Acclaimed historian and author Antony Beevor on Rasputin, and Elon Musk's facilitation of making fake porn with unauthorised images

Antony Beevor's book explores the rise, power, and violent death of Grigory Rasputin and how his influence over Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra contributed to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. Beevor draws on archival materials, secret police reports, contemporary testimony, and historical analysis to portray Rasputin's contradictory nature—spiritual healer and lascivious charlatan—and the social context that allowed him access to the imperial family. The book discusses key episodes including Rasputin's healing of the haemophiliac heir, his effect on court politics, and the ministerial instability that followed. Beevor also covers the bungled assassination plot and connects Rasputin's reputation to the erosion of confidence in the monarchy leading up to the 1917 revolution. The work situates Rasputin within broader Russian cultural and political tensions of the early 20th century.