Felix Yusupov - a vicious aristocrat, a murderer or a Russian patriot? The last of the Yusupovs Read the history of the Yusupov family.

Family tree

In his memoirs written in exile, Felix Yusupov described the history of his family as follows: “It begins with the Tatars in the Golden Horde, continues in the imperial court in St. Petersburg and ends in exile.” His family descended from the Nogai ruler Yusuf. Starting from the era of Peter the Great, the Yusupov princes invariably occupied important government positions (one of them was even the Moscow governor). Over time, the family accumulated enormous wealth. Moreover, each Yusupov had only one son, who inherited the entire fortune of his parents.

The male branch of the Yusupov family died out in 1882

The male offspring of the clan ended in 1882 with Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov. The aristocrat had a daughter, Zinaida, and from her two grandchildren. The elder Nikolai was killed in a duel, after which Zinaida Nikolaevna and her husband Felix Sumarokov-Elston were left with the only heir - Felix Feliksovich. He was born in 1887 and, thanks to an imperial decree, as an exception, received both the surname and property of his mother.

Stormy youth

Felix belonged to the capital's “golden youth”. He received his education at the Gurevich private gymnasium. In 1909 - 1912 the young man studied at Oxford, where he became the founder of the Russian Society at Oxford University. Returning to his homeland, Yusupov headed the First Russian Automobile Club.

In the fateful year of 1914, Felix married Irina Alexandrovna Romanova, the niece of Nicholas II. The emperor personally gave permission for the wedding. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon abroad. There they learned about the beginning of the First World War.

By coincidence, the Yusupovs found themselves in Germany at the most inopportune moment. Wilhelm II gave the order to arrest the unlucky travelers. Diplomats intervened in the situation. At the last moment, Felix and his wife managed to leave the Kaiser’s possessions - if they had delayed even a little longer, they would not have been able to return to their homeland.

The prince was the only son in the family and therefore avoided being sent to the front. He remained in the capital, where he organized the work of hospitals. In 1915, the young couple had their only daughter, Irina. From her come the modern descendants of the Yusupov family.

"Rasputin must disappear"

Living in Petrograd, Yusupov could observe with his own eyes the depressing changes in the mood of the capital. The longer the war dragged on, the more the public criticized royal family. Everything was remembered: the German family ties of Nicholas and his wife, the indecisiveness of the crown bearer and, finally, his strange relationship with Grigory Rasputin, who treated the heir Alexei. Married to the royal niece, Yusupov perceived the mysterious old man as a personal insult.

In his memoirs, the prince called Rasputin “a satanic force.” He considered the Tobolsk peasant, who practiced strange rituals and was known for his dissolute lifestyle, to be the main cause of Russia's misfortunes. Yusupov not only decided to kill him, but also found loyal accomplices. They were Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich (Felix's brother-in-law).

On the night of December 30, 1916 (new style), Rasputin was invited to the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. According to the established version, the conspirators first fed him a pie poisoned with potassium cyanide, and then the impatient Felix shot him in the back. Rasputin resisted, but received several more bullets. The trio threw his body into the Neva.

Yusupov failed to poison Rasputin with potassium cyanide

It was not possible to hide the crime. With the beginning of the investigation, the emperor ordered Felix to leave the capital to the Kursk estate of Rakitnoye. Two months later, the monarchy fell, and the Yusupovs left for Crimea. After the October Revolution, the princely family (including Felix’s parents) left Russia forever on the British battleship Marlborough.

"All events and characters are fictitious"

“Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental” is approximately the same phrase at the beginning of many films that every film lover sees. Felix Yusupov is directly responsible for the creation of this stamp.

Once in exile, the prince had to learn how to earn money. In the early years, family jewelry helped out. The income from their sale allowed Felix to settle in Paris and, together with his wife, open the fashion house “Irfé” (the name was formed from the first two letters of the names Irina and Felix). In 1931, the emigrant’s business was closed due to unprofitability. And then an opportunity presented itself to Yusupov opportunity to earn money in court.

Although the aristocrat was never held accountable for the massacre of Rasputin, the label of the killer of the Siberian warlock stuck to him for the rest of his life. In the West, interest in “The Russia We Lost” has not subsided for many years. The theme of relations within the crowned Romanov family was also actively exploited. In 1932, the Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced the film Rasputin and the Empress. The tape claimed that Yusupov’s wife was Grigory’s mistress. The offended prince sued the studio for libel. He won the case, receiving a significant sum of 25 thousand pounds. It was after that scandalous lawsuit that MGM (and later throughout Hollywood) began to include the disclaimer “All events and characters are fictitious” in their films.

Felix Yusupov owned the Irfé fashion house

Yusupov lived in his homeland for 30 years, in exile - 50. During the Great Patriotic War he did not support the Nazis, as many other emigrants did. The prince did not want to return to Soviet Russia after the victory over Hitler. He died in 1967 at the age of 80. The last Yusupov was buried in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

The Yusupov family was one of the most famous noble dynasties of Tsarist Russia. This family included military men, officials, administrators, senators, collectors and philanthropists. The biography of each Yusupov is a fascinating story about the life of an aristocrat against the backdrop of his era.

Origin

The founder of the Yusupov princely family was considered the Nogai Khan Yusuf-Murza. In 1565 he sent his sons to Moscow. As major military leaders and Tatar nobles, the descendants of Yusuf received the Volga city of Romanov, not far from Yaroslavl, as their feeding. Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich they were baptized. Thus, the origin of the Yusupov family can be dated back to the 16th-17th centuries.

Grigory Dmitrievich

In the history of this aristocratic family, it is noteworthy that the Yusupov family tree for several centuries did not acquire many additional lines and branches. A high-ranking family always consisted of a father and his only son, to whom all parental property passed. This state of affairs was unusual for the Russian nobility, among whom a large number of heirs was commonplace.

