Rasputin: The Mad Monk of Russia

In today's episode Ben and producer Andrew Jacobs enter the dark and mysterious world of Rasputin the "mad monk", the mystic who wielded unearthly influence over the Russian royal family and became one of history’s most infamous figures. Rasputin's rise from a Siberian peasant to the confidant of the Romanovs shocked the Russian Empire and fueled countless rumors of sorcery, scandal, and seduction, all leading up to the dramatic plot to end his life—if only he’d stay dead. Brace yourself for a tale of faith, power, and the collapse of an empire, centered around the man who seemed to defy fate itself.

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Throughout the course of human civilization certain individuals have stood out as being completely f***ing awesome. From ninjas and gunfighters to pirates and Vikings, to explorers, scientists and great leaders, these people - true badasses - completely obliterated anything that stood in their path, routinely overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and ultimately altered the course of history through their actions. Be it glory, conquest, or survival, these hardcore men and women all had one specific goal in life - and they didn’t let anything stand between themselves and their mission. They refused to back down even when the odds seemed hopelessly stacked against them, they came back from the brink of failure to achieve ultimate success, and they beat the fucking hell out of anyone stupid enough to have stood in their way. Badass of the Week is a weekly (duh) podcast, that dives into new stories of badasses every week.