Rasputin: Holy Man. Scandal. Unkillable.Episode 42:08
The Sick Child Who Opened Every Door
A royal child's incurable bleeding turns Rasputin from palace curiosity into the Tsarina's trusted healer.
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Transcript
Alexis, heir to the Romanov family, made his health a defining issue in Rasputin's rise, bringing him frequent palace access.
Grigori Rasputin was born poor in western Siberia on January 22nd, 1869.
During a monastery pilgrimage in 1897, Rasputin experienced a religious conversion.
Afterward, people knew him as a pilgrim, wanderer, or monk. Yet he never held an official Russian Orthodox Church position.
He first visited St. Petersburg in 1903 and returned in 1905. There, he met senior figures of the Russian church.
Two mysticism-minded Montenegrin princesses befriended him; both had married the czar's cousins.
On November 1st, 1905, Grand Duchess Militsa took him to Tsarskoe Selo. There, he first met the Romanovs in person.
The imperial couple received the Siberian pilgrim in a formal audience.
Tsarevitch Alexis suffered significant health issues from hemophilia.
He inherited hemophilia through his mother from Queen Victoria.
Bleeding episodes left the young heir confined and frightened.
Observers reported that Rasputin had a settling effect on the sick heir.
Alexandra became firmly convinced Rasputin possessed powers as a healer.
Rasputin became a frequent visitor to the Romanov family.
By 1912, Rasputin had risen in influence and was directly advising the czar.
Enemies feared his apparent political influence; rumors even called him Alexandra's lover.
A disputed letter attributed to Rasputin warned Nicholas about murder by nobles.
An alleged letter attributed to Rasputin was said to predict the deaths of royal children and relatives if nobles killed him.
Where it leaves off
Alexandra's trust gave Rasputin unprecedented access—but every return to the palace created another enemy outside its gates.
Sources
- The death of Rasputin—A forensic evaluation - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govsecondary
- Introduction - Gregory Rasputin: Topics in Chronicling America - Research Guides at Library of Congressguides.loc.govsecondary
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