Grigori Rasputin. The man, the myth, the legend. His life was shrouded in mystery and controversy, all of which contributed to his odd and mystical depiction in modern media. He is the main antagonist in the 1997 Anastasia movie and the namesake in Boney M.’s 1978 hit song.

His upbringing seemed normal as a peasant boy from Pokrovskoye in Siberia, up until he had a religious revelation. He claimed to have healing powers and charmed his way into the trust of the Russian royal family: the Romanovs.

He was called the “Mad Monk” by those who disliked him, a holy man by those who worshipped him, and he was a friend and confidant to the royal family. Queen Alexandra trusted only Rasputin in treating the tsarevich Alexei, their only son, with his haemophilia. Alexei suffered from this “royal disease” that meant his blood couldn’t clot but somehow, someway, when Rasputin prayed for him, he would miraculously get better.

Logically speaking, sheer force of will and hope usually doesn't heal people, but it worked for Alexei - and Rasputin earned himself a hallowed place in the Romanov’s cabinet.

He held such a powerful position, many were concerned about the influence he had on the tsar and tsarina, especially given his unusual beliefs and questionable background. He was a man who came from nothing. He gained power because of his religious devotion and charm and some people did not like that.

With the beginning of World War I and the unrest among the Russian population, Felix Yussupov, Vladimir Purishkevich, and Dmitri Pavlovich decided to end the unusual control Rasputin had over Russia by destroying him. They plotted his demise and Rasputin’s tale ended on a wintery December night.

Yet true to his life, even his death is surrounded in mystery and rumor.