Russian mystic and controversial friend of the Imperial household, Grigori Rasputin, murdered.
Rasputin was such a controversial figure during his lifetime, and lived in a land that remains so mysterious to outsiders today, that almost every aspect of his life is shrouded in myth or even outright error. To start with, contrary to what is widely assumed, he was not a monk nor did he hold any sort of office of any kind within the Russian Orthodox Church.
Rather, he was a wondering Russian Orthodox mystic, a position in Russian society that was recognized at the time. His exact religious beliefs are disputed and therefore the degree to which he held orthodox beliefs is not really clear.
He became a controversial figure due to his seeming influence on the Emperor and Empress, who remained true monarchs at the time, and therefore his influence was beyond what a person might otherwise presume. Much of this was due to his ability to calm or influence bleeding episodes on the part of the Crown Prince who was a hemophiliac. Ultimately concerns over his influence lead to his being assassinated although even the details regarding his death are murky.
He was 47 years old at the time of his death.
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