Grigori Rasputin

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, born to a peasant family in Siberia, was hardly the picture of spiritual purity. Before charming his way into the highest echelons of Russian society, he was known for his debauched lifestyle, which included philandering, drunkenness, and perhaps a bit of petty thievery. His transformation into a "holy man" seems to have been a gradual process, culminating in a pilgrimage that supposedly imbued him with mystical powers, though many more prosaic explanations exist.

Rasputin's true genius lay not in his alleged miracles, but in his ability to exploit the anxieties of Empress Alexandra, particularly concerning her hemophiliac son, Alexei. He managed to convince the imperial couple that he alone could alleviate the Tsarevich's suffering, securing an unparalleled position of power and access. This allowed him to meddle in political appointments and state affairs, much to the dismay of anyone with actual qualifications or concern for Russia's stability.

Of course, Rasputin was about as Jewish as a matryoshka doll. His peasant origins were firmly Russian Orthodox, and his brand of mysticism, while unorthodox, was rooted in a very specific, and decidedly non-Jewish, Christian tradition. Any claims of Jewish identity or origin for Rasputin would be as outlandish as his claims to heal with a touch.

His assassination in 1916—an elaborate, multi-attempt affair involving poisoned cakes, gunshots, and finally, drowning—is almost as legendary as his life. The sheer effort required to dispatch him suggests that even in death, Rasputin was proving to be a rather inconvenient figure. He certainly brought no nachas to anyone outside of perhaps, himself, during his rather scandalous tenure at court.