Often in History, famous people seem destined for greatness from a young age. By the very nature of their birth, any less than a notable life would be quite exceptional. Think about Churchill who was essentially nobility. However, every now and again, the past throws up a character who seems to come from no-where. Like Cromwell, de Gaulle and Napoleon, Rasputin had a humble beginning but in an odd type of Cinderella story he ended up in the company of the nobility of the Russian Empire.He was born the son of Russian peasants, as many millions were in the course of that country's history. His early life appears to have been reasonably unexceptional if you discount the decision not to become a monk and the scandal of fathering illegitimate children (I'm not sure which decision came first!).
The exceptional thing about Rasputin was his claim to have mystical healing powers. It is at this point that the story begins to feel unreal. It's sometimes like teaching a fairy tale.
(Once upon a time...) Rasputin caught the attention of the Tsar and Tsarina (Russian royal family) and they showed particular interest in his ability to heal their son, Alexis who had haemophilia, a disease where blood does not clot. This mystical ability ensured Rasputin's place at court and he continued to have influence over the affairs of government. This increased when the Tsar took charge of the Russian war effort.