Yusuf's great-great-grandson Grigory Dmitrievich Yusupov (1676-1730) received the rank of steward granted to him by Tsar Feodor III in infancy. Being the same age as Peter I, he spent his childhood with him, becoming one of the faithful comrades of the autocrat's youth. Gregory served in a dragoon regiment and in its ranks participated in the next Russian-Turkish war. The culmination of that campaign was the Azov campaigns, in which Peter wanted to gain access to the southern seas. After the victory over the Turks, Yusupov solemnly entered Moscow in the royal retinue.

Closer to Peter I

Soon the Northern War began. The history of the Yusupov family is the history of aristocrats who faithfully repaid their debt to the country from generation to generation. Grigory Dmitrievich set an example for his descendants in his service. He took part in the battle of Narva and the battle of Lesnaya, where he was wounded twice. In 1707, the military man received the rank of major in the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

Despite his injuries, Yusupov was in the army during Battle of Poltava and during the capture of Vyborg. He also took part in the unsuccessful Prut campaign. Georgy Dmitrievich was brought to work on the case of Tsarevich Alexei, who fled from his father abroad and was then put on trial. Yusupov, along with other close associates of the monarch, signed the verdict.

Under Catherine I, the aristocrat received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and became a commander in the Ukrainian Landmilitary Corps. Peter II made him one of the members of the Military Collegium, and Anna Ioannovna made him general-in-chief. Grigory Dmitrievich died in 1730. He was buried in the Moscow Epiphany Monastery.

Boris Grigorievich

The further history of the Yusupov family continued with the vivid biography of Grigory Dmitrievich’s son, Boris Grigorievich Yusupov (1695-1759). Peter I sent him, along with several other noble young people, to study in French military school in Toulon. In 1730 he became chamberlain, and at the age of 40 he entered the Senate.

Under Boris Grigorievich noble family Yusupov achieved paramount importance. For two years (1738-1740), the head of the family was the Moscow vice-governor and manager of the provincial chancellery. The official initiated local reforms, the draft of which was adopted by the Senate. In particular, Yusupov advocated conducting a census of suburban and streltsy lands, as well as the creation of the post of Moscow commandant.

In 1740, Boris Grigorievich received the rank of Privy Councilor. Then he was briefly appointed Moscow governor. The official was removed from office already in 1741, when Elizaveta Petrovna came to power. The history of the Yusupov family knew many important appointments. Having resigned his gubernatorial powers, Boris Grigorievich received a new space for activity - the Empress made him president of the Commerce Collegium, which was responsible for the state of domestic trade. He was also appointed director of the Ladoga Canal.

In 1749, the nobleman served as Governor-General of St. Petersburg. He soon left this post, moving to governing Senate and began to manage the Land Noble Corps. Under him, deductions for the maintenance of cadets increased, and an educational printing house appeared. In 1754, Boris Grigorievich acquired a cloth factory in the Chernigov village of Ryashki. This enterprise began to supply fabrics to almost all domestic army. The factory used Dutch raw materials and employed foreign specialists. In 1759, Boris Grigorievich became seriously ill, resigned and died a few days later. The story of the Yusupov family, however, did not end.

Nikolay Borisovich

The continuation of the dynasty was the son of Boris Grigorievich, Nikolai Borisovich (1750-1831). He became one of the main art collectors of his era. Boris Grigorievich received a high-quality education abroad. In 1774-1777 he studied at Leiden University. There, the young man developed an interest in European art and culture. He managed to visit almost all countries of the Old World and communicate with the great enlighteners Voltaire and Diderot. The princely family of the Yusupovs was always proud of these acquaintances of their ancestor.

In Leiden, the aristocrat began collecting rare editions of books, in particular the works of Cicero. The German artist Jacob Hackert became his advisor on painting issues. Some paintings by this master turned out to be the first exhibits in the collection of the Russian prince. In 1781-1782 he accompanied the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, on a European tour.

Subsequently, Yusupov became the main link between the authorities and foreign artists. Thanks to his connection with the imperial family, the nobleman was able to establish contacts with the main artists of that time: Angelika Kaufman, Pompeo Batoni, Claude Vernet, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, Jean-Antoine Houdon, etc.

At the coronation of Paul I, which took place in 1796, Yusupov served as the supreme coronation marshal (he then acted in the same capacity at the coronations of the next two autocrats: Alexander I and Nicholas I). The prince was the director of the Imperial theaters, the Hermitage and palace factories for the production of glass and porcelain. In 1794 he was elected as an honorary amateur of the Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg. Under Yusupov, the Hermitage for the first time carried out an inventory of the entire wide collection of exhibits. These lists were used throughout the 19th century.

In 1810, the prince bought Arkhangelskoye, an estate near Moscow, which he turned into a unique palace and park ensemble. By the end of his life, the nobleman’s collection included more than 600 valuable paintings, thousands of unique books, as well as works of applied art, sculptures, and porcelain. All these unique exhibits were placed in Arkhangelsk.

Numerous high-ranking guests visited Yusupov’s Moscow house on Bolshoi Kharitonyevsky Lane. For some time, the Pushkins lived in this palace (including the still child Alexander Pushkin). Shortly before his death, Nikolai Borisovich attended a festive dinner at the apartment of a newly married poet and writer. The prince died in 1831 during a cholera epidemic that swept through the central provinces of the country.

Boris Nikolaevich

Nikolai Borisovich's heir, Boris Nikolaevich (1794-1849), continued the Yusupov family. The 19th century became for the princely family a continuation of its brilliant aristocratic history. Young Boris went to get an education in the capital pedagogical institute. In 1815 he began working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Soon he was made chamberlain.

Like all young aristocrats, he conducted the traditional familiarization tour of Europe, which took a full year and a half. In 1826, he participated in the coronation of Nicholas I. At the same time, he went to work at the Ministry of Finance. Service in the previous diplomatic department did not work out, since Boris Nikolaevich constantly conflicted with colleagues, allowed himself to behave freely with his superiors, etc. As a representative of an influential and wealthy family, he did not cling to the service and always adhered to an independent line of behavior.

In 1839, Yusupov became the district leader of the St. Petersburg nobility. Soon he received the court title of chamberlain. In his youth, the prince was distinguished by his lifestyle as a reveler. After the death of his father, he received a gigantic inheritance and over time learned to handle money prudently. At the same time, Boris Nikolaevich allowed himself to do things unusual for a business executive. In particular, all his serfs were freed.

