The House of Tolstoy, or Tolstoi (russian: Толстой), is a family of Russian gentry that acceded to the high aristocracy of the Russian Empire. The name Tolstoy (Russian "Толстой") is itself derived from the Russian adjective "толстый" ("thick, stout, fat"). They are the descendants of Andrey Kharitonovich Tolstoy ("the Fat"), who moved from
Chernigov
Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative ...
to Moscow and served under
Vasily II of Moscow
Vasily Vasiliyevich (russian: Василий Васильевич; 10 March 141527 March 1462), also known as Vasily II the Blind (Василий II Тёмный), was the Grand Prince of Moscow whose long reign (1425–1462) was plagued by the ...
in the 15th century. The "wild Tolstoys", as they were known in the high society of Imperial Russia, have left a lasting legacy in Russian politics, military history, literature, and fine arts.
Origins
The Tolstoys were a family of provincial
Muscovite
Muscovite (also known as common mica, isinglass, or potash mica) is a hydrated phyllosilicate mineral of aluminium and potassium with formula K Al2(Al Si3 O10)( F,O H)2, or ( KF)2( Al2O3)3( SiO2)6( H2O). It has a highly perfect basal cleavage ...
gentry who claimed their ancestry to a mythical
Lithuanian nobleman named Indris stated by
Pyotr Tolstoy as supposedly having arrived from the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
to
Chernigov
Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative ...
in 1353, the very year when the city became part of
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
, together with his two sons Litvinos (or Litvonis, "Lithuanian") and Zimonten (or Zigmont, or "
Samogitia
Samogitia or Žemaitija ( Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five cultural regions of Lithuania and formerly one of the two core administrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
n") and a
druzhina
In the medieval history of Kievan Rus' and Early Poland, a druzhina, drużyna, or družyna ( Slovak and cz, družina; pl, drużyna; ; , ''druzhýna'' literally a "fellowship") was a retinue in service of a Slavic chieftain, also called ''knyaz ...
of 3000 men. Litvonis and Zimonten possibly refer to the two main parts of Lithuania at the time - Samogitia was considered administratively separate from
Lithuania Proper (in the narrow sense) for much of history.
[''Vitold Rummel, Vladimir Golubtsov (1886)'']
Genealogical Collection of Russian Noble Families in 2 Volumes. Volume 2
// The Tolstoys, Counts and Noblemen. — Saint Petersburg: A. S. Suvorin Publishing House, p. 487Ivan Bunin
Ivan Alekseyevich Bunin ( or ; rus, Ива́н Алексе́евич Бу́нин, p=ɪˈvan ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ ˈbunʲɪn, a=Ivan Alyeksyeyevich Bunin.ru.vorb.oga; – 8 November 1953) was the first Russian writer awarded the ...
, ''The Liberation of Tolstoy: A Tale of Two Writers'', p. 100 Indris was then supposedly converted to
Eastern Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first m ...
as Leonty and his sons — as Konstantin and Feodor, respectively; adopting religion of the locals was typical of Lithuanian nobility at the time and characteristic of the Lithuanian style of governing. Konstantin's grandson, Andrei Kharitonovich, was nicknamed Tolstiy (translated as ''fat'') by
Vasily II of Moscow
Vasily Vasiliyevich (russian: Василий Васильевич; 10 March 141527 March 1462), also known as Vasily II the Blind (Василий II Тёмный), was the Grand Prince of Moscow whose long reign (1425–1462) was plagued by the ...
after he moved from Chernigov to Moscow.
Because of the
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
names and the fact that Chernigov at the time was ruled by
Demetrius I Starshy
Dmitry the Older or Dmitry of Bryansk ( lt, Dmitrijus Algirdaitis Brianskietis, pl, Dymitr Olgierdowicz, died on 12 August 1399 in the Battle of the Vorskla River) was the second eldest son of Algirdas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and his first ...
some research concluded that they were
Lithuanians
Lithuanians ( lt, lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another million or two make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Uni ...
who arrived from the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
, then in conflict with the
State of the Teutonic Order
The State of the Teutonic Order (german: Staat des Deutschen Ordens, ; la, Civitas Ordinis Theutonici; lt, Vokiečių ordino valstybė; pl, Państwo zakonu krzyżackiego), also called () or (), was a medieval Crusader state, located in Centr ...
