Tsar Nicholas II (1868-1918) and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix) (1872-1918)

[Russophile]

Well sex and alcohol aren't sinful acts per say. . . .*ahem*
I don't believe Rasputin was "using" Alix to get to Nicky. For what purpose? He didn't care about possessions or money. I remember reading, I think it was in "Holy Devil" (Rene Fulop Muller, I believe, I could be wrong, feel free to correct me) I can't remember, but there were crowds of people standing at his flat in St. Petersburg hoping for this favor or that handout. He (Rasputin) would give them whatever he had and if he couldn't, he sent them to somebody he thought could help with a little note "Do this for X. -Grigory".
Also in that book there was speculation as to what sort of "powers" Rasputin had. Yussopov claimed he had hypnotic powers and used them to stop the bleeding of Alexis. My personal opinion is that he used a combination of some form of hypnosis and just relaxation techniques to staunch the blood. Lord knows what a basket case Alix was whenever one of these fits came on, I'm sure he helped calm her down, which in turn calmed the czarevitch down to help with the bleeding.

[Furienna]

Originally Posted by Russophile

Well sex and alcohol aren't sinful acts per say. . . .*ahem*

Except that he was supposed to be a holy man.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by Furienna

Except that he was supposed to be a holy man.

Some so called holy men engaged in orgies, which, unfortunately, was a religious sect in Russia in Rasputin's time. There has been much speculation if Rasputin was a follower of this religion given is base proclivities.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Having sex with many different women would defiantly be a sin. Drinking is also a sin. His behavoir was defiantly not that of an ordinary monk. He was very mysterious.

I think Rasputin, was trying to get some control over the tsars government, since he had the full trust of Alexandra. Rasputin, generally was ready to offer advice, occasionally offered advice on Russian military strategy (during the revolution and world war). Sometimes he would give advice to Nicholas on how to run the government. Rasputin could have used leeches to remove most of Alexei's constant bleeding. He could have also gave him herbs and hypnotized him. Some believe that his prayers would heal him or that god gave him supernatural powers. These are five possible ways Rasputin may have successfully healed Alexei. I believe that Rasputin used herbs or leeches to stop Alexei's bleeding.

[Russophile]

I don't agree that he used herbs and leeches. Somebody would have a record of it somewhere. You can't hide a leech and herbs smell.
Drinking may be considered a sin in some places but it has medicinal purposes in small doses. Unfortunately, this Jack Mormon tends to horde those small doses into LARGE ones. . .

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Well, this is just my opinion it didn't have to be right or wrong. I just stated what I believed Rasputin used to healed Alexei with.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

Well, this is just my opinion it didn't have to be right or wrong. I just stated what I believed Rasputin used to healed Alexei with.

And it's good to throw those ideas out there to be discussed.
I don't think we'll ever get a clear picture of Rasputin and the powers he possessed.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

And it's good to throw those ideas out there to be discussed.
I don't think we'll ever get a clear picture of Rasputin and the powers he possessed.

I agree. All of us have so many questions about Rasputin. I think he's very mysterious.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

I agree. All of us have so many questions about Rasputin. I think he's very mysterious.

Think he WANTED to be mysterious?

[COUNTESS]

You betcha. He may have been hypnotic, but passed that he just needed a willing dupe. Alexandra was calmed by him and, thus, calmed her son and the bleeding abated. It was a perfect setup. You have to have pity on Alexandra. This was her son. She would follow anyone who gave her this peace of mind.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Think he WANTED to be mysterious?

Yes, he didn't want to tell everyone about his privacy. Him healing Alexei is very mysterious. But, remember the peasants couldn't understand why Rasputin was close to the family. They didn't know Alexei had hemophilia. They were very confused.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

Yes, he didn't want to tell everyone about his privacy. Him healing Alexei is very mysterious. But, remember the peasants couldn't understand why Rasputin was close to the family. They didn't know Alexei had hemophilia. They were very confused.

The peasants didn't know anything. They (N & A) had to hide the fact that Alexi was hemopheliac. I don't think the Vlads knew either. Did they? Anybody have any info. on that? They sure were waiting for the chance to rule. Still are.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

The peasants didn't know anything. They (N & A) had to hide the fact that Alexi was hemopheliac. I don't think the Vlads knew either. Did they? Anybody have any info. on that? They sure were waiting for the chance to rule. Still are.

The peasants started to wonder why someone had to carry Alexei all the time. That's when they believed that the tsar was hiding something from them. Nicholas and Alexandra even told the four daughters to kept his illness a secret too, and they did.

[Michael HR]

The "Vlads" have always wanted to rule. But many have not forgotten or forgiven Kyrill's actions in 1917 and view him as a traitor to the Crown, Dynasty and Russia and hence he should have been de-barred from the line of succession. Of course there are other reasons why some do want want his line and it is only Maria who argues that she is head of the house and therefore Empress but gets on a lot of peoples nerves in doing so.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

I understand. Throughout history some never got away with anything, even when things happened that were beyond their control. One could think that if Nicholas had married someone who was vivacious, more open, less shy that Alexandra, he could be more loved and forgiven by the Russian people. Even if he still reigned the way he did.

Well, I think the 'bloody sunday of 1905', Russian revolution and the world war I, had so much to do with the decline and of Nicholas II. So sad, how Nicholas eventually abdicated in 1917. Lenin and the bolsheviks made Russia even worse with dictatorship.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

Well, I think the 'bloody sunday of 1905', Russian revolution and the world war I, had so much to do with the decline and of Nicholas II.

Do you think it's because Nicholas was not a forward thinker? He lived too much in the here and now and not preparing his country for the industrial revolution and other growing pains it was experiencing?

[COUNTESS]

Nicholas wasn't a thinker. He was highly influenced by the last person to whom he spoke. And, unfortunately, his wife had a great deal of influence, first or last and both were frozen in time and thought.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

Do you think it's because Nicholas was not a forward thinker? He lived too much in the here and now and not preparing his country for the industrial revolution and other growing pains it was experiencing?

I agree, he wasn't hard enough, he was too lenient. He didn't have enough experience, it just wasn't the job for Nicholas to be a tsar. I think being a father, instead of a ruler would have been a good enough job for Nicholas. He lacks tough behavior.

[AnastasiaEvidence]

I understand. Throughout history some never got away with anything, even when things happened that were beyond their control. One could think that if Nicholas had married someone who was vivacious, more open, less shy that Alexandra, he could be more loved and forgiven by the Russian people. Even if he still reigned the way he did.

I agree. But, the people in the Russian court disliked Alix because she was born in Germany and her original religion was Protestantism. I've read that, they would make fun of her and call her the woman in the shoe in french. I think it's understood that a shy person, who's not so social like, Alix wouldn't like the Russian court much. Alix really didn't like to go out, and talk. She didn't want to be around so much people. I understand how she felt, because this is exactly how I am, I'm not social at all. I don't think it's right, how they mistreated Alix becuase of her character.

[COUNTESS]

If she wanted to be a recluse, she should have married some minor German Prince. When you get the big bucks for the big job, you have to perform.