In high society, Boris Yusupov was best known as the organizer of luxurious balls, which became the main social events of the capital. The prince himself was a moneylender and, through financial transactions involving the purchase of enterprises, increased his family fortune several times. The nobleman had estates in 17 provinces of the country. During epidemics, he was not afraid to inspect his own estates, and during seasons of famine, he fed the gigantic servants at his own expense. The aristocrat donated significant sums to public charity institutions. He died in 1849 at the age of 55.

Nikolai Borisovich (junior)

The deceased prince had an only son, Nikolai Borisovich (1827-1891). Relatives, so as not to confuse him with his grandfather, called him “junior”. The newborn was baptized by Tsar Nicholas I himself. The boy was taught music (playing the piano and violin), as well as drawing, to which he began from the very beginning. early age extremely addicted. The Paris Conservatory and the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna made the prince an honorary member.

In 1849, the young man inherited his father's fortune. A few months later he graduated from St. Petersburg University, where he studied at the Faculty of Law. Having received his education, the college secretary began working in the imperial office. In 1852 he was transferred to the Caucasus and then to Riga. The reason for the rotation was the displeasure of Emperor Nicholas I. In Riga, Yusupov received leave and went on a European trip. There he took up music, visited artists' workshops and the best art galleries.

In 1856, the prince attended the coronation of Alexander I. Then he served for a short time in the Russian embassy in Paris. The aristocrat spent most of his time abroad. His family fortune allowed him not to worry about service, but simply to do what he loved.

Nikolai Borisovich continued to expand the Yusupov collection of works of art. He owned rare snuff boxes, rock crystal, pearls and other valuables. The prince always had a wallet with him filled with rare stones. His collection also included musical instruments: grand pianos, harps, upright pianos, organs, etc. The crowning glory of the collection were Stradivarius violins. Some of Yusupov's music collections are now kept in the Russian National Library. In 1858, a nobleman brought one of the first cameras to his homeland. Like his father, he was involved in charity work. During the Crimean campaign, Nikolai Borisovich financed the organization of two infantry battalions, and during the next war with Turkey he gave money for the creation of a sanitary train. Yusupov died in Baden-Baden in 1891 at the age of 63.

Zinaida Nikolaevna

Nikolai Borisovich had an only daughter - Zinaida Yusupova (1861-1939). Having no male heirs, the prince asked permission for the princely dignity to be passed on to his grandchildren through the female line, although this was contrary to custom. In 1882 the girl got married. Her chosen one was Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston, which is why Zinaida became known as Princess Yusupova, Countess Sumarokov-Elston.

The only heir to a huge fortune and a woman of rare beauty, the daughter of Nikolai Borisovich was the most enviable bride in Russia before her marriage. Not only Russian aristocrats, but even representatives of foreign monarchical families sought her hand.

The last of the Yusupov family lived in grand style. She organized regular high-profile balls. The life of the capital's elite was in full swing in its palaces. The woman danced beautifully. In 1903, she took part in a costume ball held in the Winter Palace and which became one of the most famous events of this kind in the history of Imperial Russia.

The husband, whom Zinaida Yusupova loved very much, was a military man and was not interested in art. Partly because of this, the woman sacrificed her hobbies. Nevertheless, she was involved in charity work with renewed energy. The aristocrat patronized and maintained gymnasiums, hospitals, orphanages, churches and other institutions. They were located not only in the capital, but throughout the country. After the start of the war with Japan, Zinaida Nikolaevna became the chief of the front-line sanitary echelon. Hospitals for the wounded were created on Yusupov's estates. No other women of the Yusupov family were as active and famous as Zinaida Nikolaevna.

After the revolution, the princess moved to Crimea, and from there abroad. Together with her husband she settled in Rome. Unlike many other nobles, the Yusupovs were able to send part of their fortune and jewelry abroad, thanks to which they lived in abundance. Zinaida Nikolaevna continued to do charity work. She helped Russian emigrants in need. After the death of her husband, the woman moved to Paris. There she died in 1939.

Felix Feliksovich

The last of the Yusupov princes was Zinaida's son Felix Feliksovich Yusupov (1887-1967). As a child, he was educated at the Gurevich gymnasium and was a prominent figure of the golden youth of St. Petersburg in the last years of Tsarist Russia. At the age of 25 he graduated from Oxford University. At home, he became the head of the First Russian Automobile Club.

In 1914, Felix Feliksovich Yusupov married Irina Alexandrovna Romanova, the maternal niece of Nicholas II. The emperor himself gave permission for the marriage. During their honeymoon, the newlyweds learned about the outbreak of the First World War. The Yusupovs were in Germany, and Wilhelm II even ordered their arrest. Diplomats were brought in to resolve the sensitive situation. As a result, Felix and his wife managed to leave Germany shortly before Wilhelm issued a second order for their detention.

As the only son in the family, the prince was not subject to conscription into the army. Returning home, he began organizing the work of hospitals. In 1915, Felix had a daughter, Irina, from whom the modern descendants of the Yusupov family descend.

The aristocrat is best known for his own participation in the murder of Grigory Rasputin in December 1916. Felix was very close to the imperial family. He knew Rasputin and, like many, believed that the strange old man was a bad influence on Nicholas II and his prestige. The prince dealt with the royal friend along with his brother-in-law, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, and State Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich. The Emperor, having learned about the death of Rasputin, ordered Yusupov to move away from the capital to his own Kursk estate Rakitnoye.

There was no further accountability for the murder. Soon the revolution broke out, and Felix Feliksovich emigrated. The prince settled in Paris and lived from the sale of family treasures. During World War II, he did not support the Nazis, and after their defeat he refused to return to Russia, as many emigrants did (all of them were eventually repressed in their homeland). Prince Felix Yusupov died in 1967. His surname was dropped, although descendants from his daughter Irina continue to live abroad.

