How Rasputin's Psychological Hold Doomed Russia's Last Tsar

What Happened Rasputin’s rise to influence began in 1905 when he was introduced to Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, whose son Alexei suffered from hemophilia—a life-threatening condition that caused severe bleeding episodes. The peasant mystic convinced the royal couple that he possessed healing powers, appearing to help during several of Alexei’s medical crises. Beevor’s research reveals how Rasputin systematically exploited the parents’ terror for their child’s life. Each time Alexei’s condition improved after Rasputin’s interventions—likely coincidental recoveries that occur naturally with hemophilia—the family attributed the improvement to the mystic’s powers, creating a psychological dependency.