As a crime observer, I think this is one of the most fascinating events in the annals of most unsuccessful assassination of a notorious person.
During the time of Czar Nicholas II in Imperial Russia, Grigori Rasputin (1872-1916), a peasant from western Siberia, who later became a charismatic monk, was notably the most hated man in Russia because of his imperial connection. In his middle thirties, he joined a religious sect and became known as a holy man. He went to Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), then the capital of Russia. He gained the reputation of a saint. In 1907, he was introduced to the czar and czarina in order to help heal their son, who suffered from hemophilia. His apparent "success" gained the confidence of the royal family, became a harmful influential adviser of the czar's wife, Alexandra, and dominated the affairs of the government such as in ministerial appointments and meddled in political decisions. He became the Chief of Staff of the imperial couple. Indubitably, the first and the last of royal cult of the time. Rasputin became selfish and greedy.
A group of high noblemen feared the hatred of Rasputin would turn against the czar himself. On the night of December 16, 1916, the handsome Prince Felix Yusupov, with Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of the House of Romanov, invited Rasputin for dinner at the Moika (Yusupov) Palace. He was served with cakes and red wine laced with cyanide - enough to kill five men.
But it seemed to have no effect on the guest so the prince got a gun and shot him in the back. A short time later he found Rasputin to be still alive, and shot him three more times. But alas, he stood back up and tried to flee! They clubbed him in the head repeatedly with an iron bar, wrapped him in a blanket, and tossed him in the Moika River. After all these attempts, Rasputin's autopsy revealed he died of hypothermia.
Nevertheless, Rasputin contributed to the downfall of the last of the Romanovs. Nicholas abdicated and his family were held prisoners for many months. The Bolshevik Revolution broke out within three months. The imperial family was finally executed in July, 1918.
Czar Nicholas & Family
Russian Evolution
Internet Publication:
9/2002 ALT MSN Group
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