various theories that have emerged since. It discusses the autopsy findings that contradict the sensational accounts of his death, the potential involvement of British intelligence, and the enduring myths about his indestructibility and the supernatural elements associated with his character.

40:06

🕵️‍♂️ Rasputin as a German Spy: Fact or Fiction?

The final paragraph addresses the rumors that Rasputin was a German spy, attempting to sway Russian policies to favor Germany during World War I. The script summarizes the research conducted by Douglas Smith, who found no evidence of Rasputin's collusion with German intelligence, and concludes that the accusations were unfounded.

45:08

🎭 The True Story of Rasputin: Separating Myth from Reality

In conclusion, the script highlights the importance of distinguishing fact from fiction in Rasputin's story. It emphasizes that Rasputin was a complex individual whose life has been sensationalized and distorted by various interests. The host reflects on the remarkable journey of Rasputin from a Siberian peasant to a figure of national significance and the enduring legacy that continues to spark debate and fascination.

Keywords

💡Rasputin

Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who gained considerable influence in the late Russian Empire, particularly with the Romanov family. In the video, Rasputin is discussed as a complex figure with a controversial legacy, often sensationalized in popular culture. His alleged healing powers, influence over the royal family, and mysterious death are central themes.

💡Romanovs

The Romanovs were the ruling imperial family of Russia from 1613 to 1917. The video script mentions Nicholas II and Alexandra, the last Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, who were friends and confidants of Rasputin. Their relationship with Rasputin is a significant part of the narrative, as it is often cited as a reason for the Romanovs' unpopularity and eventual downfall.

💡Healing Powers

Rasputin is often associated with alleged supernatural healing powers, particularly in relation to the hemophilia of the Romanov's son, Alexei. The script explores whether these claims were genuine or exaggerated, discussing instances where Rasputin supposedly healed individuals, including Alexei, and the potential influence of his presence on the皇子's health.

💡Prophetic Powers

The video delves into Rasputin's supposed ability to predict future events, a common trope in stories about him. It critically examines the authenticity of these claims, suggesting that many of the prophecies attributed to Rasputin may be later fabrications or misinterpretations of his advice or statements.

💡Assassination

Rasputin's death is a key event in the script, described as a sensational and mysterious assassination. The video discusses various theories surrounding his murder, including the involvement of British intelligence and the Russian aristocracy, and the sensationalized accounts of his seemingly indestructible nature.

💡Siberian Mystic

Rasputin is often referred to as a 'Siberian Mystic' in the script, highlighting his origins from a remote part of Russia and his self-proclaimed spiritual authority. This label is used to discuss his rise to prominence and the mystique that surrounded his persona and actions.

💡Mad Monk

The term 'Mad Monk' is used in the script to describe Rasputin, particularly in relation to sensationalized stories about his behavior. It captures the public perception of him as an eccentric and controversial figure, often associated with scandalous rumors and unorthodox behavior.

💡Hemophilia

Hemophilia is a medical condition mentioned in the script, specifically in relation to Alexei, the son of the Romanovs. Rasputin's alleged ability to help Alexei with his hemophilia is a significant part of the narrative, illustrating the mystique and influence attributed to him.

💡Russian Empire

The Russian Empire is the historical context in which Rasputin lived and gained influence. The script discusses the political and social climate of the empire, particularly during the reign of the Romanovs, and how Rasputin's actions and influence were perceived within this context.

💡Conspiracy Theories

The video script touches on various conspiracy theories surrounding Rasputin, including his alleged immortality and connections to other historical figures. These theories add to the sensationalism and mystique of his story, though the video aims to debunk many of these claims through critical analysis.

Highlights

Rasputin's life and legacy are often sensationalized, but this episode aims to decode the truth behind the myths.

Rasputin was known for his alleged invincibility, but the reality of his death was less supernatural and more mundane.

The popular image of Rasputin as a debaucherous figure may be exaggerated, with his behavior being more a product of his time and status.

Rasputin's influence over the Romanovs, particularly Tsarina Alexandra, has been overstated and is a subject of debate.

The claim that Rasputin was a German spy is largely unsubstantiated, with no concrete evidence found in historical archives.

Rasputin's alleged healing powers, particularly with regard to hemophilia, are scrutinized and found to be likely coincidental or misattributed.

The episode delves into the historical context of Rasputin's rise to prominence, including his interactions with the Russian aristocracy.

Rasputin's alleged prophetic abilities are examined, with many of his supposed predictions being generic or misattributed.

The episode challenges the narrative that Rasputin was a manipulative figure, suggesting he was more a product of his environment than a mastermind.

The assassination of Rasputin is discussed, with the episode presenting a more grounded view of the event than the legend suggests.

Rasputin's relationship with the Orthodox Church and his portrayal by different factions within it are explored, highlighting the political nature of his legacy.

The episode discusses the role of British intelligence in Rasputin's death, suggesting they were aware but did not intervene.

Rasputin's alleged sexual misconduct is addressed, with the episode suggesting it may be more rumor than fact.

The episode concludes by emphasizing Rasputin's humanity and the need to separate fact from fiction in his story.

Bonus fact: The episode mentions outlandish conspiracy theories about Rasputin, including one linking him to an immortal being.

The episode encourages a balanced view of Rasputin, recognizing his impact without succumbing to sensationalism.

Transcripts

Hello everybody welcome back to another

episode of decod the unknown as always

I'm your host s here one of my writers

in this case who wrote this araldo thank

you Arnaldo it's Ras Putin demon Saint

Prophet healer spy question mark

exclamation point question mark um

thanks Donaldo I've never read this

before that's the format of the show

we're going to read it together and

explore I do know a bit about Rasputin I

mean I've covered him in videos

previously isn't the something about

like he was impossible to kill is that

what we're going to be decoding today

because I think it turns out like it's

like no it was n it wasn't as amazing as

everyone thinks and it's kind of like

embellished anyway Rasputin let's dive

[Music]

in it's June 1915 night falls over

Moscow the weary citizen seeks Solace

inside the welcoming walls of the y or

Fury a popular restaurant and Nightclub

restaurant and Nightclub I don't

understand like eating in a nightclub

it's like restaurants quiet place where

you generally have conversation

nightclub very loud place where it's

impossible to talk to anyone what are

you supposed to do like I've been to

bars it seems like something more like

when I was a student or a younger person

but you'd go to a bar and you'd be like

yeah okay let's eat a little but the

music's so loud you're kind of just

eating crappy food while there's

enormously loud music player you're like

what what you say I don't get it I don't

get it I generally hate nightclubs

anyway I haven't been to a nightclub in

a decade and I don't miss it at all like

that is a Young Person's game and [ __ ]

