Rasputin

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

GREGORY, a Russian monk and political intriguer, born in Siberia, of illiterate parents, his father being a fisherman. He received no schooling, and was known throughout his youth as a worthless fellow, on which account he became known as "Rasputin," meaning a vagabond. In early manhood he became an itinerant monk, and developed peculiarly strong psychic powers, which enabled him to gain a livelihood as a mystic healer. He eventually attracted the attention of Madam Virubova, the favorite lady-in-waiting of the Empress, who introduced him into the court. Here his healing powers, exercised over the young Czarevitch, deeply impressed the Czarina, and Rasputin thereby gained an influence over her which could not be broken. After the outbreak of the war, in 1914, Rasputin, it was said, was bribed by the Germans, to exercise his influence at court in favor of bringing about a premature peace. That he was at the head of the intriguing pro-German clique in the Russian Court is beyond dispute. So powerful became his influence over the Czarina and the Czar, that even the Grand-Dukes were turned against him, and sought to eliminate him. This proving impossible, he was finally inveigled into the residence of Prince Felix Yusopov, a relative of the Czar by marriage, and killed by a group of men, one of whom was Grand-Duke Dimitri Pavlovitch, ex-Minister of the Interior. Rasputin's work had been done, however, and the machinery he set in motion finally caused the revolution of March, 1917, the result of which was the overthrow of the autocratic government. Died 1917.