Grigori Rasputin, the ‘Mad Monk’ whose influence over the Russian Romanovs was profound, experienced a death that has captivated historians and fueled speculation for over a century. The discrepancy between the stark findings of an autopsy and the dramatic accounts of his killers creates a compelling narrative of a seemingly unkillable man.
The official autopsy suggests Rasputin died swiftly from a bullet wound to the head. However, the memoirs of Prince Felix Yusupov, the alleged ringleader, describe a far more elaborate and horrifying ordeal on the night of December 29, 1916. The plot unfolded at Yusupov’s Moika Palace in Saint Petersburg.
According to the conspirators’ tale, attempts to poison Rasputin with cyanide-laced food and wine failed spectacularly. The mystic consumed the deadly substances apparently unharmed, leaving his assassins in disbelief. The physical attack began with Yusupov shooting Rasputin in the chest. Expecting him to die, the group left, but a return visit by Yusupov revealed Rasputin was not only alive but had inexplicably risen and was now enraged, attacking the Prince.
Rasputin then burst from the palace and into the courtyard, pursued by his would-be murderers. Deputy Vladimir Purishkevich managed to fire more shots, including one to the head, which finally brought Rasputin down. His body was subsequently weighted down and cast into the freezing Neva River, with hypothermia listed as the final cause of death.
Rasputin’s unique position stemmed from his perceived ability to alleviate the suffering of Tsarevich Alexei, the heir, who suffered from hemophilia. This access to the royal family allowed him significant sway, which he unfortunately used to make politically disastrous decisions that weakened the monarchy’s standing.
In a tragic irony, the assassination meant to safeguard the Romanovs proved to be their undoing. Rasputin’s alleged final warning of impending disaster came to pass. The public outcry that followed his death, devoid of Rasputin as a scapegoat, was directed squarely at Tsar Nicholas II, ultimately contributing to the revolution that swept the Romanovs from power in 1917.