# History buffs, need help with a trivia question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338 "2003-05-29T19:06:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/1 "2003-05-29T19:06:56Z")
who was the guy (whose name started with an R, i believe) who was poisoned, shot, tried to be drowned, swam across a river (or some kind of water), and ended up drowning in water maybe a foot deep because of exhaustion? ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/2 "2003-05-29T19:10:08Z")
I think it’s safe to say his name wasn’t “Lucky” sorry, no clue ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/3 "2003-05-29T19:10:09Z")
Rasputin. Crazy russian monk. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/4 "2003-05-29T19:11:30Z")
Rasputin. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/5 "2003-05-29T19:12:34Z")
[Rasputin](http://www.eurohistory.com/Rasputin.html) ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/6 "2003-05-29T19:15:46Z")
I believe you’re talking about Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin. In 1916, Prince Felix Yusupov lured him down to the cellar and fed him poisoned cakes and wine. When this did not have the desired effect, Yusupov shot him at point-blank range. When he regained consciousness, Rasputin leapt up and tried to strangle Yusupov, then escaped the cellar and began crawling through the yard. Some of Yusupov’s buddies appeared and began shooting and bludgeoning him. Finally they tied Rasputin up and tossed him in the freezing river, where he drowned. .:Nichol:. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/7 "2003-05-29T20:38:56Z")
As I understand, Rasputin’s demise was greatly exaggerated by his killers. For the moment, the exact details of the truth escapes me, but IIRC, the murder was actually much more simply acomplished. One of the killers admitted much later that he had made up much of the tale, sort of to make Rasputin the villian seem demonic and supernaturally strong. Perhaps someone else knows the true details. If not, I’ll look in one of my books for a cite. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/8 "2003-05-30T02:15:21Z")
yeah, that’s the guy i was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/9 "2003-05-30T03:38:09Z")
The most credible witness, Grand Duke Dmitri, refused to even discuss the murder, so his side of the story went to the grave with him. BTW, you might find it interesting-there is a fringe movement to have Rasputin canonized! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/10 "2003-05-30T09:41:22Z")
Rah! Rah! Rasputin! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/11 "2003-05-30T12:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Grey \* > \*\*Rah! Rah! Rasputin! \*\* > [@](#): > > “This man’s just got to go!” declared his enemies, > But the ladies begged “Don’t you try to do it, please.” > > No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms, > Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms. > > Then one night some men of higher standing, > Set a trap, they’re not to blame. > “Come to visit us” they kept demanding, > And he really came. > > Ra, ra, Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen, > They put some poison into his wine > > Ra, ra, Rasputin, Russia’s greatest love machine, > He drank it all and said i feel fine. > > Ra, ra, Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen, > They didn’t quite, they wanted his head. > > Ra, ra, Rasputin, Russia’s greatest love machine, > And so they shot him 'til he was dead. > > (spoken) Oh, those Russians! With thanks to [Boney M](http://www.groovecave.com/boneym/lyrics/bl_ntv.2.htm). Get the song if you can–it’s a really fun '70s disco tune. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-buffs-need-help-with-a-trivia-question/178338/12 "2003-05-30T14:25:03Z")
Rasputin was not a monk. Rasputin was never a monk. He never entered into vows and even had a wife (whom he ignored, of course). Rasputin was one of any number of peripatetic self-proclaimed “holy men” with which 19th-century Russia was rife. (Russia of WWI was still culturally 19th-century Russia.)