.
At the same time, no mention of Indris was ever found in the 14-16th century documents, while the
Chernigov Chronicles used by Pyotr Tolstoy as a reference were lost.
The first documented members of the Tolstoy family also lived in the 17th century. Pyotr Tolstoy is the founder of the titled branch of the family; he was granted the title of
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
by
Peter the Great
Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...
. The untitled branch of the same stem is descended from Ivan Andreevich Tolstoy. Their common ancestor was Andrey Vasilievich Tolstoy, who married Stepanida Andreevna
Miloslavskaya, a cousin of the
tsarina
Tsarina or tsaritsa (also spelled ''csarina'' or ''csaricsa'', ''tzarina'' or ''tzaritza'', or ''czarina'' or ''czaricza''; bg, царица, tsaritsa; sr, / ; russian: царица, tsaritsa) is the title of a female autocratic ruler (mona ...
. This marriage had allowed the average gentry family to enter the Moscow court. The Tolstoy family is also found amongst untitled provincial gentry of the same origins.
In the Napoleonic wars
Two members of the family were active during the
Napoleonic wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. Count
Pyotr Aleksandrovich Tolstoy
Count Pyotr Aleksandrovich Tolstoy (russian: Пётр Александрович Толстой) (1769 – 28 September 1844) was a Russian general and statesman.
Pyotr Tolstoy came from the Oryol branch of the Tolstoy family, Tolstoy family, ...
(1761–1844) served under
Suvorov
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Суво́ров, Aleksándr Vasíl'yevich Suvórov; or 1730) was a Russian general in service of the Russian Empire. He was Count of Râmnicu Sărat, Rymnik, C ...
in wars against Poland and the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, was made a general-adjutant in 1797, went as an ambassador to
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
in 1807 and tried to persuade
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to:
* Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC
* Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus
* Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome
* Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of ...
to prepare for the war against France, without much success though. He served as the governor of
St Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and
Kronstadt
Kronstadt (russian: Кроншта́дт, Kronshtadt ), also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt or Kronštádt (from german: link=no, Krone for "crown" and ''Stadt'' for "city") is a Russian port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of ...
from 1828 until his death.
Alexander Ivanovich Tolstoy (1770–1857), stemming from a collateral branch of the family, inherited the comital title and estates of
his childless uncle, the last of the
Osterman Osterman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Russian
* Andrei Osterman (1686–1747), Russian statesman
* Ivan Osterman (1725-1811), Russian statesman
American
* Cat Osterman (b. 1983), American softball player
* Harry Osterm ...
ns.
He first distinguished himself in the
Battle of Czarnowo
The Battle of Czarnowo on the night of 23–24 December 1806 saw troops of the First French Empire under the eye of Emperor Napoleon I launch an evening assault crossing of the Wkra River against Lieutenant General Alexander Ivanovich Oste ...
on the night and following morning of 23–24 December 1806, where under his command the 2nd Division of the Russian Army in Poland held out for fifteen hours against the whole army commanded by
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
. One of the most admired generals of the anti-Napoleonic coalition, he was rewarded for his courage in the battles at
Pultusk and
Eylau. At
Guttstadt he was wounded so seriously that they feared for his life. In the great
battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino (). took place near the village of Borodino on during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. The ' won the battle against the Imperial Russian Army but failed to gain a decisive victory and suffered tremendous losses. Napoleon ...
he brilliantly commanded the key positions until he was shell-shocked and taken away from the battlefield. Ostermann-Tolstoy was once again wounded in the
battle of Bautzen (1813) but did not give up command of his force. His crowning achievement was the
victory at Kulm (August 30, 1813), which cost him amputation of the left arm. When the war was over, he quarreled with the Emperor, resigned and spent the rest of his life in Europe.
In high society
Count
Feodor Petrovich Tolstoy (1783–1873), sympathetically mentioned by
Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
in ''Eugene Onegin'', was one of the most fashionable Russian drawers and painters of the 1820s. Although he prepared fine illustrations for
Bogdanovich
Bogdanovich is a Slavic languages, Slavic surname found across the Slavic speaking world, meaning "son of Bogdan", spelt Богданович transliterated Bogdanovich (Russian) or Bohdanovych (Ukrainian), Bahdanovič (Belarusian), Bogdanowicz (P ...
