Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs
Apr 2026 · Sold by Penguin
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About this ebook
“This story of credulous, out-of-touch monarchs steering their country into disaster never loses its sinister appeal.”—The New York Times
"A beautifully written, clear-eyed biography of a very Russian tragedy.”—The Sunday Times
From one of our most acclaimed historians, a major new biography of one of history’s most disturbing, dubious masterminds, showing how a Siberian peasant, through his seduction of the imperial household, contributed to the collapse of the greatest autocracy in the world
When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she 'lived under the pressure of the prophecy'. Did the prophecy come true with the arrival at court of a mysterious, barely literate moujhik from Siberia, Grigori Rasputin?
In this extraordinary portrait of an enigmatic character, Antony Beevor brings readers closer than ever before to Rasputin’s scandalous life and death. Though he had no official position at court, Rasputin’s hold over the Romanovs became the stuff of legend. Exaggerated accounts of political and financial corruption swirled around him, to say nothing of the stories of his debauchery with the Empress and even her daughters. The consequences of the rumor and conspiracy theories were devastating—when the February revolution broke out in 1917, hardly a sword was raised in the Tsar’s defense.
Through extensive use of previously unpublished reports, interviews, and interrogations, Beevor shows the truth of Rasputin’s rampant lust and opportunism, victimization of poor and vulnerable women, and deep hypocrisy and corruption. Part political thriller, part gothic mystery, Rasputin is a fascinating story of human perversity.
"A beautifully written, clear-eyed biography of a very Russian tragedy.”—The Sunday Times
From one of our most acclaimed historians, a major new biography of one of history’s most disturbing, dubious masterminds, showing how a Siberian peasant, through his seduction of the imperial household, contributed to the collapse of the greatest autocracy in the world
When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she 'lived under the pressure of the prophecy'. Did the prophecy come true with the arrival at court of a mysterious, barely literate moujhik from Siberia, Grigori Rasputin?
In this extraordinary portrait of an enigmatic character, Antony Beevor brings readers closer than ever before to Rasputin’s scandalous life and death. Though he had no official position at court, Rasputin’s hold over the Romanovs became the stuff of legend. Exaggerated accounts of political and financial corruption swirled around him, to say nothing of the stories of his debauchery with the Empress and even her daughters. The consequences of the rumor and conspiracy theories were devastating—when the February revolution broke out in 1917, hardly a sword was raised in the Tsar’s defense.
Through extensive use of previously unpublished reports, interviews, and interrogations, Beevor shows the truth of Rasputin’s rampant lust and opportunism, victimization of poor and vulnerable women, and deep hypocrisy and corruption. Part political thriller, part gothic mystery, Rasputin is a fascinating story of human perversity.
“This story of credulous, out-of-touch monarchs steering their country into disaster never loses its sinister appeal.”—The New York Times
"A beautifully written, clear-eyed biography of a very Russian tragedy.”—The Sunday Times
From one of our most acclaimed historians, a major new biography of...
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2 reviews
Andrea Romance
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April 21, 2026
This fascinating and well-researched biography reveals Rasputin's early life and mysterious death, his shocking influence on the Romanovs, and his scandalous predations on vulnerable women. More than just a tale of political intrigue, this compelling and authoritative book exposes Rasputin's dark side, and the corruption that ultimately contributed to the downfall of an empire. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
About the author
ANTONY BEEVOR is the author of thirteen works of nonfiction, including Crete, which was awarded a Runciman Prize; Stalingrad, which won the first Samuel Johnson Prize, the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hawthornden Prize for Literature; and D-Day, which received the Prix Henry Malherbe in France and the Westminster Medal. His most recent work is Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921. Educated at Sandhurst, Beevor served as regular officer with the 11th Hussars, leaving the Army after five years to write. He was knighted in 2017.
ANTONY BEEVOR is the author of thirteen works of nonfiction, including Crete, which was awarded a Runciman Prize; Stalingrad, which won the first Samuel Johnson Prize, the Wolfson Prize for History and the Hawthornden Prize for Literature; and D-Day, which received the Prix Henry Malherbe in Fran...
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