that it's just so loud and there's so

much drinking now it's like an old man

I'm like loudness and drinking no thank

you here they can share a drink a song

or the latest gossip about the Royal

Court oh yeah this is pre-revolution

Moscow of course the Russian Empire has

been fighting in the Great War against

the central Empires for almost a year

now and the people are not happy MOS

vites are quick to blame the Emperors s

Nicholas and Sarena Alexandra for the

disastrous conduct of the conflict but

they are even quicker to blame their

friend and spiritual adviser an uncouth

Siberian peasant called gregori Rasputin

this man likes to betray himself as a

Mystic A Healer a

sage peasant is a word that comes up in

my household surprisingly often because

uh I live in Prague as people probably

know by this point and the word for

peasant is also the word for like

farmish or like you know like um you

know like if you get like a yogurt

that's like Farmers yogurt or whatever

you know where it's like trying to

appeal to like I don't know it's like

marketing whatever but it's cellcare

which is so you'd have like cellcare

butter which means like Farmers butter

but it also means peasant if you like if

I put it into Google translate I was

like oh what is this sare butter I was

like peasant butter so whenever I it's

just an on going joke between ah I see

you bought the peasant butter yes

hilarious Simon thanks for that personal

aside let's continue this man likes to

portray himself as a Mystic A Healer a

sage that spicy rumors swirl Untamed

around Moscow and St Petersburg telling

Tales of a drunken rutin engaging in

unchecked caral congress with

aristocratic ladies and perhaps even

with the Sarena yeah Rasputin's a

fascinating one isn't it cuz he's like

he smells didn't he not bathe very often

he's kind of just this smelly peasant

and somehow he's got such godlevel

Charisma that he works his way into the

Royal Court and like people love him and

it's like that Rasputin you're a smelly

peasant SEL peasant suddenly the

attention of the yah patrons turns to a

thin tall bearded man causing a drunken

rockers a few tables apart the man looks

familiar of course he does it's gregori

Rasputin The Mad Monk Rasputin visibly

and irreversibly smashed jumps onto a

table lowers his trousers and reveals to

Moscow his swinging and impressive

manhood as the crowd gasps the Siberian

Bellows this is the tool that rules

Russia before which the empress prays oh

my Lord dude are you asking to get

executed holy [ __ ] this is perhaps one

of the most famous anecdotes about

gregori Rasputin which contributed to

perpetuating his Legend story like these

inspired bony M's 1978 single Rasputin

and its Immortal lines Rasputin lover of

the Russian Queen there was a cat that

was really gone raris Putin Russia's

greatest love machine it was a shame how

he carried on I feel like I know this

song but I have no idea how it goes and

it's honestly better for you that I

don't try and sing it Bob Dylan surely

did not lose sleep over these verses his

crown as arguably popular music's

greatest Lyricist remained unchallenged

but the night 1978 disco hit was

nonetheless effective in perpetuating

the dark legend of the so-called Mad

Monk was he a demonic lover a saintly

healer a prophet or perhaps even an

opportunistic spy I mean all of the

above if you are even remotely familiar

with the character of Rasputin chances

are that you've been fed a highly

sensationalized version of a complex

well-rounded and contradictory human

being as we all are that's very Nic on

out just assuming that everyone is

well-rounded and complex some people

just

simple if you heard about R Putin you

probably heard him described as a

schemer a manipulator a devious

alcoholic con man who ingratiated his

way into the court of the Roman of SARS

to manipulate their policies while

threatening the virtue of the Sarena and

her daughters with his robust sexual

appetites a subsection of this school of

thought claims that Rasputin was in fact

a German agent directed by Puppet

Masters in Berlin who sought to weaken

Russia's leadership and knock the

country out of World War I in recent

years circles close to the Orthodox

church and Romanov loyalists have spun a

different take on rpu him portraying him

as a quasi saintly figure a miracle

worker capable of Healing The Sick and

predicting the future well we know

they're wrong because miracles to heal

the sick aren't real and neither is

predicting the future I mean these

things are both real in a way like

miracles happen someone has like

terrible cancer and then it goes away

and you're like oh my God you defied the

odds you're like that one like .1%

aren't you that everyone hopes for and

then predicting the the future of course

is possible like I can predict that I'm

going to have lunch today there going to

be a turkey salad boom easy

unfortunately Rasputin's reputation was

ruined by slander thrown at him by

enemies of the S the thesis of this

revisionist take is that during the

1910s both leftwing revolutionaries and

ultraconservative circles wanted to get

rid of the romanovs either to replace

them with a communist Republican

government or with another autocratic

ruler and by attacking Rasputin these

factions sought to indirectly discredit

the S also those who wish to portray

rutin as an orthodox religious icon like

to Splash intriguing brush Strokes of a

spy story onto the canvas Rasputin was

known to have advised the SAR against

entering World War I as such he was

despised by the onon Allies could it be

that his assassination may have been

orchestrated by the British secret

Services well it's been a hundred years

plus so I get the feeling this is

something that would have come out like

there be Declassified documents or

someone would have spilled the beans so

the fact that this is the first time

hearing of it does make it seem quite

unlikely but let's see all right I'll

pause now as there's a lot to

deconstruct here in fact the more you

look at gregori Rasputin's life the more

you find for decoding the unknown fodder

did he really have Supernatural healing

powers was he able to accurately predict

the future was he really at the center

of a conspiracy involving the German

Andor British secret Services I think we

can answer those questions with no

probably not and well maybe who knows oh

there's another one and what was he

really like Beyond hagiographic myth

hegor graphic I need to look that one up

our Nowa you big brain is a biography or

a saint or ecclesiastical leader okay uh

and salacious slander as a first step

let's take a look at the man's biography

along the way I will point out which

elements are normally incorporated into