's ''Dushenka'', his genuine vocation was wax modeling and the design of
medals
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
. As he gradually went blind he had to give up drawing and started writing
ballets
Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...
and librettos for operas. He was appointed Vice-President of the Academy of Arts in 1828. Many of his works may be seen in the
Russian Museum
The State Russian Museum (russian: Государственный Русский музей), formerly the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III (russian: Русский Музей Императора Александра III), on ...
,
St Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
.
Count
Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy
Count Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy (russian: Фёдор Ива́нович Толсто́й; 17 February 1782 – 5 November 1846), also known as "the American", was a Russian nobleman from the well-known Tolstoy family. Possessed of an unusual tempe ...
(1782–1846) was a notorious drunkard, gastronome, and duellist. It is said that he killed 11 people in
duels
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and lat ...
. In 1803 he participated in the first Russian
circumnavigation
Circumnavigation is the complete navigation around an entire island, continent, or astronomical object, astronomical body (e.g. a planet or natural satellite, moon). This article focuses on the circumnavigation of Earth.
The first recorded circ ...
of the Earth. After he had his body tattooed at the
Marquesas
The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in t ...
and debauched all the crew, captain
Krusenstern had to maroon him on the
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands (; ; ale, Unangam Tanangin,”Land of the Aleuts", possibly from Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', "island"), also called the Aleut Islands or Aleutic Islands and known before 1867 as the Catherine Archipelago, are a cha ...
near
Kamchatka
The Kamchatka Peninsula (russian: полуостров Камчатка, Poluostrov Kamchatka, ) is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about . The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula's eastern and wes ...
. When he returned to St Petersburg, Count Fedor was nicknamed ''Amerikanets'' ("the American"). He fought bravely in the
Patriotic War of 1812
The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign, the Second Polish War, the Army of Twenty nations, and the Patriotic War of 1812 was launched by Napoleon Bonaparte to force the Russian Empire back into the continental block ...
but scandalized his family again by marrying a Gypsy singer in 1821.
Alexander Griboyedov
Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov (russian: Александр Сергеевич Грибоедов, ''Aleksandr Sergeevich Griboedov'' or ''Sergeevich Griboyedov''; 15 January 179511 February 1829), formerly romanized as Alexander Sergueevich Gr ...
satirized him in ''
Woe from Wit
''Woe from Wit'' (, also translated as "The Woes of Wit", "Wit Works Woe", ''Wit's End'', and so forth) is Alexander Griboyedov's comedy in verse, satirizing the society of post-Napoleonic Moscow, or, as a high official in the play styled it, "a ...
'', and his cousin
Leo Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...
— who called him an "extraordinary, criminal, and attractive man" — fictionalized him as Dolokhov in ''War and Peace''.
In Russian literature
Many of the Tolstoys devoted their spare time to literary pursuits. For instance, Count
Alexei Konstantinovich (1817–75) was a courtier but also one of the most popular Russian poets of his time. He wrote admirable
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s, a historical novel, some licentious verse, and
satire
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...
s published under the penname of
Kozma Prutkov
Kozma Petrovich Prutkov (russian: Козьма́ Петро́вич Прутко́в) is a fictional author invented by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (1817-1875) and his cousins, the brothers Alexei Zhemchuzhnikov (1821-1908), (1830-1884) and ...
. His lasting contribution to the Russian literature was a trilogy of historical dramas, modelled after
Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
's ''Boris Godunov''.
Count Lev Nikolaevich (1828–1910), more widely known abroad as
Leo Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...
, is acclaimed as one of the greatest novelists of all time. After he started his career in the military, he was first drawn to writing books when he served in
Chechenya, and already his first story, ''Detstvo'' ("
Childhood
A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
"), was something quite unlike anything written before him. It was in his family estate
Yasnaya Polyana
Yasnaya Polyana ( rus, Я́сная Поля́на, p=ˈjasnəjə pɐˈlʲanə, literally: "Bright Glade") is a writer's house museum, the former home of the writer Leo Tolstoy. Bartlett, p. 25 It is southwest of Tula, Russia, and from Mosco ...
near
Tula that he created two novels, ''
War and Peace
''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...
