About
Alexis Konstantinovich Tolstoy, born in Saint Petersburg in 1817, is a major 19th-century Russian writer. A cousin of Leo Tolstoy, he was raised by his uncle, the writer Antony Pogorelsky. He was a childhood friend of the future Alexander II and served as an aide-de-camp. He devoted himself to writing after 1861. His work includes a historical dramatic trilogy in verse, novels like Prince Serebrenni, fantastic tales, and satirical poems. He also co-created the pseudonym Kozma Prutkov. His poems were set to music by Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky.
* 1817-08-24 — † 1875-09-28
Major works
- The Vampire (1841)novella
- Prince Serebrenni (1862)novel
- The Death of Ivan the Terrible (1866)play
- Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich (1868)play
- Tsar Boris (1870)play
Key milestones
- 1856Appointed aide-de-camp to Alexander II
- 1861Retired from state service to devote himself to writing
- 1873Elected corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences
Themes
Russian historyPolitical satireFantastic and gothicLove and natureNational identity
Sources: britannica.com · nli.org.il · encspb.ru