Rasputin's life accounts despite being

overly exaggerated or plain madeup

rumors I shall then Deep dive into the

more mysterious elements of his legacy

but before we kick off may I recommend

to those viewers and listeners who are

not driving working or locking looking

after children to pour themselves a

glass of M wine apparently this was

Rasputin's favorite alcoholic beverage

you just hav't slap of without hand it's

like yeah pour yourself that madira wine

that you've been keeping in the cup does

anyone have that I've never even heard

of that or maybe I have I feel like I

have heard of it I will personally UNC

uncor a bottle of dry cial and down a

glass every time I'm forced to type

apparently or allegedly wish me luck and

excuse the abundance of typos before we

get to the end I'm like whoa this

script's like 20 something pages on

Aldo what am I going to be for by the

time we get to the end of

this life of

gregoryi gregoryi ovich Aras Putin was

born on January the 21st 1869 in the

town of poqu a province of tobal Western

Siberia back then a part of the Russian

Empire gregori was the eighth child born

to anaran fim a farmer in government

career the restuants did not live

exactly in abject poverty but life was

not easy either gregori had eight

siblings in total but only he and his

younger sister survived into adulthood

oh my God six of them died it's like oh

no he his his bring his you know

upbringing wasn't that bad only six of

his siblings died not much has known

about Gregor's early years according to

most popular accounts he was something

of a never do well as a teenager

allegedly being arrested at one point

for the theft of a horse apparently this

is a rather serious crime in C Siberia

back then which carried a lengthly

prison sentence yeah horse theft didn't

it used to be like punishable with death

in some parts of the world cuz like

forces were seen as so important

according to historian Douglas Smith

author of Rasputin Faith power and the

Twilight of the Roman OBS published in

November 2016 this whole story is worth

as much as the intestinal product of

said horse gregori was in fact

incarcerated for a brief period of time

but only for insulting a local official

by the way Douglas Smith is probably the

only biographer of Rasputin who's

actually sought confirmation of his life

stories and official records if that's

the he's the only one what do you what

are the other biographers doing just

being like yeah yeah I guess I'll just

take that rumorous fact and write it

down and sell a book yeah I guess books

aren't peer-reviewed are they so people

just be like I was entertaining what a

good book it's thanks to Smith that

we're able to discuss Rasputin's life in

a balanced non- sensationalist way so

allow me to raise a toast to that

Legends Galo drinking his wine the other

thing we know about Rasputin's teenage

years is the underwent a religious

Awakening at around the age of 15 or 16

according to author Sergey fman in his

seven volume Jesus gregori Rasputin in

investigation this spiritual crisis came

after gregori witnessed The Accidental

tragic death of a younger cousin after

the event the young Russian went on a

pilgrimage to St Nicholas Monastery in

vuya Western Siberia where he remained

for several months as a lay worker

interesting point here gregori never

took vows so the Monica Mad Monk Is

misnomer another interesting point

Rasputin remained semi-illiterate

throughout his life and yet he acquired

a profound knowledge of scripture simply

by listening to priests reading the Old

and New Testaments most contemporary

biographies speculate that during his

pilgrimages the Mad not really a monk

joined a religious sect known as kisty

or flagellant wait now flatulence people

are going to like beat themselves like

it's like I had an impure thought get

the whip according to their Doctrine

sinning was the best way to get close to

God

okay that's an interesting take isn't it

hence the kisty engaged in prolonged

exhausting orgies yeah yeah okay it's

okay it's like what's what's the tenant

of your religion well we all have we're

incredibly sinful because we think it

gets us closer to God mhm now get naked

the sect teachings have been incited as

influencing Rasputin's later alleged

sexually deviant conduct so if you

believe in team demon arest Putin

seduced or simply assaulted every woman

he came across team Saint claims that he

was a poster child for monogamy and

moderation so let's bring in Douglas

Smith again shall we Smith admits that

the kisty were active around the same

time and place places Rasputin but

there's no proof that he actually came

into contact with the sect as per his

sexual behavior it appears that this was

in fact inap appropriate in his adult

years the Siberian Mystic was often

surrounded by adoring beautiful young

women and he often took advantage by

groping and pinching them but again

there is no conclusive proof that he

engaged in any orgastic rituals or

non-consensual sex in February 1887

gregori married Pria doina and the two

would sire seven children of which only

three survive past childhood because of

course it was the past this was only

like 130 years ago I know it's like only

130 years but it's pretty wild like

nowadays it's like that would be insane

to have that many children die it'd be

like oh my God I'm so sorry but back in

the day they're like hey it's why we had

so many they didn't even have names the

Rasputin's firstborn child in fact died

in 1893 at the age of four upset by his

death rori returned to the monastery in

verot Toya to meet his spiritual teacher

father Ma during this encounter maeri

recognized Gregor's magnetic presence

and talent as a preacher singling him

out for a spiritual mission to the

Empire's Capital St Petersburg Rasputin

would not travel immediately to the

capital however spending the ensuing 10

years in almost constant pilgrimage

traveling across Russia and even to

mount AOS in Greece and to Jerusalem it

was during this decade that he built a

reputation as a preacher and a starett a

sort of self-proclaimed holy man the

starets first visited St Petersburg in

December 1903 returning in October 1905

on this occasion gregori carried a

letter of introduction to B Bishop sergy

a Rector of the local theological

Academy Sergey introduced him to the

inspector of the academy father theophan

who happened to also be the Confessor of

the Imperial family wait is this the

person who goes and hears the

confessions oh my God can you imagine

like for someone so powerful you'll be

like oh I know secrets and they're like

they're telling you all the sh because

that's how they believe they get into

heaven right to get they have to be

forgiven by like a priest or some [ __ ]