Possessions

As one of the richest families in Russia, the Yusupovs had many residences and real estate in different parts countries. A significant part of these buildings are today protected by the state as architectural and cultural heritage. The St. Petersburg Yusupov Palace, located on the banks of the Moika River, still bears their name, which has become a household name for the townspeople. It was built back in 1770.

The second Yusupov Palace (also in St. Petersburg) is located on Sadovaya Street. Built at the end of the 18th century, today it is the property of the University of Railways. Being an estate, this residence was one of the most spectacular and rich in the capital. The palace project belonged to the famous Italian architect Giacomo Quarenghi.

The Arkhangelskoye estate, which became the storage place for Yusupov's collection of antiques and works of art, was the favorite princely home outside St. Petersburg. The palace and park complex is located in the Krasnogorsk district of the Moscow region. Shortly before the revolution, the Yusupovs built their own Miskhor Palace in Crimea. IN Belgorod region The main house of the princely estate of Rakitnoye, around which a whole village has grown, has still been preserved. Today it houses a local history museum.

The state of the family of princes Yusupov, which played a well-known and controversial role in political events last months existence of the Russian monarchy has long been the subject of assessments and discussion in popular and scientific literature. One can come across statements that on the eve of the 1917 revolution the Yusupovs were richest people empire and could equal the royal family in wealth. The fabulous luxury of such persons surrounding the monarch became part of the myth of the “old order” and a convenient explanation for the hatred and violence that was demonstrated by the social “lower classes” in the revolutionary events that began. On the other hand, Soviet historians argued that the largest landowners in Russia were at the beginning of the twentieth century. in a deep economic crisis and were on the eve of financial ruin. And only support from “tsarism” kept them afloat. How did things really go?

On the eve of 1917, the last representatives of the family in Russia - Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova, her husband Prince Felix Feliksovich Yusupov Sr., Count Sumarokov-Elston and their son Felix Feliksovich Jr. (the eldest son Nikolai died in a duel in 1908) - were indeed considered richest people in the empire. The general opinion was that the Yusupovs' wealth was no less than that of representatives of the new industrial and financial classes, and could even be comparable to the wealth of the Romanovs. The wealth and luxury in which the Yusupovs lived amazed even members of the imperial family.

Prince Gabriel Konstantinovich, whose childhood and youth were spent in the magnificent grand ducal residences, in Pavlovsk and the Marble Palace in St. Petersburg, recalled his visit to the Yusupovs on their Crimean estate: “We once dined with the Yusupovs. They lived like a king. At the princess’s chair a Tatar stood embroidered with gold and changed her dishes. I remember that the table was very beautifully set and that there were very beautiful plates of Danish porcelain" 1 .

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, sister of Nicholas II, also left memories of visiting the magnificent residences of the Yusupovs and the luxury that amazed even her: “I still remember their [Yusupovs’] living rooms and tables, lined with crystal bowls and uncut sapphires, emeralds and opals - all of this was used For decoration". At the same time, she added the following: “I think that fabulous wealth did not spoil Princess Yusupova at all” 2. It is curious that even the personal fortune of the bride of Felix Yusupov Jr., princess of imperial blood Irina Alexandrovna 3, daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, was very modest in comparison with the capital of the family of her future husband 4.

"For the young prince there was no question of cost"

The secular chronicle of that time did not fail to pay attention to the gifts that the emperor's niece received from her groom on her wedding day. The published list includes the Yusupov family diamonds (tiara and necklace); an openwork diamond tiara, “remarkable in that diamonds alternate with rock crystal - the work of Cartier”; diamond earrings with large pendants - pear-shaped pearls; bracelet made of two large diamonds; pendant 5.

Prince M.V. Golitsyn, the son of the Moscow governor, who was present at one of the Yusupovs’ receptions at their estate near Moscow, noted: “In Arkhangelskoye, the luxury of the furnishings was striking, much greater than in Ilyinskoye 6 , and the desire of the owners to show off their wealth was evident.” 7

One of the Yusupovs’ relatives, Prince S. Obolensky, wittily noted that the Yusupovs owned so much, their monetary incomes were so great that even they themselves did not really know the true size and value of their wealth 8 .

Architect A.Ya. Beloborodov, who carried out the reconstruction of part of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika in 1914-1916. wrote in his memoirs: “One of the reasons for the exclusivity of the work for the Yusupovs was their untold wealth. For the young prince there was no question about the cost of this or that work. He was only interested in the result. There was not a shadow of petty stinginess in him, so often characteristic of very rich people ..." 9

V.A. Serov, who carried out numerous and expensive orders for the Yusupovs, in one of his letters to his wife, for example, wrote about his conversation with Prince. F.F. Yusupov-sr. regarding the financial side of his work: “Prince Yusupov, in a conversation about portraits, deigned to note that he does not ask about the price - whatever I charge, that’s how much he will pay - that’s how princely, I approve...” 10

21 million capital

In the list of largest landowners Russian Empire(102 surnames) The Yusupovs took 17th place (246,400 dessiatines in 1900). However, of the 16 families whose land holdings were larger than the Yusupov estates, 13 were Ural landowners (land values ​​in these infertile areas were low, and the main income was based on industrial production and forestry). The Yusupovs' possessions were located in the central and southern Russian regions, where land values ​​were high and farming brought significant profits 11 .

In 1900, the value of the estates, city possessions and monetary capital of the Yusupov princes was 21.7 million rubles. Land holdings continued to represent the basis of the wealth of this aristocratic family. The Yusupovs' debts by January 1, 1901 amounted to 1.8 million rubles, that is, a fairly moderate amount compared to the total amount of capital 12. In subsequent years, significant investments were made in shares and bonds of commercial banks and industrial companies. By 1914, the Yusupovs already had 3.2 million rubles. securities kept in the State Noble, Moscow Merchant, Azov-Don, St. Petersburg International, St. Petersburg Commercial and Industrial, Russian for Foreign Trade and other banks 13.