'' and ''
Anna Karenina
''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, «Анна Каренина», p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever writte ...
'', that are widely acclaimed as among the best novels ever written. Later he developed
a kind of non-traditional Christian philosophy, described in his work ''
The Kingdom of God is Within You
''The Kingdom of God Is Within You'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Царство Божие внутри вас, Tsárstvo Bózhiye vnutrí vas) is a non-fiction book written by Leo Tolstoy. A Christian anarchist philosophical trea ...
'' which inspired
Rainer Maria Rilke
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke (), was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recogni ...
and
Mohandas Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
, then a young lawyer, whose influence extended to
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
and
James Bevel
James Luther Bevel (October 19, 1936 – December 19, 2008) was a minister and leader of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the United States. As a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and then as its Director of Direct ...
.
Of Lev's thirteen children, most spent their life either promoting his teachings or denouncing them. His youngest daughter and secretary,
Alexandra Lvovna (1884–1979), had a particularly troubled life. Although she shared with her father the doctrine of
nonviolence
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
, she felt it was her duty to take part in the events of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Count
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy (russian: link= no, Алексей Николаевич Толстой; – 23 February 1945) was a Russian writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and historical novels.
Despite having ...
(1883–1945) belonged to a different branch of the family. His early short stories, published in 1910s, were panned by critics for excessive
naturalism and wanton eroticism. After the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
he briefly emigrated to Germany, but then changed his political views and returned to the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. His science fiction novels ''
Aelita
''Aelita'' (russian: Аэли́та, ), also known as ''Aelita: Queen of Mars'', is a 1924 Soviet silent film, silent science fiction film directed by Yakov Protazanov and produced at the Gorky Film Studio, Mezhrabpom-Rus film studio. It was b ...
'' (1923), about a journey to Mars, and ''
The Garin Death Ray
''The Garin Death Ray'', also known as ''The Death Box'' and ''The Hyperboloid of Engineer Garin'' (russian: Гиперболоид инженера Гарина), is a science fiction novel by the noted Russian author Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolst ...
'' (1927) are still popular with readers. In his later years he published two lengthy novels on historical subjects, ''Peter the First'' (1929–45) and ''The Road to Calvary'' (1922-41). As a staunch supporter of
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...
, he became known as "Red Count" or "Comrade Count" and his works were acknowledged as classics of
Soviet literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia and its émigrés and to Russian-language literature. The roots of Russian literature can be traced to the Middle Ages, when epics and chronicles in Old East Slavic were composed. By the Ag ...
. Most of his reputation declined with that of
Socialist Realism
Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ch ...
, but his children's tale character
Buratino
Buratino (Russian: Буратино) is the main character of Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy's 1936 book ''The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Buratino'', which is based on the 1883 Italian novel ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' by Carlo Collo ...
retains his strong legacy with the younger audience of Russia and across the former Soviet space, appearing as popular reading, a movie, and a variety of derivative forms.
His granddaughter
Tatyana Tolstaya
Tatyana Nikitichna Tolstaya (russian: Татьяна Никитична Толстая; born May 3, 1951) is a Russian writer, TV host, publicist, novelist, and essayist from the Tolstoy family.
Family
Tolstaya was born in Leningrad into a f ...
(born May 3, 1951) is one of the foremost Russian short story writers. Another member of the family is Count
Nikolai Tolstoy-Miloslavsky (born in 1935), a British historian and monarchist, and nominal head of the House of Tolstoy today.
After the Russian revolution
Some of the members of the Tolstoy family left Russia in the aftermath of the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...
and the subsequent establishment of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, and many of the Leo Tolstoy's relatives and descendants today live in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Among them are Swedish jazz singer
Viktoria Tolstoy
Louise Viktoria Tolstoy (born 29 July 1974) is a Swedish jazz singer of Russian ancestry. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and the daughter of Erik Kjellberg. Tolstoy was a regular studio guest in season one o ...
. Leo Tolstoy's last surviving grandchild, Countess
Tatiana Tolstoy-Paus
Tatiana "Tanja" Tolstoy-Paus (born Countess Tatyana Lvovna Tolstaya, russian: Графиня Татья́на Льво́вна Толста́я; 20 September 1914 – 29 January 2007) was a Russian-Swedish countess, socialite and a member of the ...