oh my God he must know everything and

through thethan Rasputin was introduced

to high ranking members of the

aristocracy more precisely to princess

Malika and Anastasia of Montenegro wives

to Grand Dukes Peter and Nikolai

themselves members of the Imperial

family now these montenegrian princesses

were nicknamed The Crows The Cockroaches

or even the black Peril due to their

pension for Intrigue and love of the

occult and the supernatural therefore

they warmly welcomed into their Circle

this obscure Siberian starett with a

reputation for miracul ulous healings on

November the 1st 1905 Grand Duke Nikolai

introduced grass butin to son Nicholas

II Romanov and his family apparently he

made a profound impression despite the

SARS I he a pretty large fish to fry at

the time you see the romanovs were

sitting on a pretty shaky Throne

following the defeat with Japan in

September 1905 and the onset of the

revolution in 1905 which had undermined

the autocratic rule of the SARS without

getting into too much detail it's

important to note how the SAR was

unpopular with both the Revolutionary

and the ultra conservative factions

critics of Nicholas II commented how the

SAR appeared to be controlled by his

wife Alexandra herself unpopular due to

her German descent and Alexandra was

rumored to be a puppet in the hands of

the scheming starett gregori Rasputin

since the end of 1907 so why exactly at

the end of 1907 well apparently that's

when Rasputin first performed a

miraculous healing on the romanov's

three-year-old son Alexi oh yeah doesn't

he suffer from some blood disease if I

remember right or some kidney disease

maybe since birth the Young Prince

suffered from hemophilia a conditionally

inherited from his great-grandmother

Queen Victoria hemophiliac patients

suffer from a deficiency in factor8 a

clotting protein that means that even

small wounds or traumas may result in

excessive bleeding even life-threatening

bleeding blood loss may occur internally

into joints or muscles provoking intense

pain that sounds miserable can we treat

that these days do they have stuff to

treat hemophilia I feel like yes right

somehow Rasputin's intervention caused a

bleeding episode to stop the serener

Alexandra was a struck by the Siberian

healing powers and summoned him to court

on several other occasion

according to author Sergey fman Rasputin

healed alexe in March 1912 October 1912

July 1913 oh my God a whole bunch of

dates through to

1916 we shall dive deeper into these

healing occurrences in a later section

following the first apparently

miraculous healing of little alexe

Rasputin was invited to court every time

he popped up in St Petersburg and

gradually became a confidant to the

royal couple mainly to saren or

Alexandre and allegedly through his

influence on Alexandre he was able to

manipulate the SAR himself steering his

decisions his policies and even deciding

behind the scenes important ministerial

appointments it's kind of amazing like

this guy I mean obviously he's not

healed this kid so it's just like some

con that he's doing or whatever but it's

kind of impressive like he's just

ingratiated himself and now he's in the

halls of power just like that Charisma

Charisma a good old pal Douglas Smith

downplays Rasputin's influence sure s

Nicholas went down in history as a

particularly incompetent and weak-willed

autocrat but of according to Smith

rather than being spineless he was

simply not interested in ruling this

lack of Interest manifested itself in

another way when Rasputin advised

Alexander toward order a certain

decision Alexander asked Nicholas to

implement such a decision the S would go

yes right whatever you say dear and then

do absolutely nothing or it enact

someone else's advice nonetheless

Nicholas tolerated the presence of

Rasputin at court as it had a calming

effect on his wife who was often subject

to deep anxiety he once told prime

minister porra stolin better 10 Rasputin

the one of the empress's hysterical fits

but Russian Elites at the time had a

different view they saw the Siberian

Mystic as a negative influence on the

course one that could instill in The

sar's Unwanted concern toward the plight

of the masses the poor peasants oh oh

the horror oh no he'll make us think

about the poor people I hate thinking

about poor people oh gross this is when

the slander campaign towards Rasputin

and indirectly the saena first began

since 1909 the Mystic had been under the

watchful eye of the ocana the feared

Sara secret police overseen by stepan

beletzki and later by General janovski

and the police filled their reports with

the counselor Rasputin's scandalous

contuct yes it is true that the Mad Monk

overindulged in madira and yes when

drunky could erupt in rambunctious dance

routines when it was least appropriate

and definitely he behaved

inappropriately with his female

companions and frequently sought the

services of sex workers but according to

Smith the Arana overplayed these

elements peppering in allegations of

sexual assaults and even scandalous

rumors of an affair with the sa Arena by

1911 prime minister Stalin had bought

into this narrative and convinced the

SAR to expel rutin from court but

Alexander pleaded on his behalf Nicholas

caved in and the Mystic oh is once again

welcome in St Petersburg Rasputin

continued to collect enemies however one

of them was an orthodox priest called

father idor allegedly jealous of his

influence in spiritual matters according

to the author Sergey fomin idor inspired

an assassination attempt against

Rasputin this took place on June the

29th 1914 in his hometown of poov gu a

young woman called shonia gasa believing

Rasputin to be a awardist thank you

YouTube you can guess what that means

it's a tyers seexual assault a false

prophet and the Antichrist and she

stabbed him in the stomach despite the

bad wound the starets managed to fend

her off with a stick until she was

arrested CA was found not guilty for

reasons of insanity and confed to a

mental hospital Rasputin was also

hospitalized and underwent a long and

painful recovery throughout July of 1914

all the while a major crisis was

developing in Europe just the day before

the attempt on Rasputin's life Arch Duke

France Ferdinand had been shot in Saro

and the continent was on the brink of

war from his hospital bed Rasputin sent

some 20 telegrams to the SAR pleading

with him to stay out of the Great War

one of those telegrams contained a

prophecy if Nicholas entered the

conflict it would be the end of Russia

and thear now we'll get into the details

of the prophecies in a latest section

but as far as predictions go this proved

to be accurate and to be fair one

doesn't need a Mystic with Supernatural

powers to get this one right War doesn't

usually bring happiness and prosperity

and Rasputin was a well-traveled man who

had rubbed shoulders with both the

common folk and the elites he might have

correctly assumed that the Russian

economy institutions and Military were

not prepared to wage war against Germany

and Austria Hungary he also knew that

Nicholas's Throne still on very fragile

legs and that a disastrous War might

cause his downfall yeah it's not rocket

science is it it's just like okay well

look at this and look at that that's

probably what's going to happen done I'm

sure his advisor had maybe the advisor

just shot up and be like yes your

magesty A war we shall have and a war we

shall win your majesty and Restin like

bro no it's not going to work as

predicted things didn't go well for the

Russian army seeking a scapegoat Russian

Elites doubled down on their slander

toward rest Putin that is when the

famous story about the incident at the Y

restaurant started circulating the scene

I described at the beginning when

Rasputin aimed his artillery at the

patrons claiming that it was the tool

that ruled Russia so was the story true

while once again we have Douglas Smith

and his debunking powers to quote him

what I was able to do is in Moscow at

the state Archive of the Russian

Federation was to finally get a hold of

the police bars on Rasputin which are

voluminous massive and by going back and

looking at the daily reports of what had

happened I was able to see very clearly

that the whole story was invented by

police hups in an attempt to frame

Rasputin end quote it seems that

Rasputin wasn't even in Moscow in June

of 1915 but he did relocate to St

Petersburg after September 1915 that's

when SAR Nicholas took over all command

of his troops and left the capital for

the front delegating Internal Affairs to

the Sarena who promptly summoned

Rasputin to court he would be dead

little more than a year

later healing

powers the murder of gregori Rasputin is

the stuff of Legends you may have read

or heard the classic story According to

which he was tougher to take out than a

coped up John mlan on steroids and that

it took massive doses of poisonous sever

