Rasputin

Siberian Eastern Orthodox mystic. He acquired influence over the Tsarina Alexandra, wife of Nicholas II, and was able to make political and ecclesiastical appointments. His abuse of power and notorious debauchery (reputedly including the tsarina) led to his murder by a group of nobles.

Rasputin, the illiterate son of a peasant, began as a wandering ‘holy man’. Through the tsarina's faith in his power to ease her son's suffering from haemophilia, he became a favourite at the court, where he instigated wild parties under the slogan ‘Sin that you may obtain forgiveness’. A larger-than-life character, he even proved hard to kill: when poison had no effect, his assassins shot him and dumped him in the River Neva.