The above assessment of capital is based on data from the general balance sheet of the Main Directorate for the Affairs and Estates of the Yusupovs, which included information about the estate’s real estate, land, forests, buildings, factories, movable property, and securities. The Yusupovs also owned a magnificent and numerous collection of artistic treasures, which included paintings, sculptures, a collection of musical instruments, and a huge library. Their real value can be determined very conditionally. Much of the Yusupovs’ art collection was classified as masterpieces of world significance, which, of course, determined their enormous cost. The actual size of the Yusupovs’ fortune at the beginning of the twentieth century. were significantly higher than the figures that can be found in the reports of the Main Directorate 14.

In the 1920s Soviet officials were amazed to compile lists of artistic treasures located in the Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg 15. (See table No. 1)

Table No. 1

List of valuables located in the St. Petersburg Yusupov Palace

Artistic values	Qty
Paintings	1182
Drawings, watercolors, pastels	3142
Engravings, drawings, lithographs	3101
Miniatures	63
Sculpture, marble, bronze, wood, bone	519
Silver	295
Gold, precious stones	121
Enamel, enamel	74
Porcelain, glass, faience	4 699
Furniture of artistic and household character	523
Icons, objects of worship	791
Small arts and crafts	5541
Numismatics	138
Bronze, marble	652
Weapons and armor	98
Watch	74
Tapestries and carpets	152
Musical instruments	12815
Total items:	45 295

Income and expenses

What income did this huge property bring? The net profit of the Yusupov household already in the 1890s. amounted to hundreds of thousands of rubles. For example, receipts from agricultural estates and urban real estate in 1892 amounted to 365,073 rubles. 16 During 1890 - 1914 Due to significant investments and favorable economic conditions, total profitability and net profit have been constantly growing.

Statements that the aristocracy extracted only traditional land rent and spent all the funds received unproductively are untrue. Through the sale of part of the land and lending to banks, including collateral for land holdings, the Yusupovs in the two pre-war decades invested significant sums in the serious restructuring of several agricultural economies (primarily the Rakityanskoye estate in the Kursk province), the operation of industrial establishments (the Rakityanskoye sugar plant, Dolzhansky anthracite mine), organization of forestry, urban real estate. Part of the capital was transferred to securities of industrial companies, state and private banks.

The ratio of the total profitability and losses of the economy of the Yusupov princes for 1910 - 1914. can be presented in the following table 17. (See table No. 2.)

These data, which assess the profitability of the Yusupovs' farm based on income from agricultural and forestry estates, industrial funds, urban real estate and securities, require some explanation. It is obvious that, in general, the efficiency of the diversified economy of this aristocratic family was high. Fluctuations in profitability were within a fairly high general level. And 1914 brought record revenues. A sharp increase in losses in 1913 - 1914. was explained by huge interest payments on mortgages and financial loans to commercial and state banks. Actually, the losses of Yusupov's estates and industrial enterprises were negligible. And farming in the “economies”, and forestry, and industrial enterprises, and urban real estate brought constant profits.

Table N2

The ratio of total profitability and losses in the Yusupov household

Year	Loss (RUB)	Total profitability (RUB)
1910	208 253	1 254 662
1911	207 209	994 459
1912	255 770	816 510
1913	575 324	805 219
1914	1 058 979	1 437 255

Extravagance of the Yusupovs

The Yusupovs had no intention of giving up their extremely wasteful lifestyle and continued to increase their personal expenses. In the pre-war years, with no decline high level the total profitability of the Yusupovs' farm, net profit decreased to 200 - 300 thousand rubles. in year:

in 1910 - 865.6 thousand rubles,

in 1911 - 797.3 thousand rubles,

in 1912 - 560.7 thousand rubles,

in 1913 - 229.9 thousand rubles,

in 1914 - 378.3 thousand rubles.

At the same time, the Yusupovs’ expenses for the personal budget, for the maintenance of residences and for charity items amounted to the following amounts 18:

in 1910 - 608.5 thousand rubles,

in 1911 - 877.3 thousand rubles,

in 1912 - 891.3 thousand rubles,

in 1913 - 910.9 thousand rubles,

in 1914 - 1,219,184 rubles.

The unproductive expenses of the Yusupovs already in 1910 absorbed most of the profits received, and starting from 1911 they even began to progressively exceed cash receipts. Huge amount for Last year was caused by the extraordinary expenses of the Yusupovs on the occasion of the marriage in February 1914 of the young Prince Felix to the princess of the imperial blood, Irina Alexandrovna. The reconstruction of the chambers in the St. Petersburg Yusupov Palace on the Moika alone required more than 200 thousand rubles. Significant sums were also required for the daily maintenance of the residences of the Yusupov princes - the Arkhangelskoye estate near Moscow, palaces in Moscow and St. Petersburg, a house in Tsarskoye Selo, the luxurious Crimean estates Kokkoz and Koreiz: in 1914, 325.1 thousand rubles were spent on this. All expenses of the Yusupovs for personal needs in 1910 - 1914. by 57% exceeded the profit received 19.

General capital estimates

According to data as of January 1, 1914, the general assessment of capital (excluding debt) for the possessions and property of Princess Z.N. Yusupova amounted to 28.2 million rubles. At the same time, the total debt amounted to a huge amount of 11 million rubles. As a result, Princess Z.N.’s net worth Yusupova (minus all debt) amounted to 17.1 million rubles on January 1, 1914. 20 Capital of her husband, Prince F.F. Yusupov Sr., was estimated at 1.6 million rubles. (debts amounted to only 30,708 rubles). The capital of their son, Prince F.F. Yusupov Jr. was 0.8 million rubles. The total capital of the Yusupov family by January 1, 1914 was estimated at 30.5 million rubles. With the deduction of all debts and obligations (as the Main Directorate for Estate Affairs did), the estimate was significantly lower - 19.4 million rubles. 21

The economic situation of the Yusupovs was far from critical. During the period 1890 - 1914. they managed to increase their wealth. The overall assessment of the Yusupovs' capital and the overall profitability of their farm almost doubled. This reserve of financial strength allowed the Yusupovs to spend huge sums on the maintenance of luxurious palace residences, luxury goods, entertainment, hunting, personal cars and even comfortable railway carriages. This aristocratic family allocated about 5-10% (50 - 70 thousand rubles annually) of personal expenses to charity. The recipients of the funds were educational, medical institutions, as well as private individuals.

