Grigori Rasputin, the so-called Mad Monk, was a mystic layman. He had a deep faith and many believed in the power of his prayers. But others saw him as a charlatan who had weaseled his way into the royal household.

As his legend spread across Russia, those who were suspicious or jealous of his "powers" castigated him as a sex maniac, a huckster and even a heretic.

Rasputin was fiercely loyal to the Romanovs. However, his link with the royals brought scandal to the palace.

This week on Assassinations Podcast, we explore his relationship to the royal family, and how his closeness to the Romanovs brought him both fame and, ultimately, destruction.