Grigory Rasputin, the Siberian peasant-turned-mystic, was as fascinating as he was unfathomable. He played the role of the simple man, eating with his fingers & boasting, `I don`t even know my ABC...` But, as the only person able to relieve the symptoms of haemophilia in the Tsar`s heir Alexis, he gained almost hallowed status within the Imperial court. During the last decade of his life, he & his band of `little ladies` came to symbolise all that was decadent & remote about the royal family. His role in the downfall of the tsarist regime is beyond dispute. But who was he really? Prophet or rascal? In this eye-opening short biography, which draws on previously unpublished material, Frances Welch turns her inimitable wry gaze on one of the great mysteries of Russian history.