When you hear the phrase 10 strange facts you probably expect a handful of oddities, but the tale of Grigori Rasputin’s demise delivers a full‑blown circus of intrigue, murder, and myth. Below we count down the most bizarre, spine‑tingling details that still baffle historians a century later.
10 The Death Threat The Morning Before He Died
On the dawn of December 29, 1916, Rasputin fielded a bewildering telephone call. He later recounted to his daughter Maria that the voice on the other end was unfamiliar, delivering a stark warning: his days were numbered. While death threats were a routine nuisance for the mystic—mail and calls constantly urged his demise—this particular warning rattled him more than any prior missive.
Contemporary witnesses described Rasputin that day as unusually “nervous” and “agitated.” After surviving countless threats, this solitary call seemed to pierce a deeper layer of anxiety. No one has definitively identified the caller. What is clear is that it was not Prince Felix Yusupov, who later claimed credit for the murder. Yusupov spent the day coaxing Rasputin out of his home, and none of his co‑conspirators ever admitted responsibility for the ominous ring.
The mystery endures, with the phone call remaining an unsolved piece of the puzzle, a chilling prelude to the chaos that would soon follow.
9 The Cyanide That Failed To Kill Him
Yusupov’s first murderous scheme involved poisoning. He lured Rasputin to his manor, where a spread of cakes and wine had been covertly infused with cyanide by Dr. Stanislaus de Lazovert. The expectation: a swift, lethal banquet. Rasputin, however, reportedly consumed enough of the tainted fare to “kill an elephant,” yet showed no sign of succumbing.
The autopsy later reported a complete absence of poison in his system. This discrepancy sparked endless speculation. Some argue that Rasputin possessed near‑supernatural resilience; others suggest the doctor’s testimony was fabricated, or that the forensic team missed subtle traces. Forensic scientist Dolly Stolze later posited that a poison might indeed have been present but was overlooked during examination.
Regardless of the true cause, the cyanide episode remains a baffling footnote, illustrating how the conspirators’ initial plan spectacularly backfired.
8 The Gunshot That Failed To Kill Him
Frustrated by the ineffective poison, Yusupov drew a pistol and fired at Rasputin’s chest. The saintly mystic fell backward, blood spilling, and convulsed for a full minute before stillness set in. Yet, according to Yusupov’s own memoirs, the scene turned surreal when Rasputin allegedly sprang to his feet, foaming at the mouth.
The conspirators reportedly discharged several more rounds, with Vladimir Purishkevich delivering a final bullet to the head. Even as they bound Rasputin and hurled his body into the Neva River, Yusupin claimed the corpse continued to move, prompting him to declare that Rasputin was “the reincarnation of Satan.”
This dramatic account, filled with supernatural overtones, clashes dramatically with forensic evidence, leaving historians to wonder how much of Yusupov’s tale was truth and how much theatrical embellishment.
7 The Autopsy That Contradicts Everything Yusupov Said
Professor Dmitry Kosorotov’s post‑mortem report shattered Yusupov’s narrative. While Yusupov insisted a bullet struck Rasputin’s heart, the autopsy recorded three distinct gunshot wounds that never approached the cardiac region. Instead, the projectiles traversed the stomach, liver, kidney, and skull—areas far from the heart.
Moreover, Yusupov claimed a long‑range shot hit the back of Rasputin’s head. The forensic findings revealed a front‑entry bullet at point‑blank distance, contradicting the claim of a distant sniper’s kill. These stark inconsistencies suggest Yusupov either misremembered events or deliberately crafted a sensational story.
Historians now view the autopsy as the most reliable account, underscoring how the conspirators’ dramatics diverged sharply from medical reality.
6 The Rumor That Rasputin Drowned
According to Yusupov, after a series of gunshots, the conspirators bound Rasputin’s limbs, wrapped his corpse in heavy linen, and carried it to a bridge before casting it into the Neva. Some eyewitnesses swear the mystic was still alive when submerged, pointing to his hands—found raised above his head—as evidence that he freed himself underwater before drowning.