1. Gabriel Konstantinovich, leader. book In the Marble Palace. M., 2001. S. 132 - 133.
2. Meilunas A., Mironenko S. Nikolai and Alexandra. Love and life. M., 1998. P. 376.
3. The marriage between them was concluded in February 1914.
4. Thus, according to the Office of the Court, on January 1, 1917, the personal capital of Irina Aleksandrovna Yusupova was 540,775 rubles, of which 540,100 rubles. accounted for securities (RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 2. D. 4674. L. 3 vol., 4 vol.).
5. Capital and estate. St. Petersburg, 1914. N 5. P. 9-10.
6. Estate of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna.
7. Golitsyn M.V., book. My memories (1873 - 1917). M., 2007. pp. 109-110.
8. Obolensky S. One Man in His time. N.-Y., 1958. P. 48.
9. Beloborodov A.Ya. Work in the prince's palace. Felix Yusupov // New magazine(NY). 1962. N 70. P. 187.
10. Serov - O.F. Serova. After July 6, 1903 Arkhangelskoye // Valentin Serov in correspondence, documents and interviews. L., 1985. T. 1. P. 426.
11. Minarik L.P. Economic characteristics of the largest land owners in Russia con. XIX - early XX century M., 1971. S. 13 - 19; Lieven D. Aristocracy in Europe. 1815 - 1914. St. Petersburg, 2000. P. 70.
12. RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 347. L. 10.
13. Minarik L.P. Economic characteristics of the largest land owners in Russia con. XIX - early XX century M., 1971. P. 33; RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 347. L. 10; D. 940. L. 9 - 12.
14. The magazine “Capital and Estate” noted at the beginning of 1917: “The Yusupov mansion on the Moika is a real palace-museum, and a museum at that... living, without collector’s deadness... One cannot help but regret that until now, with all the popularity of the Yusupov meetings, no full description treasures of art collected in their houses in Petrograd, Moscow and Arkhangelskoye" (Capital and Estate. Pg., 1917. N 73. P. 17).
15. Gessen V.Yu. Petrograd palace-museums of the Yusupov princes and other nobles (1917 - 1927). St. Petersburg, 2016. pp. 48 - 49.
16. RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5 . D. 223. L. 27ob. - 28.
17. RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 1084. L. 16 - 18.
18. RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 1007. L. 1 - 4.
19. Anfimov A.M. Large landed estates in European Russia (late 19th - early 20th centuries). M., 1969. S. 277, 312 - 313; RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 1007. L. 3.
20. RGADA. F. 1290. Op. 5. D. 1003. L. 12 - 14.
21. Ibid. L. 14 - 16.

How does it feel for a mother to know that of her equally beloved children, only one will survive? This is the curse of the family. Old wives' tales? Grandmother's, but not fairy tales...

Enchanted by Death

The old princess Zinaida Ivanovna Yusupova firmly decided from a young age to explain to her granddaughters - Tatyana and her favorite Zinochka, named after her, what she herself learned too late. Their family is cursed, and this fact cannot be changed - everything happened too long ago, back in the time of Ivan the Terrible. The founder of the Yusupov family was Abdul-Murza, the son of the khan of the great Nogai Horde, Yusuf, who brought fear to Rus'. On one dark day for his descendants, he suddenly accepted and went into the service of the Russian autocrat, for which he was cursed in his homeland as a traitor forever and ever. A family legend with frightening mathematical precision said: of all the Yusupovs born in one generation, only one child will live to be twenty-six years old, and this will continue until the complete disappearance of the family from the face of the Earth.

When young Zinochka Naryshkina married Boris Yusupov, no one bothered to tell her the terrible truth about the family she joins. From the outside, everything looked as good as possible for the Yusupovs: they were second in nobility and wealth after the Emperor of All Rus' himself. You couldn't find a better party. Zinaida was quite happy in her marriage, gave birth to a son, then a beautiful daughter (plus two in favor of the Yusupovs), and then the Nogai curse came into force: the baby suddenly died (minus one). The servants whispered in the corners, and the legend finally reached the princess’s ears. Being of a strong and decisive character, Zinaida announced to her husband that she was not going to “give birth to dead men” in the future, and if he didn’t have enough time, “let him give birth to the courtyard girls,” she would not object. So they lived in love and harmony until Yusupov’s death.

The widow was not yet forty, but family and children were no longer part of her plans, she was pretty and owned untold wealth, which gave her freedom of action unheard of for a woman of that era. Soon Yusupova was called nothing other than a la Balzac, for a whole string of dizzying performances. It seemed that she set out to die from voluptuousness, and not from a hated generational curse. The princess's desire to cheat death has turned into mania over the years. Disregarding the opinion of high society, she bought her young lover - a Narodnaya Volya member, a fighter against this very society - from prison, the impregnable and deadly damp Shlisselburg fortress, in fact, saved him from a slow death in captivity. And when he did die, she ordered his body to be embalmed in order to keep it forever in a secret room next to her bedchamber.

In her old age, the grandmother came up with another trick in order to escape the blow of the ancient curse: she married the first Frenchman she met, left Russia and carefreely lived the rest of her days not as Yusupova, but as Madame de Chavaud-de-Serre. Truly in Russian: I am not me, and the house is not mine!

Three minus two

The eldest in the Yusupov family could flirt with death as much as she wanted, but her only son, Nikolai, had to live in much greater fear. However, as a highly educated person, vice-director of the St. Petersburg Public Library, writer and violinist, he did not believe in any prophecies covered with centuries-old dust. He raised his three children (plus three) - Zinaida, Tatyana and Boris - to be secular, prudent and crystal clear souls. There shouldn’t have been any accounts with the ancient dark forces in their lives...

First, little Borenka, the only male heir of the Yusupovs (minus one), died of scarlet fever.

