Grigory Rasputin had won favor with Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra.

The self-styled holy man managed to exert influence over the Czarina, and, when Czar Nicholas left to lead Russian forces in WW1, Rasputin became virtual ruler through the Czarina.

A group of nobles, fearing his power, attempted to poison him at Yusupovsky Palace. However, when the poison failed to work, Rasputin was shot at close range. One minute later he got up and beat one of his assailants before trying to escape from the Palace. He was shot again. He was bound and gagged (still alive) and thrown into a freezing river.