http://89608119.nhd.weebly.com/rasputin.html [Accessed 22/7/13]
There was anti-Czar Propaganda portraying Rasputin as having the rulers of Russia sitting in the palm of his hand, demonstrating his ability to control them. This undermined the Czar's authority and portrayed the royal family in a negative light. The people resented Rasputin's influence over their rulers and their government, and the supposed relationship between Rasputin and Czarina Alexandra that was rumored. This relationship helped to undermine the Romanovs in the public's eye.
"Throughout Russia, both at the front and at home, rumour grew ever louder concerning the pernicious influence exercised by the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, at whose side rose the sinister figure of Gregory Rasputin. This charlatan and hypnotist had wormed himself into the Tsar’s palace and gradually acquired a limitless power over the hysterical Empress, and through her over the Sovereign. Rasputin’s proximity to the Tsar’s family proved fatal to the dynasty, for no political criticism can harm the prestige of Tsars so effectually as the personal weakness, vice, or debasement of the members of a royal house. Rumours were current, up to now unrepudiated, but likewise unconfirmed, that the Germans were influencing Alexandra Feodorovna through the medium of Rasputin and Stürmer. Haughty and unapproachable, she lacked popularity, and was all the more readily suspected of almost anything, even of pro-Germanism, since the crowd is always ready to believe anything that tends to augment their suspicions." - Ariadna Tyrkova
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/ImperialRussian/royalty/russia/na5.html [Accessed 22/7/13]
To majority of the public, it seemed that Russia was being governed not by Nicholas and his ministers, but by his "scheming" wife with the help of the "evil" Rasputin. Alexandra was too 'aloof' and reserved to become popular with the Russian people. She was becoming hated by the public due to malicious-and untrue-rumors that she was Rasputin's mistress.
In Nicholas’s absence from St. Petersburg, supreme power was passed to the Tsarina. During the war, Alexandra dismissed competent officers and replaced them with worthless nominees of Rasputin which alarmed the public.
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/historian/hist_massie_03_alexandra.html [Accessed 22/7/13]
Alexandra said to her husband: 'The real people are behind you. Ignore the advice of people who say you must liberalize; you must bring in more people to the government; you must give up some of the autocratic powers.'
"She had a great deal of influence on Nicholas. Nicholas was not a strong man, he was not decisive. Alexandra was a strong woman and very decisive, but her advice and her influence were exercised in a destructive way. Not because she intended it to be destructive, but because she thought she was doing the right thing."
In 1912, Alexei suffered a life-threatening haemorrhage in the thigh while the family was at Spała, Poland. Alexandra and Nicholas tried to comfort him from his intense pain. Alexei was heard to whisper to his mother, "When I am dead, it will not hurt any more, will it, Mama?"[25] Believing Alexei would die, Alexandra in desperation sent a telegram to Grigori Rasputin. He immediately replied, "God has seen your tears and heard your prayers. Do not grieve. The Little One will not die. Do not allow the doctors to bother him too much."[25] Alexei recovered after Rasputin's advice was followed and from 1912 onwards, Alexandra came to rely increasingly on Rasputin and to believe in his ability to ease Alexei's suffering. This reliance enhanced Rasputin's political power, which was to undermine Romanov rule during the First World War.
Alexandra had no experience of government and constantly appointed and re-appointed incompetent new ministers, which meant the government was never stable or efficient. This was particularly dangerous in a war of attrition, as neither the troops nor the civilian population were ever adequately supplied. She paid attention to the self-serving advice of Rasputin, and their relationship was widely, though falsely, believed to be sexual in nature. Alexandra was the focus of ever-increasing negative rumors, and was widely believed to be a German spy at the Russian court.
While Tsar Nicholas II was away at war, the Duma feared in September 1915 Rasputin's influence over Tsarina Alexandra increased. He became her confidant and personal adviser, and convinced her to fill some governmental offices with his own handpicked candidates. Due to World War I and the effects of feudalism and a meddling government bureaucracy, Russia's economy was declining at a very rapid rate. Many at the time blamed Alexandra and Rasputin, because of his influence over her.
Rasputin's influence over the royal family was used against him and the Romanovs by politicians and journalists who wanted to weaken the integrity of the dynasty, force the Tsar to give up his absolute political power and separate the Russian Orthodox Church from the state. Rasputin unintentionally contributed to their propaganda by having public disputes with clergy members and bragging about his ability to influence both the Tsar and Tsarina. Nobles in influential positions around the Tsar wanted Rasputin's removal from the court.