Then, during a horseback ride, the eldest daughter Zinaida injured her leg. At first the wound seemed trivial, but the very next day it began, and Botkin himself diagnosed it as blood poisoning. The medicine of that time was unable to help the young, blooming girl; the unfortunate woman fell into a coma. Desperate Yusupov abandoned all his principles and called the priest John of Kronstadt, known for his miraculous healings of the hopelessly ill, to the bedside of his dying daughter. Through the power of prayer, the elder brought Zinaida back to life.

And thereby doomed her sister to certain death - soon Tatyana burned out from typhus. She was 22 years old. The curse of the Yusupov family worked like a well-oiled mechanism - only one offspring was destined to overcome the 26-year mark. Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter.

Love is more valuable than gold

Zinaida became the sole heiress of factories, manufactories and apartment buildings in every Russian big city, mines, villages, estates, estates, forests and lands in each Russian province, palaces furnished with furniture from Queen Marie Antoinette and Madame de Pompadour, and collections of jewelry, including the world-famous Pelegrina pearl, which once belonged to Philip II and was considered the main decoration of the Spanish Crown. But what do all these fabulous riches mean in the face of Death? Dust and decay! Both the grandmother and the father insisted on the speedy marriage of the surviving child, they were afraid to leave this world without waiting for confirmation of the continuation of the family - grandchildren. The family needed to grow, and not deplorably strive for zero.

There was no shortage of suitors. Not only was Zinaida the richest bride in Russia, she was divinely beautiful. A relative of the emperor, a contender for the throne of Bulgaria, was predicted to be her husband. However, at the bride's ceremony, the girl did not look into the eyes of the Bulgarian prince, but over his shoulder, behind him stood her true betrothed - the modest officer Felix Elston, one of the numerous retinue of the foreign groom. The next day he appeared alone and proposed marriage to her. Yusupov did not contradict his daughter: title, wealth, connections, beauty, education, intelligence, kindness - his daughter already had everything, all that was required from her husband was love (we put the equal sign - children). The union of two loving hearts was sanctified by the sacrament of wedding and brought two children, moreover, sons. For the first time in many generations, the cursed seed of Khan Yusuf found hope of gaining a foothold on Russian land.

Two from the casket

In fact, Zinaida Nikolaevna gave birth to four children, two died in infancy, but the family preferred to remain silent about this bloody tribute to Nogaisky. They rejoiced at their two sons, the two most precious stones in the family treasury, the two hopes of the Yusupov family. The eldest, Nikolai, outwardly the spitting image of his father, was a copy of his mother and grandfather in his life’s hobbies - he played music, drew, wrote stories, acted in the theater, and at the same time brilliantly defended his law degree. It would not have been easy for the extremely gifted young man to find a worthy mate, but love itself overtook him. And she ruined it. Maria Heyden was already “given to another” and had no intention of breaking the oath of allegiance, even for the sake of the offspring of the Yusupovs themselves. Second people after the king can do everything, but not everyone can marry for love. Maria's husband did not indulge in long explanations about this, challenged Nikolai to a duel and did not miss. Mathematics is a cruel science: Zinaida Yusupova’s eldest son was supposed to turn twenty-six in six months.

The mother, distraught with grief, like a lioness, clung to her youngest son Felix, not letting go of her one step, often getting confused and calling her Nikolenka, although the brothers are absolutely different. Felix inherited his mother's angelic appearance, but in society, while still very young, he received the reputation of a fallen angel. Neither art, nor science, nor military affairs interested him at all. Why study, much less work, if you are almost a fairy-tale prince from birth, half the kingdom belongs to you, and not today or tomorrow the ghost of Yusuf’s ancestor will come for you? You need to use every day of your life for pleasure.

It was not the soul of his mother, Zinaida Nikolaevna, known throughout Russia for her kindness, mercy, and charitable deeds, that prevailed in him, but the blood of his grandmother Zinaida Ivanovna was seething. The list of his love victories was truly Don Juan. However, he did not dare to contradict his mother, who demanded that he stop carousing and get married. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were two recognized beauties in the Russian state: his mother and Irina Aleksandrovna Romanova. The choice is obvious, especially since Irina was a close relative of the reigning dynasty. On both sides, a boy was expected from the newlyweds, but, alas, a daughter was born, after which Felix no longer appeared in the marital bedroom. Why produce children who will inevitably die? Or perhaps Yusupov Jr. was only covering up his overly modern inclinations with an ancient legend. It was rumored that Elder Rasputin, in whose murder he took an active part, came to the Yusupovs’ house in order to reconcile Felix with his wife, who had learned about her husband’s homosexual relations. Felix, the only remaining descendant of Yusuf, believed that everything was allowed to him - adultery, perversion, murder.

After the revolution, the Yusupov family managed to emigrate not empty-handed. Of course, you can’t take palaces, factories and arable land with you to France, but his mother kept the family jewels, and she also had real estate abroad. Felix squandered everything. His wife, daughter and, finally, he himself were buried in the grave of his mother, Zinaida - there was no money for separate places. Sudden death Nikolai's brother gave him a chance to live and continue the family line, but the Nogai curse easily settled scores with him: if a person is weak in spirit, he is a complete zero in the fight against ancient forces.

Rock of the Yusupov family

There are several versions of legends about the Yusupov family curse. Even within the family, this story was told in different ways. Zinaida Nikolaevna herself adhered to the version of her grandmother - Zinaida Ivanovna Naryshkina-Yusupova-de Chavaud-de-Serre.

The founder of the clan was considered to be the Khan of the Nogai Horde, Yusuf-Murza. Wanting to make peace with Moscow against the will of his fellow tribesmen and fearing for the lives of his sons, he sent them to the court of Ivan the Terrible. The Russian chronicle says: “The sons of Yusuf, having arrived in Moscow, were granted many villages and hamlets in the Romanov district, and the service Tatars and Cossacks settled there were subordinate to them. From that time on, Russia became the fatherland for the descendants of Yusuf.” The old khan calculated everything correctly: before his sons had time to reach Moscow, his brother dealt harshly with him. When the news reached the Horde that the sons of Murza had abandoned the Muslim faith and accepted Orthodoxy, one of the sorceresses placed a curse on them, according to which, out of the total number of Yusupovs born in one generation, only one would live to be twenty-six years old, and so it would continue up to the complete destruction of the dynasty. Why this curse sounded so confusing is not easy to say, but it came true with amazing accuracy. No matter how many children the Yusupovs had, only one man was destined to live to the age of twenty-six.

