Rasputin and the Russian Revolution

Initially published in 1918, Rasputin and the Russian Revolution by Princess Catherine Radziwill delves into Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin’s role in the 1917 Russian Revolution, the fall of the Romanovs and the demise of the Russian monarchy. Radziwill was one of the few people who survived the revolution and could share an intimate glimpse into the royal family’s lives and their relationship with Rasputin.

The book is divided into three parts, namely “Rasputin,” “The Great Revolution,” and “The Riddle of the Future.” It details the latter days of the monarchy and the revolution through the eyes of an observer (Radziwill) who was close to the royal family and personally witnessed Rasputin’s behaviour.

A controversial figure, Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man well known for his familiarity with the family of Tsar Nicholas II, his strong influence on Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, and for being the healer of their son Tsarevich Alexei. Rasputin remained an enigmatic figure during his lifetime, viewed as a mystic, prophet, visionary, and religious charlatan. He wielded a tremendous influence over late imperial Russia. But in 1916, a group of Russian noblemen who opposed Rasputin’s influence over the Romanovs plotted his murder and killed him.