beating several bullets into plung into

a freezing River to finally kill him

we'll get to that a bit later but first

allow me to cover his alleged healing

powers according to Modern sources

openly pro- saris and pro- Orthodox

Rasputin healed at least two individuals

following traumatic incidents the first

was the daughter of prime minister

stolin severely wounded in a bombing

attack perpetrated by Marxist terrorists

on August 15th 1906 according to

newspaper reports of the time however

the girl died as a consequence of her

injuries you he like wait so he did hear

her at all he her at all she just died

from a bomb that's it the attack also

wounded sten's younger son according to

author Joseph Furman Rasputin did visit

him at the hospital but there's no

account of the Mystic attempting to heal

him the second healing allegedly took

place when Anna voer brova a lady in

waiting to the Sarena was involved in a

train crash in January 1915 vova lost

the use of a legs following the accident

but credited Rasputin's prayers for

saving her life now the only primary

source that I could find related to VRA

brova was her interrogation conducted in

May 1917 by the extraordinary Commission

of the provisional government installed

after the revolution of February 1917

the context this is the earlier

Revolution which installed the

government of Alexander kensky later

toppled by Lenin's October Revolution

yes this was a turbulent time in Russian

history that were the two revolutions

right super close to each other in the

interrogation vova is is Thoroughly

grilled about hers and the sar's

relationship with Rasputin whom she

staunchly defends and yet she does not

say a word about the train crash and its

consequences I understand that she may

not have been willing to claim that she

was miraculously healed in such an

official context but I find it curious

that she did not even mention that

Rasputin visited comforted nor prayed

for her on such a distressing occasion

therefore I'm inclined to dismiss this

healing claim as it may have been

inflated or created by a prutin author

yeah if the primary s sources say no

then there's no evidence it there just

seems to be no evidence so you can't

just be like oh it's true you got to

prove it's true let's focus on the more

frequent better documented instances in

which the Siberian starets intervened to

cure Prince Alexis's hemophilia just

like any young child the sarovich was

prone to Falls bump and minor accidents

while playing around being a hemophiliac

however this meant that some minor

physical trauma could result in major

bleeding due to a deficiency and

clotting Factor the doctors at court

were mostly impotent to treat this

condition but it appears that Rasputin

was able to stop the bleeding simply

with the power of prayer for example in

December 1915 the s's sister Olga

documented in her Diaries how Prince

alexe had been bleeding in pain after

yet another incident as the doctors

fumbled about Rasputin was summoned by

the Sarena on December the 6th the

Mystic showed up at Alex's bedside and

made the sign of the cross over him

apparently that's all it took to stem

the Hemorrhage another occasions

Rasputin didn't even need to be present

to perform his Miracle back in October

1912 Alexi suffered a fall while getting

out of a boat which resulted in a

hemorrhage in his thigh and groin the

8-year-old Prince lay in a state of

feverish pain for 3 weeks until the

serener and lady in waiting Anna verbov

sent a telegram to Rasputin who was in

Siberia at the time asking him to pray

for alexe Rasputin's reply soon reached

them God has seen your tears and heard

your prayers do not grieve the little

one will not die do not allow the

doctors to bother him too much and the

bleeding stopped soon thereafter a

miracle um if I remember this correctly

weren't the doctors doing something it's

like cuz these were back in the day

doctors so maybe they were like giving

him leeches and Sh and raspan is like yo

yo yo no medicine stop with the leeches

and because this is the past it actually

worked something like that right at

least according to the anglophone

Orthodox and pro sist Outlets it is a

miracle they appear to defend Rasputin

and the Roman OBS at every occasion

painting them in a saintly light I'm not

going into details of each single

occasion in which Rasputin allegedly

healed the prince but they seem to fall

into two cases either the Mystic simply

Prayed by the boy's bedside side or he

explicitly advised for the doctors not

to bother him that Last Detail was

highlighted as significant by Swiss

author Pierre Gillard who worked at the

romanov's court as a French tutor to

Alexa and his sisters according to

Gillard the court doctors insisted on

administering aspirin which is a blood

thinner right because they give it to

people who have had Strokes or have like

high blood pressure or something like

that right to reduce the risk of stroke

uh it was to relieve the cause pain the

the pain caused by his bleeding episodes

at the time aspirin was still a

relatively recent drug used primarily as

an anti-inflammatory to manage fever and

pain however the drug is also a thinning

agent currently still prescribed to

prevent blood clots and Es schic Strokes

there we go Gillard clearly had more

scientific Outlook than the Sarena or

her sister and speculated that the

aspirin prescribed to Alexi actually

prolonged the bleeding episodes thus by

shielding the young patient from the

doctors Rasputin didn't actually heal

him but inadvertedly prevented the

hemorrhages from getting worse as I

mentioned earlier Rasputin did not

explicitly overall the doctors on every

occasion but we can speculate that his

mere presence of Court implied the

absence of medical professionals even if

not stated explicitly by the witnesses

now there is another element to consider

here currently hemophilia is categorized

as mild moderate or severe based on the

levels of cotting factor in the blood

several patients May severe patients may

experience life-threatening blood loss

sure mild or Moder patients however may

experience prolonged bleedings but these

may eventually resolve by themselves

themselveses and here I go with my own

two cents here patients affected by

severe hemophilia frequently suffer from

spontaneous bleeds with no apparent

cause this is not the case with alexe

which leads me to speculate that he

suffered from the mild or moderate kind

hence it may be possible that Alexa's

hemorrhages may have ceased by

themselves given enough time proper rest

and you know the absence of aspirin yeah

so of course it's not a miracle it's

just like chance and I don't think he

knew this about the aspirin right it's

just he did it once and it worked so he

did it again like don't give him drugs

or don't see the doctors which can look

very convincing if you don't know what's

going

on prophetic

Powers so we have discussed Rasputin's

alleged healing powers now let's dive

into his alleged prophetic skills the

rtic is said to have predicted the fall

of the Russian Empire as well as a

series of cataclysmic events enveloping

Europe and the entire planet to assess

if and how he got anything right let's

take a look at his predictions that most

commonly found online according to SAR

nicholas. org a website which advocates

for the sainthood of the SAR Rasputin

predicted the execution of the royal

family with these words quote whenever I

embrace the SAR and Sarena the girls and

the sarovich I shudder with horror as if

I embraced the dead then I pray for

these people I pray for the Imperial

family because the shadow of a long

Eclipse falls on them um that's not

predicting their

death people are like you just want to

read into stuff afterwards right like

Nostradamus and stuff so we did a

decoding about Nostradamus it's like

people just read into that so much it's

crazy the prophecy went hand inand with

another prediction about the fall of the

Empire and the rise of Soviet Russia to

quote it Darkness will descend on

Petersburg when its name name is changed

the Empire will end Russia's capital St

Petersburg was in fact renamed petrograd

at the start of the Great War and the

Great War was the catastrophy which

eventually led to the Revolutions of

1917 and the dissolution of the Empire

so one may argue that both prophecies

are quite accurate an instinctive

reaction would be to say that given the

political climate of the early 1910s and

Russia's performance in the war it would

not have been difficult to guess a grim

future for the romanovs and the old

institutions that they represented yeah

it seems like no one liked them and it's

like that's a dangerous position to be

in as an autocrat Rasputin's prophetic

Visions went well beyond the Triumph of

bolshevism or the execution of the

romanovs in 198 the Mystic predicted an

overall future of Doom for the European

continent well I mean yes but also no