, died in 2007 at
Herresta
Herresta is a large estate in Södermanland County in Sweden, located outside Mariefred. It has been in the possession of the Paus family since 1923.
The manor lies beautifully adjacent to Herrestaviken, which was previously connected to Mäla ...
manor in Sweden, which is owned by Leo Tolstoy's descendants in the
Paus family
The Paus family () is a Norwegian family that first appeared as members of the elite of 16th-century Oslo and that for centuries belonged to Norway's "aristocracy of officials" as priests of the state church, judges and other higher government of ...
. Two of Leo Tolstoy's great-great-grandsons are
Pyotr Tolstoy, a Russian TV presenter and
State Duma
The State Duma (russian: Госуда́рственная ду́ма, r=Gosudárstvennaja dúma), commonly abbreviated in Russian as Gosduma ( rus, Госду́ма), is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, while the upper house ...
deputy since 2016 and
Vladimir Tolstoy, journalist and adviser to the
President of Russia
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
on culture.
Notable people
*
Selivestr Ivanovich Tolstoy (? –1612),
*
Grigory Ivanovich Tolstoy Grigory, Grigori and Grigoriy are Russian language, Russian masculine given names.
It may refer to watcher angels or more specifically to Watcher (angel)#Grigori, the egrḗgoroi or Watcher angels.
Grigory
* Grigory Baklanov (1923–2009), Russ ...
(? –1636),
*
Vasili Ivanovich Tolstoy (? –1649),
*
Andrey Vasiliyevich Tolstoy (? –1690),
*
Ivan Andreyevich Tolstoy (1644–1713),
*
Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy
Count Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy (russian: Граф Пётр Андреевич Толстой; 1645–1729) was a Russian statesman and diplomat, prominent during and after the reign of Peter the Great. He was the ancestor of all the Counts ...
(1645–1729),
*
Matvei Andreyevich Tolstoy Matvei or Matvey is the Russian language variation of Matthew. Notable people with the name include:
* Matvei Blanter (1903–1990), Russian composer of popular and film music
* Matvei Petrovich Bronstein (1906–1938), Soviet theoretical physicis ...
(? –1763),
*
Ivan Matveyevich Tolstoy
Count Ivan Matveyevich Tolstoy (russian: Ива́н Матве́евич Толсто́й; ) was a Russian nobleman, diplomat, senator, grand master of court ceremonies, and minister of postal service.
Biography
Count I. M. Tolstoy worked in ...
(1746–1808),
*
Dmitry Aleksandrovich Tolstoy (1754–1832), governor of
Mogilev
Mogilev (russian: Могилёв, Mogilyov, ; yi, מאָלעוו, Molev, ) or Mahilyow ( be, Магілёў, Mahilioŭ, ) is a city in eastern Belarus, on the Dnieper River, about from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from the bor ...
*
Fyodor Andreyevich Tolstoy (1758–1849),
bibliophile
Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. A bibliophile or bookworm is an individual who loves and frequently reads and/or collects books.
Profile
The classic bibliophile is one who loves to read, admire and collect books, often ama ...
and
collector
*
Nikolai Aleksandrovich Tolstoy (1761–1816), grand master of court ceremonies
*
Pyotr Aleksandrovich Tolstoy
Count Pyotr Aleksandrovich Tolstoy (russian: Пётр Александрович Толстой) (1769 – 28 September 1844) was a Russian general and statesman.
Pyotr Tolstoy came from the Oryol branch of the Tolstoy family, Tolstoy family, ...
(1769–1844), military commander and diplomat
*
Aleksander Ivanovich Ostermann-Tolstoy (1770–1857), full general of infantry
*
Matvei Feodorovich Tolstoy Matvei or Matvey is the Russian language variation of Matthew. Notable people with the name include:
* Matvei Blanter (1903–1990), Russian composer of popular and film music
* Matvei Petrovich Bronstein (1906–1938), Soviet theoretical physicis ...
(1772–1815), senator
*
Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy
Count Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy (russian: Фёдор Петрович Толстой; 21 February 1783 – 25 April 1873) was a Russian artist who served as Vice-President of the Imperial Academy of Arts for forty years (1828–1868). His wo ...
