If this hero had not squandered his inheritance and did not dare to improve matters by marrying a rich, perhaps the great Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy would never have been born.
The image of this difficult man Leo Tolstoy brought out on the pages of his famous trilogy about Nikolenka's growing up. Surely readers do not feel sympathy for him, but do we know his biography?
Childhood
The governor of the city of Kazan, Ilya Tolstoy, doted on his wife Pelageya Gorchakova. It was rumored that the bride's most attractive quality was a rich inheritance. However, soon after the wedding of the couple, it became clear that this union was based on great love. In June 1794, their first child was born, who was named Nikolai. Later he had two sisters and a brother who died at an early age.
Parents wanted Kolya not to know troubles. When the boy was 5 years old, his father enrolled him in the civil service. The kid was formally the provincial registrar in the expedition of the Kremlin building, but in fact he lived with his family on his mother's estate in the village of Nikolskoye-Vyazemskoye. The adults loved and pampered him. On the 15th birthday, Nikolenka was presented with his first serf, and his father threw a grand ball, to which he invited all the local nobility.
Youth
At the age of 17, the young man made a good career - he held the rank of provincial secretary. The authorities favored the guy, afraid to incur the wrath of the child-loving governor. Nikolai himself was indifferent to the profession imposed on him. He was more interested in his own personal life. The young man really liked Tatyana Ergolskaya. She was a distant relative of Tolstoy, was orphaned early and was taken up by Kolya's parents.
In 1812, Nikolai left the boring bureaucratic job, was enlisted in the 3rd Ukrainian Cossack regiment with the rank of a cornet and went to defend the Motherland. Later he transferred to the Moscow Hussar Regiment and distinguished himself on the battlefield. After the expulsion of the French from Russia, he participated in the Foreign Campaign, the Dashing Hussar was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, IV degree for the battle at Dresden, and after the battle of Leipzig he was promoted to staff captain. Shortly before the end of the war, he managed to be in captivity.
Happy life
Home the brave man sent letters filled with bitterness and horror. At the front, the spoiled little barcheon saw the suffering and death of many people. He did not want to fight, but he liked the beautiful military uniform. These confessions touched the heart of his mother, and she decided to please her son. After the victory, Nikolai Tolstoy was transferred to the cavalry regiment and appointed an adjutant to his parent's relative, General Andrei Gorchakov.
Living in the capital and serving in an elite military unit required substantial financial investments. Dad and mom sent their Kolya generous gifts. In 1817 the money ran out. Our hero had to ask from the cavalry guards to the hussar regiment of the Prince of Orange. He tried to find out in letters from his kind father how things were going on the estate, but he did not complain about life. In 1819, Colonel Tolstoy resigned and went to his estate in order to personally find out the truth.
Sad story
The Kazan governor was famous for his simplicity. He did not notice how the officials were plotting a conspiracy behind his back. They spread rumors that, becoming impoverished, he began to run his hand into the treasury. In 1820, an auditor from St. Petersburg arrived in the city and made his contribution to the dirty work. Ilya Tolstoy was charged and removed from his post. The unfortunate man committed suicide, leaving his family without a penny.
Now Nikolai has become the eldest man in the family. He did not have the education and connections to find a well-paid job. The only way to save loved ones from poverty was a marriage of convenience. Soon a suitable bride Maria Volkonskaya was found. She was older than the groom, had an unsympathetic face and a rough figure. The affair with Tanya had to give up. The girl, who dreamed of seeing the hero of the war of 1812 as her husband, vowed not to interfere with the young.
Surprise
The wedding took place in 1822. The newlyweds settled in the Yasnaya Polyana estate, which was part of Maria's dowry. There Nikolai Tolstoy was able to take a closer look at his faithful. Behind the unsightly appearance was a brilliant mind and a subtle understanding of art. The veteran was really fascinated by this woman. The result of the outbreak of passion was a baby born in 1823. He was given the same name as his father.
Our rake has settled down. He built a new house, put in order the economy, and became addicted to hunting. Nikolai remembered how he loved to read as a child. He began to create a home library, in which there was a place for both the work of the classics and modern works. His adored Masha gave birth to three more sons: Sergei, Dmitry and Lev. The younger will grow up and glorify the Tolstoy family in Russia and abroad.
Misfortune
In 1830 Madame Tolstaya was born a girl. The daughter was named Maria, but the mother did not have a chance to rejoice at her birth - the unfortunate woman died of childbirth fever. Nikolai Tolstoy was soon visited by his forgotten Tanya. She took care of the kids. The widower was consumed by his grief. He built a church in his native Nikolskoye-Vyazemskoye, and often left Yasnaya Polyana. Nikolai Tolstoy died suddenly in 1837 from a stroke.
