Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs

by Antony Beevor

When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she 'lived under the pressure of the prophecy'.

Rasputin had no official position. A barely literate moujhik from Siberia, he had no forces at his command. He was a devoted monarchist, not a revolutionary. And yet, through his uncanny seduction of the imperial household, he contributed more than any other individual to the collapse of the greatest autocracy in the world. 'This man was unique', observed one writer. 'Like a character out of a novel, he lived in legend, he died in legend, and his memory is cloaked in legend.'

In this extraordinary new work, Antony Beevor, master of narrative history on the grandest scale, sharpens his focus to pierce the fog of fantasy that has only grown denser over time. The result is an unparalleled portrait of one of history's most dubious masterminds.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Russia

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 14, 2026

About the author

Sir Antony James Beevor is a British military historian. He has published several popular historical works, mainly on the Second World War, the Spanish Civil War, and most recently the Russian Revolution and Civil War.
Educated at Abberley Hall School, Winchester College, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Beevor commanded a troop of tanks in the 11th Hussars in Germany before deciding in 1970 to leave the army and become a writer. He was a visiting professor at Birkbeck, University of London, and the University of Kent. His best-selling books, Stalingrad (1998) and Berlin: The Downfall 1945 (2002), have been acclaimed for their detailed coverage of the battles between the Soviet Union and Germany, and their focus on the experiences of ordinary people. Berlin proved very controversial in Russia because of the information it contained from former Soviet archives about the mass rapes carried out by the Red Army in 1945.
Beevor's works have been translated into many languages and have sold millions of copies. He has lectured at numerous military headquarters, staff colleges and establishments in Britain, the US, Europe, and Australia. He has also written for many major newspapers.

Reviews

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a very historical deep dive into the life of one of Russia's most notorious residents and how his involvement with the Romanov family changed the course of history as we know it. Grigori Rasputin was known for a plethora of assumptions and accusations including but not limited to: the mad monk, a madman, the supposed lover of the Tsarina Alexandria, the alleged 'healer' of Alexei, a mystic who delved too deep into escapades of orgies and debauchery despite being a religious man. But are these accusations actually accurate or just malicious rumors to help compose the notoriety of this simple man? Now that is up for the reader to decide.

As someone who has always loved learning and studying the Romanov family from their connections to the British royal family and Catherine the Great to their tragic and horrific deaths, Rasputin played a critical role in the demise of the Tsar and his family and this is a book that history lovers shouldn't skip.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rasputin, the infamous mystic who ingratiated himself with the royal family of imperial Russia, is a fascinating subject. The author places Rasputin in the historical context of his time, detailing the myriad reasons why he was so important to the Tsar and Tsaritsa, and how he contributed to the downfall of the Romanovs. The egos, the decadence, the entitlement of a few--it is all here, and the author helps the reader understand the personalities behind the throne. This is not only a well researched book, but it is also very readable, and is recommended to anyone with an interest in history. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.

[Matt Galyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really insightful look into the fall of the Romanov dynasty. This volume is much, much more than a biography of Rasputin, though it is not less than that. Beevor helpfully draws a through line from the introduction of Rasputin to the Tsar and Tsarista to their eventual downfall without placing all of the blame for the collapse of the government on Rasputin. He demonstrates the impact of Rasputin on the royal couple, but shows that it was a confluence of events that led to the events of 1917 and beyond. This was a really, really great volume on a fascinating time in European history.