Grigori Efimovich Rasputin (1869-1916)

[magnik]

Like it is now for Masako, Letizia and probably for other crown princesses...and not only.

Btw. from APTM
Alexander Palace Time Machine - Religious Character of Alexandra Feodorovna

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Well, I think Alix should have listened to what her sisters thought of Rasputin. Ella and Irene disliked him. They knew he was a fraud.It was the revolution and Alix was ill and Ella visit her and she told her not to trust Rasputin and Alix refused to listen to her. She tried to confort her. Ella left crying in tears.

[Tsarina Anastasia]

I know that on the train to Ekaterinburg, the imperial family saw Rasputin's childhood village, but I heard that he told Alix they would pass his childhood home and that their family was doomed. I think this is just a rumor, but I don't know??????

[AGRBear]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

Well, I think Alix should have listened to what her sisters thought of Rasputin. Ella and Irene disliked him. They knew he was a fraud.It was the revolution and Alix was ill and Ella visit her and she told her not to trust Rasputin and Alix refused to listen to her. She tried to confort her. Ella left crying in tears.

How could Alexandra give up Rasputin, who was the only person who was helping her son to cope with his hemophilia and was saving his life for another hour, days, months, years...?

[AGRBear]

Originally Posted by Ithil

He was the Prussian Emperor at the time of his grandmother's death. He was raised to be an emperor which got him used to being the center of attention, so him being at the deathbed of the Queen Victoria, who helped change Britain into an empire, just got him more attention. Remember, he did have many insecurities so the attention compensated for it all. Also, Victoria was probably the most admired European monarch of her time. No one can doubt that. So when Wilhem was at his grandmother's deathbed it helped him in politics and his country's foreign relations. Prussia wasn't very popular when he was emperor.

In our family Kaiser Wilhelm II was labeled "Bullie Willie", who never had a doubt about be victorious over his cousin's George and Nicolas.

An excellent book to read is by Manchestor on the German weapons company of Krupp. It's an old book but it still rings quite accurate of "how goes Krupp goes Germany" before and during WW I and after.

AGRBear

[AnastasiaEvidence]

I never said Alexandra gave up on Rasputin, you are changing everything I said Bear. In fact I said that Alexandra did trust Rasputin, but however her sisters didn't.
I'm only saying that she should have listened to her sister Ella. But, she trusted him too much, convincing her didn't help.

[lexi4]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

I never said Alexandra gave up on Rasputin, you are changing everything I said Bear. In fact I said that Alexandra did trust Rasputin, but however her sisters didn't.
I'm only saying that she should have listened to her sister Ella. But, she trusted him too much, convincing her didn't help.

The way read Bear's response to you was different. I think she was pointing out that there was no way Alix could give up on Rasputin with her belief that her son's health was hanging in the balance. Ella may not have understood that. If memory serves, Ella was never around when Rasputin "healed" Alexei. Alexandra believed with all of her heart that Rasputin helped Alexei so therefore it would be impossible, as it would for any mother, to comply with Ella's request. In Alex's mind it would be like removing her son from life support.
Lexi

[AGRBear]

Originally Posted by lexi4

The way read Bear's response to you was different. I think she was pointing out that there was no way Alix could give up on Rasputin with her belief that her son's health was hanging in the balance. Ella may not have understood that...[in part]...

That is what I meant.

And I agree with Lexi4's addition:

If memory serves, Ella was never around when Rasputin "healed" Alexei. Alexandra believed with all of her heart that Rasputin helped Alexei so therefore it would be impossible, as it would for any mother, to comply with Ella's request. In Alex's mind it would be like removing her son from life support.
Lexi

Thanks.

AGRBear

[lexi4]

Bear,

I think you've hit upon a point that is often ignored when talking about Alexandra and her relationship with Rasputin. She thought him necessary for her son's survival and therefore the survival of the monarchy.
I also think it is important to note that Alexandra did not always follow Rasputin's advice. For example, she did not agree with him when he tried to convince her (and Nicky) to stay out of WWI. There are other examples, but that is just the one that comes to mind right now.
And btw, you are most welcome.
Lexi

[Marengo]

I don't think that that part is often ignored, all the biographies that I have read about Alexandra got great lenghts to stress how with Rasputin present, Alexei would heal (which is usually explained by Rasputins ability to calm the empress down, and as a result Alexei got calmer and the bleeding would stop).

[lexi4]

Originally Posted by Marengo

I don't think that that part is often ignored, all the biographies that I have read about Alexandra got great lenghts to stress how with Rasputin present, Alexei would heal (which is usually explained by Rasputins ability to calm the empress down, and as a result Alexei got calmer and the bleeding would stop).

That's right, but that wasn't my point. I wasn't talking about biographies. I was talking about in discussions, especially on discussion forums, of Alexandra. I wasn't very clear.
Lexi

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by AGRBear

An excellent book to read is by Manchestor on the German weapons company of Krupp. It's an old book but it still rings quite accurate of "how goes Krupp goes Germany" before and during WW I and after.

AGRBear

Bear, as in Krupps coffee??
And of course Alexandra couldn't give him (Rasputin) up. There was so much pressure on her to birth an heir, then so much pressure to keep him alive. Amazing the poor woman didn't end up in a straight jacket!!

[sofajr]

The set of diary papers with the name of Rasputin on them was published today in russia. The "diary" that identity is hard to determine was kept in Russian State Archives for circa 100 years. The historians who decoded the writtings suggest that they apparently belong to one of the Rasputin's company. The main discovery of the book is the drawing of Tcarevich Aleksey adressed to Rasputin who relieved boy's pain.

There is a video in russian. If somebody's interested take a look:

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