--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed…" description: "\"“Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed, why Alexandra placed the fate of her son, her husband and his empire in the hands of a wandering holy man, w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28d/robert-k-massie-19874_holy-man_why-lenin-triumphed-why-nicholas-failed_521644.jpg" --- # Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed, why Alexandra… ![“Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed, why Alexandra placed the fate of her son, her husband and his empire in the hands of a wandering holy man, why Alexis suffered from hemophilia—these are the true riddles of this historical tale. All of them have answers except, perhaps, the last.” quote by Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28d/robert-k-massie-19874_holy-man_why-lenin-triumphed-why-nicholas-failed_521644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28d/robert-k-massie-19874_holy-man_why-lenin-triumphed-why-nicholas-failed_521644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28d/robert-k-massie-19874_holy-man_why-lenin-triumphed-why-nicholas-failed_521644.jpg) > ““Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed, why Alexandra placed the fate of her son, her husband and his empire in the hands of a wandering holy man, why Alexis suffered from hemophilia—these are the true riddles of this historical tale. All of them have answers except, perhaps, the last.”” [Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions why certain historical figures succeeded or failed, noting that some mysteries remain unsolved. **In simple terms:** History leaves unanswered questions. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in historical analysis. Themes history leadership legacy Mood analytical inquisitive Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - education - research - policy making - leadership development - public discourse Key Concepts determinism chance psychology Questions to Reflect On - What factors might we be overlooking? - How do we handle incomplete historical records? A Different Perspective Historical conclusions can be biased by limited sources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-man/) ## Related quotes > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. 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There were good interpreters there, educated people in India speak English but Maharaji was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/ram-dass-krishna-dass-we-all-spoke-through-interpreters-there-were/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [“I'm a holy man minus the holiness. Hand that on to your three spies, and tell them to put it in their pipes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-holy-man-minus-the-holiness-hand-that-on-to-your-three-spies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Will you continue doing goodness even if you know that no one will know them? Will you continue doing kindness even if you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/will-you-continue-doing-goodness-even-if-you-know-that-no-one-will/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The more holy a man becomes, the more conscious he is of unholiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-a-man-becomes-the-more-conscious-he-is-of-unholiness/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“This “holy man,” a peasant from Siberia, had somehow gained entry to the highest levels of St. Petersburg society by preaching that people should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-womack/this-holy-man-a-peasant-from-siberia-had-somehow-gained-entry-to-the/) [Gwendolyn Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-womack/) > [“A holy man will follow after meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of his tongue. He will bear much, forbear much, overlook much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/a-holy-man-will-follow-after-meekness-longsuffering-gentleness/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [The day you start giving importance to the life of even a little fly, you turn into a holy man!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-day-you-start-giving-importance-to-the-life-of-even-a-little-fly/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Of all persecuted sects, the Baptists stand forth as most prominent, simply and only because they aim at a more complete and thorough reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/of-all-persecuted-sects-the-baptists-stand-forth-as-most-prominent/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“He is not truly patient who will only suffer as far as seems right to him and from whom he pleases. 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Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [A holy man isn't aware that he's holy..As soon as we begin to talk about how holy we are, we aren't holy any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/a-holy-man-isn-t-aware-that-he-s-holy-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-talk/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“The truth was that life was as short and brutish and mean as ever. “But people didn’t have to pay as much attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/the-truth-was-that-life-was-as-short-and-brutish-and-mean-as-ever-but/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) ## More by Robert K. Massie > [“Petersburg to examine the uniforms, dresses, helmets,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-massie/petersburg-to-examine-the-uniforms-dresses-helmets/) [Robert K. 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Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) > [“She was intelligent, well read, and a shrewd judge of character. During the coup, she had shown determination and courage; once on the throne,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-massie/she-was-intelligent-well-read-and-a-shrewd-judge-of-character-during/) [Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) > [“Don't worry. Don't worry. The Devil does none of these things. He neither smokes nor drinks nor engages in revelry, and yet he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-massie/don-t-worry-don-t-worry-the-devil-does-none-of-these-things-he/) [Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) > [“Only one further prize remained on the entire North Pacific coast, the peninsula of Korea. 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Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) > [“She (historian Barbara Tuchman) draws on skepticism, not cynicism, leaving the reader not so much outraged by human ability as amused and saddened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-massie/she-historian-barbara-tuchman-draws-on-skepticism-not-cynicism/) [Robert K. Massie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) [Explore all 31 Robert K. Massie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-massie/) ## More Holy man quotes > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A holy man isn't aware that he's holy..As soon as we begin to talk about how holy we are, we aren't holy any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/a-holy-man-isn-t-aware-that-he-s-holy-as-soon-as-we-begin-to-talk/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm a holy man minus the holiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-m-a-holy-man-minus-the-holiness/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [“He is not truly patient who will only suffer as far as seems right to him and from whom he pleases. 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He will bear much, forbear much, overlook much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle-2/a-holy-man-will-follow-after-meekness-longsuffering-gentleness/) [J.C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle-2/) > [“This “holy man,” a peasant from Siberia, had somehow gained entry to the highest levels of St. Petersburg society by preaching that people should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-womack/this-holy-man-a-peasant-from-siberia-had-somehow-gained-entry-to-the/) [Gwendolyn Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-womack/) > [The more holy a man becomes, the more conscious he is of unholiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-a-man-becomes-the-more-conscious-he-is-of-unholiness/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Will you continue doing goodness even if you know that no one will know them? Will you continue doing kindness even if you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/will-you-continue-doing-goodness-even-if-you-know-that-no-one-will/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I'm a holy man minus the holiness. Hand that on to your three spies, and tell them to put it in their pipes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-holy-man-minus-the-holiness-hand-that-on-to-your-three-spies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ram Dass, Krishna Dass, we all spoke through interpreters. There were good interpreters there, educated people in India speak English but Maharaji was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/ram-dass-krishna-dass-we-all-spoke-through-interpreters-there-were/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [Hence that dread and amazement with which as Scripture uniformly relates holy men were struck and overwhelmed whenever they beheld the presence of God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/hence-that-dread-and-amazement-with-which-as-scripture-uniformly/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [In my library I have profitably and pleasantly dwelt among the shining lights, with which the learned, wise, and holy men of all ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/in-my-library-i-have-profitably-and-pleasantly-dwelt-among-the/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“The truth was that life was as short and brutish and mean as ever. “But people didn’t have to pay as much attention to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/the-truth-was-that-life-was-as-short-and-brutish-and-mean-as-ever-but/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) [Browse all 107 Holy man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why Lenin triumphed, why Nicholas failed, why Alexandra placed the fate of her son, her husband and his empire in the hands of a wandering holy man, why Alexis suffered from hemophilia—these are the true riddles of this historical tale. 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