(1783–1873), artist
*
Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy
Count Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy (russian: Фёдор Ива́нович Толсто́й; 17 February 1782 – 5 November 1846), also known as "the American", was a Russian nobleman from the well-known Tolstoy family. Possessed of an unusual tempe ...
(The American) (1782–1846), adventurer
*
Pavel Matveyevich Golenischev-Kutuzov-Tolstoy
Pavel (Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Macedonian: Павел, Czech, Slovene, Romanian: Pavel, Polish: Paweł, Ukrainian: Павло, Pavlo) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). Pavel ...
(1800–1883), grandson and heir of
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov
Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov ( rus, Князь Михаи́л Илларио́нович Голени́щев-Куту́зов, Knyaz' Mikhaíl Illariónovich Goleníshchev-Kutúzov; german: Mikhail Illarion Golenishchev-Kut ...
*
Yegor Petrovich Tolstoy (1802–1874), lieutenant-general, governor of
Taganrog
Taganrog ( rus, Таганрог, p=təɡɐnˈrok) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of the Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population:
History of Taganrog
The ...
and
Kaluga
Kaluga ( rus, Калу́га, p=kɐˈɫuɡə), a city and the administrative center of Kaluga Oblast in Russia, stands on the Oka River southwest of Moscow. Population:
Kaluga's most famous resident, the space travel pioneer Konstantin Tsiol ...
, senator
*
Nikolai Matveyevich Tolstoy (1802–1879), full general of infantry, grandfather of
Anna Vyrubova
Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova (''née'' Taneyeva; russian: А́нна Алекса́ндровна Вы́рубова (Тане́ева)); 16 July 1884 – 20 July 1964) was a Russian Empire lady-in-waiting, the best friend and confidante of Tsarin ...
*
Ivan Matveyevich Tolstoy
Count Ivan Matveyevich Tolstoy (russian: Ива́н Матве́евич Толсто́й; ) was a Russian nobleman, diplomat, senator, grand master of court ceremonies, and minister of postal service.
Biography
Count I. M. Tolstoy worked in ...
(1806–1867), grand master of court ceremonies and minister of post service
*
Feofil Matveyevich Tolstoy (1809–1881), music critic and composer
*
Mikhail Vladimirovich Tolstoy (1812–1896), writer
*
Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy
Count Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy (russian: Граф Алексе́й Константи́нович Толсто́й; – ), often referred to as A. K. Tolstoy, was a Russian poet, novelist, and playwright. He is considered to be the most ...
(1817–1875), poet
*
Dmitry Andreyevich Tolstoy (1823–1889), statesman
*
Yuri Vasiliyevich Tolstoy (1824–1878), statesman and historian
*
Leo (Lev) Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910), writer and philosopher
*
Sophia Andreyevna Tolstaya (1844–1919), Leo Tolstoy's wife
*
Tatyana Sukhotina-Tolstaya
Countess Tatiana Lvovna Sukhotina-Tolstaya (russian: Графиня Татья́на Льво́вна Сухо́тина-Толста́я, 4 October 1864 – 21 September 1950), was a Russian painter and memoirist. She is the second child a ...
(1864–1950), Leo Tolstoy's oldest daughter
*
Ilya Tolstoy
Count Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy (; 22 May 1866 – 11 December 1933) was a Russian writer, and the third child and second son of Leo Tolstoy.
Early life
Ilya was born at Yasnaya Polyana and spent most of his young life there, until the family took ...
(1866–1933), son of Leo Tolstoy, writer and memoirist
*
Nicholas Tolstoy (1867–1938),
Russian Catholic priest and theologian.
*
Lev Lvovich Tolstoy
Count Lev Lvovich Tolstoy (; 1 June (Old style: 20 May) 1869 – 18 October 1945) was a Russian writer, and the fourth child and third son of Leo Tolstoy.
Lev Lvovich, whom his father once called "Leo Tolstoy, Junior" was a fairly well known an ...
(1871–1945), son of Leo Tolstoy, sculptor
*
Ivan Ivanovich Tolstoy
Count Ivan Ivanovich Tolstoy (1858—1916) was an Imperial Russian politician.
Life
His father was Russian diplomat Ivan Matveyevich Tolstoy. His brother was Dmitry Ivanovich Tolstoy (1860-1941), who was director of the Hermitage in Saint Pet ...