it's like yeah there was a bad war that

came but also I live in Europe it's

pretty nice seems okay for the most part

for the most part I know there's

obviously problems in Europe uh to quote

him people are heading toward disaster

the most inept ones will drive the wagon

in Russia and in France and in Italy and

in other places mankind will be crushed

by the march of Madmen and Scoundrels

wisdom is bound in Chains It's it's just

super generic like reading that now you

could say that and be like yeah okay you

could say that today about different and

it be like yeah okay yeah it's probably

going to happen at some point like you'd

taken long enough you raspan also fora

the arrival of three hungry snakes who

will craw across Europe leaving ashes

and smoke behind them these snakes have

been interpreted as symbols for three

World Wars the third of which is yes yet

to come Europe will also be divided by

two rulers quote a bloodthirsty Prince

Will Come From the West who will enslave

a person with wealth and another Prince

Will Come From the East who will enslave

a person with poverty okay so we're

saying like Stalin and Hitler here or

what so a Western Prince whose rule is

based upon wealth as an Eastern one

whose rule is based upon poverty it all

sounds like oh yeah no wealth would be

cold war right I don't know why I said

Hitler and Stalin it would be like past

that so like the West um America

capitalism and the East uh communism

don't know why I said second world war

just being stupid the world however will

have to contend with more than just war

and political division no Prophet worthy

of his name can call themselves a

prophet without throwing in some

planetary level disaster andr Putin does

not disappoint offering a broad catalog

of cataclysms that would leave Roland

emmeric moist and heaving in ecstasy

who's Roland emmer we got earthquakes to

quote earthquakes at this time will

become more frequent the lands and

Waters will open and their wounds will

swallow people and belongings followed

by climate change Andor tsunamis quote

the Seas will enter the cities and the

land will become salty and there will be

no water that is not salty a person will

be under salty rain and will wander on

salty lands between drought and flood

the rose will bloom in December and in

June there will be snow next nuclear

accidents and radiation poisoning to

quote Towers will be built all over the

world there will be castles of death

some of these castles will collapse and

rotten blood will flow out of these

wounds which will infect the Earth and

Sky oh it's just like yes in retrospect

you're like oh yeah it kind of sounds

like vaguely this but there it's just

cherry picking and for the final stretch

irresponsible genetic engineering

quoting again monsters will be born

there will not be humans or animals

irresponsible human Alchemy in the end

will turn ants into huge monsters that

will destroy homes and entire countries

well still waiting on that one

remarkably

specific when the invasion of the giant

ant scums from genetic engineering I

guess we'll all know Rasputin was right

but fear not for this smers board of

misery will just be a Prelude to the

second coming of Jesus this should have

taken place on August the 23rd 2013 nope

2024 still hasn't happens after a storm

should have burned the planet's

atmosphere nope atmosphere seems fine

destroying most forms of life I think

we're all all right to be honest it's

been 11 years so more than 10 years have

passed since and I didn't see no flaming

storm let alone Jesus and yet one may

argue that Rasputin did get everything

roughly correct right H uh

no no way a giant Adat the only problem

here is that all the prophecies I

mentioned come from secondary sources

and to be fair not even the most

reliable or impartial kinds I can't

really understand why but it seems like

some websites and Publications are

willing to dish out the most outlandish

claims without citing their primary

sources I'll tell you why now because it

gets those clicks baby thus preventing

honest and partially intoxicated

scribblers such as yours truly from

checking such claims but fear not for I

have found a passing mention of Pious

Reflections the 1912 pamphlet in which

Rasputin allegedly apparently wrote down

his prophecies or rather he dictated

them as he was semi-illiterate

and I did find a translation of the pi

Reflections on a portal for students

learning the Russian language I've read

the reflections which contain some

profound thoughts such as do not look at

threats of the demon at evil tongues

pray and do good deeds this is a

reproach to the enemy and victory over

evil tongues genius or again quoting the

evil tongue does not love God the demon

trembles and evil tongue is worse than a

demon it is afraid of the sign of the

cross and trembles with humility but an

evil tongue is quiet and Slanders evil

did not make friends with God again

profound rpute in well done but it

contains none of the reported prophecies

from earlier No in fact there are no

prophecies whatsoever therefore all the

material we have left to analyze a

secondhand account probably written

years or even decades after Rasputin's

death what if you're going to write them

after Rasputin's death and make them up

why not make them more accurate be like

yeah there's going to be a dude called

Hitler and Stalin and there's going to

be a war there's going going to be

communism this kind you know you know

just if you're writing afterwards you

might as well get super specific and

this makes it impossible to even start

ascertaining whether the Mystic had the

power of divination and prediction okay

to be fair there are two promising

exceptions two pieces of Correspondence

apparently dictated by Rasputin in his

lifetime the first is the telegram sent

to the SAR in July 1914 advising him not

to go to war L the monarchy crumble but

as mentioned earlier this was more of a

piece of sound strategic advice rather

than an actual prophecy the second piece

of Correspondence is a letter written by

rutin shortly after his death in which

he predicted his own assassination and

the ruin of the romanovs to quote I feel

that I shall leave life before January

1st I wish to make known to the Russian

people to Papa sonan nicholus the

Russian mother Serena Alexandra and to

the children if it was your relations

who have wrought my death then none of

your children will remain alive for more

than two years and if they do they will

beg for death as they will see the

defeat of Russia see the Antichrist

coming plague poverty destroyed churches

and desecrated sanctuaries where

everyone is dead the Russians saw you

will be killed by the Russian people I

mean yes okay that's that's mostly

accurate but it's also like it was a

time when the Russian sain was immensely

unpopular he it's not hard to see that

that could change as we'll see later the

Mystic was indeed murdered by the SAR

relations and Russia did suffer Untold

misery under the first Civil War and

Bolshevik totalitarianism later so quite

impressive yes well not according to

Allison Hudson a writing for skeptoid

do.com oh I like skeptoid decom Hudson

writes that this Death Letter first

appeared in the 1920s Memoirs of one

Aaron sanovich a friend of Rasputin

sanovich claimed to have received it

from the Serena Alexandra and kept it

after the entire Romanov family was

massacred by the Bolsheviks so once

again we're dealing with secondhand

information written after the facts had

taken place yes yes yes so it can't be

trusted unless they had that original

letter and they somehow managed to like

carbon date the inconet and stuff like

that but even then you could just be

like using older Inc and older paper and

writing it out maybe there's some clever

way science can figure this out but I

doubt that's happened maybe the did L is

not even around anymore it just it's way

too convenient isn't

it death of

gregori one of the facts in question is

gregori Rasputin's own death an event

which has contributed largely to his

Legend as a quasi supernatural being

Rasputin's assassination took place on

the 30th of December 19 16 and it was

the result of a plot etched by Prince

Felix yusupov husband of the saren along

with four conspirators yusov saw rutin

as a danger to the romanovs in Russia

itself and devised a plan to lure the

Mystic to his own petrograd formerly St

Petersburg basement apartment where he

would be served tea cakes and wine laced

with cyanide according to usov the first

part of the plan went as expected in the

night between the 29th and 30th of

December Rasputin gorged himself on the

rich poisonous Buffet but he did not go

down around 2: a.m. the conspirators

became impatient Rasputin had to go fast

lest they have to dispose of the body in

the light of day at 230m usov took

charge grabbed a revolver and shot

Rasputin in the stomach at short range

that's [ __ ] sides all like I [ __ ]

