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Rasputin was a peasant-turned-monk who held much power in Russia just prior to the communist revolution, until he was murdered by nobles.

Rasputin was a peasant-turned-monk who held much power in Russia just prior to the communist revolution, until he was murdered by nobles.

Once World War I broke out, Czar Nicholas IImoved to the front lines and left his wife, Czarina (Tsarina) Alexandra, in charge of running the country.  Alexandra’s son Alexis, however, developed a bleeding condition known as hemophilia, which means blood has difficult clotting.  A small cut just bleeds and bleeds in a frightful manner.  His mother, the czarina, understandably was fraught with worry about his condition.  She increasingly relied on the only person who seemed able to stop her son's bleeding:  a peasant-turned-monk named Rasputin.  Rasputin took advantage of this trust and began making decisions for the country, granting government positions to friends, and causing everyone (especially the nobles) to fear him.  Rasputin had a mystical quality that has inspired many books and stories about him.

Once World War I broke out, Czar Nicholas II moved to the front lines and left his wife, Czarina (Tsarina) Alexandra, in charge of running the country.  Alexis, heir to the throne, was born with the genetic disorder known as hemophilia, which means blood has difficult clotting.  A small cut just bleeds and bleeds in a frightful manner.  His mother, the Czarina, understandably was fraught with worry about his condition.  She increasingly relied on the only person who seemed able to stop her son's bleeding:  a peasant-turned-monk named Rasputin.  Rasputin took advantage of this trust and began making decisions for the country, granting government positions to friends, and causing everyone (especially the nobles) to fear him.  Rasputin had a mystical quality that has inspired many books and stories about him.

Rasputin underwent a religious conversion at the age of 18 and when everyone else failed to help the boy's bleeding disorder, Rasputin claimed healing powers that would help.  Whatever he did seemed to work, though historians still debate if and how he really stopped the bleeding.  Regardless, the nobles hated Rasputin because he was a peasant who now had power over them, and the nobles plotted to assassinate him.

Rasputin underwent a religious conversion at the age of 18 and when everyone else failed to help the boy's bleeding disorder, Rasputin claimed healing powers that would help.  Whatever he did seemed to work, though historians still debate if and how he really stopped the bleeding.  Regardless, the nobles hated Rasputin because he was a peasant who now had power over them, and the nobles plotted to assassinate him.