At the same time, this terrible fate did not affect the financial prosperity of the family in any way. By 1917, the Yusupovs were in second place in wealth after the Romanovs themselves. They owned a huge amount of land, sugar, brick, sawmills, as well as factories and mines. Their annual income was no less than fifteen million gold rubles. And there were legends about the luxurious Yusupov palaces. Even the greatest princes were jealous of the stunning decoration of their houses and salons. For example, Zinaida Nikolaevna’s rooms in Arkhangelskoye and in the palace in St. Petersburg were furnished with designs from the executed French queen Marie Antoinette. The art gallery could compete with the Hermitage in terms of the number of greatest and authentic works by recognized artists. And Zinaida Nikolaevna’s countless jewels were treasures that in the past belonged to almost all the royal courts of Europe. She especially treasured the magnificent pearl “Pelegrina”. She rarely parted with it and is even depicted wearing it in all portraits. It once belonged to Philip II and was considered the main decoration of the Spanish Crown. However, Zinaida Nikolaevna did not measure happiness by wealth, and the curse of the Tatar sorceress made the Yusupovs unhappy.

Of all the Yusupovs, probably only Zinaida Nikolaevna’s grandmother, Countess de Chavo, was able to avoid great suffering due to the untimely death of her children. Born Naryshkina, Zinaida Ivanovna was married to Boris Nikolaevich Yusupov while still a very young girl. Soon she gave birth to a son, and then a daughter who died during childbirth. Only after these events did she learn about the family curse. Being a sensible woman, she told her husband that she would no longer “give birth to dead people.” In response to his objections, she stated that if he still had not had his fill, then he was allowed to “belly the courtyard girls,” and that she was not going to object. This was the case until 1849, when the old prince died.

Zinaida Ivanovna was not even forty years old when she plunged headlong into the maelstrom of new novels and relationships. There were gossip and legends about her beau, but the young Narodnaya Volya received the most attention. When he was imprisoned in the Shlisselburg fortress, the princess abandoned social life, followed him and, unknown how, she achieved that he was released to her at night. Many people knew about this story and gossiped about it, but, surprisingly, Zinaida Ivanovna was not condemned. On the contrary, secular society recognized the right of the stately princess to all sorts of extravagances a la de Balzac. But then it all ended; for some time she was a recluse at Liteiny. Then she married a bankrupt but well-born Frenchman and left Russia, abandoning the title of Princess Yusupova. In France, she was called Countess de Chaveau, Marquise de Serres. The story associated with the young Narodnaya Volya member was recalled by Yusupov after the revolution. One of the emigrant newspapers published a report that, in search of Yusupov’s treasures, the Bolsheviks destroyed all the walls of the palace on Liteiny Prospekt. To their chagrin, they did not find any jewelry, but they did find a secret room adjacent to the bedroom, in which there was a coffin with the body of an embalmed man. This was probably the Narodnaya Volya member sentenced to death, whose body Zinaida Ivanovna bought and brought to St. Petersburg.

However, for all the drama of the life of Zinaida Naryshkina-Yusupova-de Chavaud-de-Serre, her family considered her happy. All her husbands died before reaching old age, and she lost her daughter during childbirth, when she had not yet had time to get used to her. She fell in love many times, did not deny herself anything, and she died surrounded by her family. For the rest of the dynasty, despite their mind-boggling wealth, life was much more prosaic. Family rock spared no one.

Zinaida Nikolaevna's eldest son Nikolenka grew up as a silent and withdrawn boy. No matter how hard Princess Yusupova tried to bring him closer to her, nothing worked for her. All her life she had imagined the horror that gripped her when, at Christmas 1887, when asked to her son what gift he would like to receive, Zinaida Nikolaevna listened to a completely unchildish and icy answer: “I don’t want you to have other children.” "

Then the princess was confused, but it soon became clear that one nanny assigned to the young prince told the boy about the Nogai curse. She was immediately fired, but Zinaida Nikolaevna waited for the expected baby with a feeling of absorbing and acute fear. Even at first, the fears were not in vain. Nikolenka did not hide his dislike for Felix, and only ten years later, between the matured brothers, a feeling arose that was more like friendship than the love of two relatives. Family rock made its presence known in 1908. Then the ill-fated duel took place.

In the memoirs of Felix Yusupov, it is easy to see that throughout his life he was jealous of his mother for Nikolai, who, although outwardly resembled his father rather than Zinaida Nikolaevna, was incredibly similar to her in his inner world. He was also fond of theater, loved music, drew and painted beautifully. He published his stories under the pseudonym Rokov. Even Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, who was stingy with flattering reviews, noted the author’s undoubted talent.

After graduating from St. Petersburg University, he received a law degree. The family was planning the upcoming marriage of the young prince. But the romantic Nicholas, unexpectedly for himself and for everyone, fell in love with Maria Heyden, who at that time was already engaged to Count Arvid Manteuffel, and soon this wedding took place. The young couple went on a trip to Europe, and Nikolai Yusupov did not fail to follow them - a duel was inevitable. And it happened.

On June 22, 1908, on the estate of Prince Beloselsky on Krestovsky Island in St. Petersburg, Count Manteuffel’s hand did not waver and he did not miss. Nikolai Yusupov would have turned twenty-six years old in six months.

“Rending screams were heard from my father’s room,” Felix Yusupov recalled some time later. “I walked in and saw him, very pale, in front of the stretcher where Nikolai’s body was stretched out. His mother, kneeling before him, seemed to have lost her mind. With great difficulty we tore her away from our son’s body and put her to bed. Having calmed down a little, she called me, but when she saw me, she mistook me for her brother. It was an unbearable scene. Then my mother fell into prostration, and when she came to her senses, she did not let me go for a second.”

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