this the Mystic lay on the floor for

almost an hour when the murderers

noticed something stirring in yusupov's

own recollection quote all of a sudden I

saw the left eye open a few seconds

later his right eyelid began to quiver

then op I then saw both eyes the green

eyes of a viper staring at me with an

expression of diabolic hatred this is

when Rasputin proved to be allegedly n

indestructible according to yusupov the

Siberian leapt to his feet bow and blood

oozing from his mouth and charged at the

Aristocrat to quote him again he rushed

at me trying to get my throat and sank

his fingers into my shoulder like steel

claws Rasputin shoved usov side and fled

the building as the other conspirators

gave Chase firing their pistols as

Rasputin ran through the building's

Courtyard two bullets hit him in the

back and threw the head knocking him to

the ground that's gonna take him out

he's already got shot in the stomach an

hour ago and so was the headshot fatal

maybe yes maybe not to be on the safe

side yusov grabbed a club and proceeded

to clobber his unkillable Target then he

and the conspirators removed Rasputin's

body and dumped it in the malar nevka

river According to some secondhand

retellings of the event Rasputin was

still breathing at this stage and the

freezing Waters of the Nea finally

killed him the same sources even claim

that when his body was covered his right

hand was held up as if he'd been making

the sign of the cross an indication that

he may have survived for a while even

after the icy plunge Us's account of the

assassination contributed to building

the legend of rutin as a superhuman

character feeding Into The Narrative of

those who want to paint him as either a

demon or an angel on Earth this version

of events however is in STK contrast

with the autopsy report which tells a

different story autopsy reports going to

be filled with facts the autopsy was

performed after yov had already

confessed to the crimes that the coroner

in charge looked for traces of cyanide

in rusin's body the surgeon did find a

large quantity of alcohol in his stomach

no doubt madira but no traces of poison

and this can be explained in a couple of

different ways according to author

Sergey fman yusupov delegated the

poisoning part to an accomplice VA mlov

at the time mlov got cold feet and

instead of lacing Rasputin's

Refreshments with cyanide he used

aspirin instead an alternative

explanation ventured among skeptoid

users among others is that us simply

lied in his account of the murder the

aristocrats embellished the

assassination portraying it as a sort of

epic boss battle in which the health bar

of an almost indestructible ruting

gradually took hits from Poison bullets

beatings and freezing water other

findings of the postmortem confirmed

that yusupov may have been an unreliable

narrator he claimed that Rasputin took

one shot from the front to the stomach

and two from behind to the back and head

the autopsy found that Rasputin took two

shots to the back and a frontal one to

the Head this suggests that the Mystic

was first shot from behind fell to the

ground rolled over and then took a final

Bullet to the Head killing him this is

another important Point by the way the

coroner found no traces of water in

Rasputin's lungs hence he could not

possibly have been alive when he was

thrown in the river there's another

point of contention regarding Rasputin's

assassination and that is the

involvement of the British intelligence

services oh yeah I forgot that he might

be a spy but probably not according to

author Andrew cook one of the

conspirators and possibly the one who

fired the Fatal shot was British spy

oswal Raina a good friend of us since

meeting in Oxford as students in a way

the British connection would make sense

Rasputin was notoriously opposed the war

while the British agents in petrograd

were striving to keep Russia in the

fight as long as possible Sergey fman is

a proponent of a similar Theory

according to him the British prime

minister himself Lloyd George ordered

Raina to orchestrate the murder the

motive Lloyd George intended to harm the

romanovs and Christian Civilization by

killing the sar's spiritual Mentor this

claim was investigated by Douglas Smith

in his quest to desens Putin's life

Smith scarred through the British

National Archive searching for any

evidence of raina's involvement but

found nothing that corroborates it yeah

and it's been like a hundred years it's

going to come out I took a peep too and

found that the British ambassador to

petrograd George Buchanan was aware of a

plot to murder rest Putin well in

advance even re is Superior in Russia

Samuel [ __ ] had been informed of the

conspiracy by Vladimir Parish kovich or

one of the plotters back in November

1916 finally usov wrote in his Memoirs

that the day after the Mur he dined with

Raina noting that he knew of our

conspiracy and had come in search of

news so if Raina was in search of news

he was not there on the night of the

murder fine okay usop is not the most

reliable source but there's no solid

proof of raina's culpability so we have

to assume his innocence so what do we

have proof of what we do have proof of

however is that British intelligence is

well aware of an impending assassination

and did nothing to prevent it nor warned

the authorities well yeah it's not

really in their interest just because

they're behind not behind it doesn't

mean they're going to be like oh let's

tell it's like no that just be like cool

yeah that sounds good carry on we can

speculate the Rasputin's death served

their goals exactly and their inaction

effectively amounted to a blessing yeah

but importantly no it didn't like

legally it's like oh no you shouldn't do

that should you you definitely would

have want to do that that would have

been brilliant and now we've entered the

realm of spy stories let's tackle a

final mystery around our favorite

Siberian wandering Mystic as soon as the

first slanderous rumors began

circulating in the early 19 TS Rasputin

was said to conspire with saren or

Alexandre to further a German agenda the

empress was after all German in origin

when the Great War started these rumors

picked up pace morphing into something

more concrete the implication that

Rasputin was a spy on Germany's payroll

and his pacifist stance was simply

directed at removing Russia from the

conflict as a tactic it would be a sound

one influence the Ruder of an enemy

country by puppeteering said ruler's

unofficial advisor in practice with this