(1880–1954), philologist and
academician
An academician is a full member of an artistic, literary, engineering, or scientific academy. In many countries, it is an honorific title used to denote a full member of an academy that has a strong influence on national scientific life. In syst ...
*
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy (russian: link= no, Алексей Николаевич Толстой; – 23 February 1945) was a Russian writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and historical novels.
Despite having ...
(1883–1945), writer
*
Alexandra Lvovna Tolstaya (1884–1979),
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
*
Tatiana Tolstoy-Paus
Tatiana "Tanja" Tolstoy-Paus (born Countess Tatyana Lvovna Tolstaya, russian: Графиня Татья́на Льво́вна Толста́я; 20 September 1914 – 29 January 2007) was a Russian-Swedish countess, socialite and a member of the ...
(1914–2007), Swedish socialite and politician
*Irina Aleksandrovna (1917–1998), stepdaughter of Duke Georg of Mecklemburg, wife of Prince Franz Ferdinand of Isenburg,grandmother of Princess Sophie ( wife of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, current head of House of Hohenzollern) and Archduchess Katharina (wife of Archduke Martin of Austria Este)
*
Nikita Ilyich Tolstoy (1923–1996),
philologist
Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...
*
Nikolai Tolstoy (b. 1935), historian
*
Tatyana Nikitishna Tolstaya (1951), granddaughter of Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, writer
*
Artemy Lebedev (b. 1975), Russian designer and top blogger, son of Tatyana Tolstaya
*
Vladimir Tolstoy (b. 1962), Leo Tolstoy's great-great-grandson, director of the
Yasnaya Polyana
Yasnaya Polyana ( rus, Я́сная Поля́на, p=ˈjasnəjə pɐˈlʲanə, literally: "Bright Glade") is a writer's house museum, the former home of the writer Leo Tolstoy. Bartlett, p. 25 It is southwest of Tula, Russia, and from Mosco ...
museum
*
Pyotr Tolstoy (b. 1969), Leo Tolstoy's great-great-grandson, Russian journalist, TV presenter and politician
*
Fyokla Tolstaya (b. 1971), Leo Tolstoy's great-great-granddaughter, Russian journalist and TV presenter
*
Svetlana Tolstaya (b. 1971), race walker
*
Viktoria Tolstoy
Louise Viktoria Tolstoy (born 29 July 1974) is a Swedish jazz singer of Russian ancestry. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and the daughter of Erik Kjellberg. Tolstoy was a regular studio guest in season one o ...
(b. 1974, née Kjellberg), Swedish jazz singer
*
Alexandra Tolstoy
Countess Alexandra Nikolaevna Tolstoy-Miloslavsky (born 14 July 1973) is a British equine adventurer, broadcaster, socialite, and businesswoman. She has made several long distance journeys on horses which have provided the material for televis ...
(b. 1974), equine adventurer, author
*
Xenia Tolstoy (b. 1980), jewellery designer
*
Lis Tolstoy (b. 1971), professional land surveyor
Places
Several places in Russia are named to commemorate Leo Tolstoy, e.g., Tolstoy-Yurt, village in
Chechnya
Chechnya ( rus, Чечня́, Chechnyá, p=tɕɪtɕˈnʲa; ce, Нохчийчоь, Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic,; ce, Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the ...
.
Quotes
*"It's so wonderful to be a Tolstoy" (Countess
Tatiana Tolstoy-Paus
Tatiana "Tanja" Tolstoy-Paus (born Countess Tatyana Lvovna Tolstaya, russian: Графиня Татья́на Льво́вна Толста́я; 20 September 1914 – 29 January 2007) was a Russian-Swedish countess, socialite and a member of the ...
, Leo Tolstoy's last surviving grandchild)
[Francoise Michel]
Tolstoys stage family reunion
Baltic Times, August 8, 2002
References
External links
Official site of Leo Tolstoy's family and museumOfficial site of the Tolstoy Studies Journal*
ttp://www.fredsakademiet.dk/library/tolstoj/tolstoy2.htm#contents Tolstoy's Legacy for Mankind: A Manifesto for Nonviolence, Part 2br>
Russian Army during the Napoleonic WarsAudio files
{{Authority control
Russian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...