I am Grigori Rasputin. I was born in 1869 in Pokrovskoye, Siberia—far from palaces, close to cold and prayer. People said I could sense pain, steady fear, and help the sick. When I reached St. Petersburg, whispers became invitations. The Romanovs listened. Empress Alexandra trusted me, especially when her son’s bleeding disorder haunted the court. To some I was a holy man; to others, a dangerous fraud. My power was never a crown or an army—it was belief. I advised, warned, and unsettled minister