There was anti-Czar Propaganda portraying Rasputin as having the rulers of Russia sitting in the palm of his hand, demonstrating his ability to control them. This undermined the Czar's authority and portrayed the royal family in a negative light. The people resented Rasputin's influence over their rulers and their government, and the supposed relationship between Rasputin and Czarina Alexandra that was rumored. This relationship helped to undermine the Romanovs in the public's eye.
"Throughout Russia, both at the front and at home, rumour grew ever louder concerning the pernicious influence exercised by the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, at whose side rose the sinister figure of Gregory Rasputin. This charlatan and hypnotist had wormed himself into the Tsar’s palace and gradually acquired a limitless power over the hysterical Empress, and through her over the Sovereign. Rasputin’s proximity to the Tsar’s family proved fatal to the dynasty, for no political criticism can harm the prestige of Tsars so effectually as the personal weakness, vice, or debasement of the members of a royal house. Rumours were current, up to now unrepudiated, but likewise unconfirmed, that the Germans were influencing Alexandra Feodorovna through the medium of Rasputin and Stürmer. Haughty and unapproachable, she lacked popularity, and was all the more readily suspected of almost anything, even of pro-Germanism, since the crowd is always ready to believe anything that tends to augment their suspicions." - Ariadna Tyrkova
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/ImperialRussian/royalty/russia/na5.html [Accessed 22/7/13]
To majority of the public, it seemed that Russia was being governed not by Nicholas and his ministers, but by his "scheming" wife with the help of the "evil" Rasputin. Alexandra was too 'aloof' and reserved to become popular with the Russian people. She was becoming hated by the public due to malicious-and untrue-rumors that she was Rasputin's mistress.
In Nicholas’s absence from St. Petersburg, supreme power was passed to the Tsarina. During the war, Alexandra dismissed competent officers and replaced them with worthless nominees of Rasputin which alarmed the public.
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/historian/hist_massie_03_alexandra.html [Accessed 22/7/13]
Alexandra said to her husband: 'The real people are behind you. Ignore the advice of people who say you must liberalize; you must bring in more people to the government; you must give up some of the autocratic powers.'
"She had a great deal of influence on Nicholas. Nicholas was not a strong man, he was not decisive. Alexandra was a strong woman and very decisive, but her advice and her influence were exercised in a destructive way. Not because she intended it to be destructive, but because she thought she was doing the right thing."
In 1912, Alexei suffered a life-threatening haemorrhage in the thigh while the family was at Spała, Poland. Alexandra and Nicholas tried to comfort him from his intense pain. Alexei was heard to whisper to his mother, "When I am dead, it will not hurt any more, will it, Mama?"[25] Believing Alexei would die, Alexandra in desperation sent a telegram to Grigori Rasputin. He immediately replied, "God has seen your tears and heard your prayers. Do not grieve. The Little One will not die. Do not allow the doctors to bother him too much."[25] Alexei recovered after Rasputin's advice was followed and from 1912 onwards, Alexandra came to rely increasingly on Rasputin and to believe in his ability to ease Alexei's suffering. This reliance enhanced Rasputin's political power, which was to undermine Romanov rule during the First World War.
Alexandra had no experience of government and constantly appointed and re-appointed incompetent new ministers, which meant the government was never stable or efficient. This was particularly dangerous in a war of attrition, as neither the troops nor the civilian population were ever adequately supplied. She paid attention to the self-serving advice of Rasputin, and their relationship was widely, though falsely, believed to be sexual in nature. Alexandra was the focus of ever-increasing negative rumors, and was widely believed to be a German spy at the Russian court.
While Tsar Nicholas II was away at war, the Duma feared in September 1915 Rasputin's influence over Tsarina Alexandra increased. He became her confidant and personal adviser, and convinced her to fill some governmental offices with his own handpicked candidates. Due to World War I and the effects of feudalism and a meddling government bureaucracy, Russia's economy was declining at a very rapid rate. Many at the time blamed Alexandra and Rasputin, because of his influence over her.
Rasputin's influence over the royal family was used against him and the Romanovs by politicians and journalists who wanted to weaken the integrity of the dynasty, force the Tsar to give up his absolute political power and separate the Russian Orthodox Church from the state. Rasputin unintentionally contributed to their propaganda by having public disputes with clergy members and bragging about his ability to influence both the Tsar and Tsarina. Nobles in influential positions around the Tsar wanted Rasputin's removal from the court.
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