tactic worked as as we've learned

Rasputin's influence over the saw has

been overstated he may have been able to

direct the sa Arena's actions but when

Alexander approached Nicholas to relay

the latest piece of evidence from the

Mystic the saw typically reacted By

ignoring it if the German secret

Services were not stupid and I guess

they weren't why throw time money and

effort at a tactic that was clearly not

working legendary Legend Douglas Smith

could not let this claim pass though and

he plunged into the German National

Archives wow this guy does his

research he's like yeah no it makes no

sense but just to doubly prove this

let's you know look through really old

documents interestingly he found that

German intelligence did keep a close eye

on Rasputin to the point of Fascination

but in reality they did not control him

in fact Berlin's agents wondered who

controlled him if at all and theyve

invented the idea of bribing him but

they did not carry out with his plan in

Smith's own words this quote shows

Beyond any Shadow of Doubt that he

wasn't a spy there was no link between

him the Kaiser and

Berlin

conclusion it's now time to Cork the

bottle and draw the conclusions of this

long madira fueled overview of

Rasputin's life death and alleged

miracles on Aldo there's no erors this

all flows very nicely you can handle

your madira my whole opinion is that the

legacy of gregori Rasputin has become a

symbolic battlefield for supporters and

denigrators of the romanovs and the

Russian Empire as a whole in one corner

we have those who say Nicholas and

Alexander were great folk Rasputin was

their friends and he was also a saint

but bad people conspired against them

and so they slandered both the raw

couple and the Mystic and in the

opposite corner we have another faction

shouting that the romanovs were

incompetent fools the epitome of a worn

out ill-advised institution their best

power was this demonic drunkard sex

addict Mad Monk so they all deserve to

be wiped out what authors such as

Douglas Smith have reminded us is that

gregori Rasputin was neither a demon nor

a saint he was a human being he did not

per for miraculous healings and his

scant predictions were based on common

sense he did appear to have something of

a sex addiction and behaved

inappropriately with his admirers but he

did not indulge in orgiastic rituals nor

did he seduce the Sarena or her

daughters he did not bend the SARS to

his will but he did discuss some policy

matters with the Royals although

Nicholas was not overly receptive to the

ideas he was his own man and he did not

rely on paychecks from Berlin and though

he did not endure massive amounts of

punishment before dying but went down

with a bullet shot of the head

just like any other Average Joe what

seems to be lost in the hail of

conspiracies Miracles and gigantic

manhoods is that gregori Rasputin was a

semi-illiterate commoner from a remote

corner of the Russian Empire who through

sheer will faith and a good amount of

help from the right connections worked

his way up to a close friendship with

autocrats in charge of the largest

country on Earth and that is remarkable

enough in itself the Siberian Mystic

would have deserved a place in history

even without the exaggerations of the

cras the pro SARS or the usov of this

World bonus fact during my research I've

encountered some outlandishly Bonkers

conspiracy theories about Rasputin okay

let's go which I decided not to include

because it was too difficult and I was

tired bored and filled with madira okay

I'm glad to get a little bonus Taste of

them though but hey I got to the end of

the piece in one piece and now I kind of

feel tired bored and filled with madira

so here goes the weirdest one according

to an anonymous source great start for a

conspiracy theory gregori Putin was none

other than the latest incarnation of an

IM Immortal being known as the count of

St Germain who attracted much attention

and prominence in 18th century France St

Germaine is believed to be an immortal

being who pops up at Key point in

history to bring about momentous change

all according to a very really anonymous

source and so it was that St Germain

popped up in Russia as Rasputin with the

goal of Paving the way for the Bolshevik

Revolution but after becoming the target

of several assassination attempts R

Putin St Germaine fak his own death

allowed himself to be buried and then

tunneled out of his own grave of course

he did that sounds reasonable people

tunneling out of graves all the time

according to this story it's not unclear

if the Revolution was caused by St

Germaine Rasputin or not the narrative

picks up in the late 1980s when the

immortal causes the collapse of

Communism in Eastern Europe before

relocating to Los Angeles of course he

does according to those in the know St

germain's latest Incarnation is Comedia

and solid character actor Kevin Pollock

best remembered for performances in A

Few Good Men And The Usual Suspects I've

heard of Kevin po poac but I just need

to look him up he's one of those if he's

a character actor he's one of these

people who you usually remember his face

right oh yeah I know this guy of course

you know this guy this dude look this

guy he's rutin of course he's not that's

ludicrous you have to kind of lose

yourself in it you you have to remember

that all as he clearly has you got to

lean into it yeah I will not dignify

this notion with a rhetorical question

does this make any sense but but I will

ask Simon if the story of St Germaine

regardless of his ties to Rasputin is

interesed enough to be in a decoded

episode in the future I mean yeah maybe

picture it to me by email aralo and

we'll see where it goes but I need to

know a little bit more about it because

if it's just one of those crazy

conspiracy theories which is just where

I'm just going to be like this is dumb

this is dumb this is dumb there is not

that interesting but we'll see email me

until then I shall go and spend some

more time with the minor yes important

characters of this episode FR aspirin

hoping to prevent what promises to be a

massive headache thank thank you for

your sacrifice on Aldo this was a great

episode enjoyed it nice to learn about

rest Putin and the fact that

unsurprisingly most of the things you

heard about AR true thanks for being

here if you enjoy the show leave a

review and a rating on Spotify wherever

you get your podcast if you're watching

on YouTube like And subscribe and I'll

see you next

[Music]

time