The autopsy’s lung analysis fuels the debate. Certain transcriptions claim the presence of air, indicating he breathed after the plunge, while others assert no water was found, suggesting he was already dead. Conflicting versions of Kosorotov’s report have survived, leaving scholars to wonder whether the record was altered or simply misread.
This ambiguity makes the drowning narrative one of the most tantalizing, blurring the line between fact, rumor, and possible post‑mortem tampering.
5 The Horrible Mutilation Of His Body And Genitals
Beyond bullets, Rasputin’s corpse endured gruesome disfigurement. Kosorotov’s autopsy details a gaping wound on the left side, possibly from a sharp implement or spur, a dislodged right eye, a torn right ear, and a blunt‑force neck injury. The body bore evidence of blows from a flexible yet hard object, and the genitals were crushed, indicating post‑mortem mutilation.
The report emphasizes these injuries occurred after death, suggesting a deliberate desecration rather than a chaotic struggle. Some theories propose the wounds resulted from ice‑covered river currents tearing the body, while others argue human cruelty was at play.
Whatever the cause, the macabre state of Rasputin’s remains adds a grisly layer to an already sensational murder.
4 Yusupov’s Strange Insistence On Taking Credit
Prince Felix Yusupov and his accomplices went to great lengths to conceal the crime. They staged a fake return home for Rasputin, fabricated a story about drunken guests shooting at a dog, and even tried to silence police inquiries. Yet, an officer who arrived at Yusupov’s estate reported a bold declaration from Purishkevich: “Listen here, he [Rasputin] is dead, and if you love the Tsar and the Motherland, you’ll keep this quiet.”
Despite initial denials, Yusupov soon capitalized on the notoriety, penning a memoir that detailed the murder in vivid, almost story‑book fashion. He even sued the MGM production Rasputin and the Empress, securing legal recognition as the killer.
This self‑promotion transformed Yusupov from conspirator to celebrity, cementing his place in the legend of Rasputin’s death.
3 The British Spy Who Might Have Killed Him
The ballistic evidence reveals at least three distinct firearms were used, hinting at multiple shooters. While Yusupov’s pistols accounted for some wounds, a .455 Webley revolver—absent from the conspirators’ arsenals—matched the fatal skull bullet. British operative Oswald Rayner, a close friend of Yusupov, habitually carried such a weapon.
British Intelligence had motive: Rasputin was brokering peace with Germany, a move that could have shifted World War I’s outcome against the Allies. A cryptic telegram dated January 7, 1917, from Stephen Alley to London, reads: “Our objective has clearly been achieved… Reaction to the demise of ‘Dark Forces’ has been well received.” The message hints at covert British involvement, with Rayner allegedly handling “loose ends.”
While tantalizing, the evidence remains circumstantial, leaving the spy theory forever perched on the edge of plausibility.
2 The MI6 Archives That Say Otherwise
Over a century later, the British government still rebuffs any link to Rasputin’s murder, dismissing the Rayner hypothesis as “an outrageous charge, and incredible to the point of childishness.” Official archives contain no record of Rayner, Hoare, or any British agent connected to the crime.
Critics of the spy theory argue that the skull bullet, fired at point‑blank range, could not have required a professional assassin’s skill. Police chief Serda described the killers as “incompetent,” underscoring the clumsy nature of the operation.
Thus, the MI6 files reinforce the view that the murder was a botched, amateurish plot rather than a calculated intelligence operation.
1 The Burning Body That Sat Up
One of the most bizarre episodes occurred in March 1917 when soldiers exhumed Rasputin’s corpse, piled it on logs, doused it in gasoline, and set it ablaze. Villagers gathered to watch, and many swore they saw the charred remains rise up as if alive.
Scientific explanations suggest the tendons shrank in the fire, causing the body to arch, or that mass hysteria prompted the collective vision. Yet, Rasputin’s own alleged prophecy—“I feel that I shall leave life before January 1”—adds a prophetic twist, implying even in death his spirit would not rest.
Whether supernatural or a tragic misinterpretation, the image of Rasputin’s burning body that seemed to sit up continues to haunt the annals of history.
These ten strange facts weave together a tapestry of mystery, betrayal, and myth that still captivates us today. From ominous phone calls to alleged British espionage, Rasputin’s death remains one of history’s most enigmatic murders.