Эдвард Радзинский - Явление Распутина. Часть 1

Their fates captured the attention of their contemporaries and captivated the minds of their descendants. Their lives and deaths are a series of mysteries that history is slow to unravel. In a series of programs, Edward Radzinsky offers his own version of the twists and turns that changed the destinies of various historical figures. Russian history knows many mysterious figures, but perhaps none has aroused such intense interest as Grigori Rasputin. Some say he was a charlatan and a con man who enjoyed the favor of the royal family; others say he was a remarkable medium, able to predict the future, and a healer capable of curing incurable illnesses. Everything known about him by modern historians is based not on documentary evidence, but on eyewitness accounts. In 1905, Rasputin arrived in the capital of the Russian Empire, and in 1907, he was invited to the imperial court—just in time for one of the Tsarevich's bouts of illness. The fact is that the imperial family concealed the heir's hemophilia, fearing public unrest. Rasputin's entire subsequent life in St. Petersburg was inextricably linked with the treatment of the Tsarevich. However, it wasn't limited to that. Rasputin made many acquaintances in the upper echelons of St. Petersburg society. When he became close to the imperial family, the capital's elite themselves sought introductions to the Siberian healer, whom they called "Grishka Rasputin" behind his back. Nicholas II did not welcome Rasputin's frequent appearances at the palace. Moreover, rumors of Rasputin's extremely indecent behavior soon began circulating in St. Petersburg.