Yusupov
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The Yusupov family is a family of Russian nobleman descended from the Khans of the 10th century and was accounted for its immense wealth in the 19th century, one of the family member Prince Felix Yussupov Jr. was famous for its involvement in the murder of Rasputin.
Early History
The earliest ancestors of the Yusupovs were from Arabia. They were believed to be descended from Ali a cousin of Prophet Muhammad. However in the 10th century, one of the descendant of the Arabian clan named Termess moved and resettled in the shores of the Azov and Caspian Sea they eventually formed a clan which was known as the Nogai Horde. In the 14th century, a descendant of Termess named Edigue Manguite, one of Tamerlane greatest strategist, went to settled to the south shores of the Black Sea where he found the Crimean Khanate. When Ediguite died, there was a time of war between ediguite descendants, until in the 15th century Khan Yussuf became the head of the Nogai Horde.Khan Yussuf allied himself with Tsar Ivan the Terrible. However time didn't go smoothly, soon Khan Yussuf and Tsar Ivan was in a war, Khan Yussuf's daughter named Sumbecca was the Queen of Kazan and when the city of Kazan was razed by Ivan, his daughter was taken as a prisoner to Moscow. After Khan Yussuf died, there was a period of civil war again between his descendants until the 17th century, when Abdul Mirza, another descendant converts to Orthodoxy under the name of Dmitry. After the conversion, Tsar Feodor I bestowed him the title of Prince Yussupov. The son of Dmitry, Prince Gregory was a friend of Peter the Great and had helped him on the construction of the Russian Navy.
18th Century to 19th century
Prince Boris, the son of Prince Gregory was sent to study at the French Navy at the age of 20 and soon became the Tsar adviser. Throughout the times, Prince Boris had served 3 sovereigns.At the time of Empress Elisabeth he was appointed head of the Imperial Schools and in 1756 advised the Empress to form the first Public Theatre in St. Petersburg.
The eldest son of Prince Boris, Prince Nikolai Borissovich was a keen traveller, he spoke five languages and also a patron of arts, like his previous ancestors, he served under a long reign of sovereign including Catherine the Great, Paul I and Alexander I as a private councillor and diplomat.As a diplomat, Prince Nikolai travelled to many countries in Europe, he travelled to France to the Versailles where he met Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, he travelled to Germany, to Prussia where he met Frederick the Great to Austria meeting Emperor Joseph II and to Italy. Throughout his journey he purchased a large collection of artwork for the court, he was also appointed director of the Hermitage and the Kremlin Armoury. In 1804, he went to Paris and frequently met Napoleon I, Napoleon presents him with a gift of three large tapestries. In 1795 he married Tatiana Engelhardt, one of Prince Potemkin nieces. The Couple lived together in Arkhangelskoye Palace, their luxurious summer residence in Moscow, Prince Nikolai had built his own porcelain factory there, with much of the artisans from France, he use to present these services to his close friend. In 1831, prince Nikolai died at the age of eighty and he was succeeded by his eldest son Prince Boris.
At an age of 42, Prince Boris succeeded his immense family wealth. A total of more than 675,000 acres of land and more than 40,000 servants inhabiting it but unlike his father, prince Boris is not a patron of art, he had no sense of artistic love, he prefrerred profit than arts. Prince Boris moved to the Moika palace in St. Petersburg with his wife Zinaida and son Nikolai and the Arkhangelskoye palace was soon derelict,the animal in the palace zoo was sold and much of the collection moved. He focused himself with the family granaries and soon became a close friend with the peasants. Prince Boris died in 1849.
Prince Boris eldest son, Prince Nikolai Borissovich Jr. became the next Prince Yusupov. He was much like his grandfather Nikolai Borissovich Sr., a patron of arts. He first served in the chancery of Nicholas I. He had bought a large collection of Jewelery including a 36 carat diamond known as Morocco Sultan. The Prince stayed in South Europe because of his poor health and at the same time he visited many courts as a diplomat. He bought much collection to adorn his palace in the Moika. Including a collection of violin and paintings. Back in Russia he married Tatyana Ribeaupierre, a lady-in-waiting to the Empress. The prince was also a talented musician and composer, he was a member of several musical society. In 1866, he published a book about the Yusupov history On the Family of the Yusupov Princes. A Collection of Their Life Stories, Charters and Letters of the Russian Sovereigns to Them.
20th Century
When Prince Nikolai Jr. died in 1891 he was succeeded by his daughter Princess Zinaida Yusupova, the Princess was considered a legend of beauty at the time. She was one of the richest and most beautiful of her time. Those who seek to marry her included the crown prince of Bulgaria. But Princess Zinaida, instead she chosed Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston.
He was the great grandson of Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov and grandson of King Frederick William IV of Prussia. A communication officer in the army. They married in 1882. After his father in law died, Felix was granted a special permission from Tsar Alexander III to carry the title Prince Yusupov and Count Sumarokov-Elston and to pass it to the eldest person in the family. After that he was known as Prince Felix Yusupov Sr. Count Sumarokov-Elston. Prince Felix Sr. was appointed adjutant to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich in 1904 and commanded the Guards Cavalry of the Imperial Guards, in 1914 he was appointed Governor General of Moscow. At that time they owned more than 100,000 acres of land and their industries include sugar beet factory, brick plants, saw-mills, textile and cardboard factories, mines and distilleries they owned more than 16 Palace-estates. The last Yusupov Prince was Prince Felix Yusupov Count Sumarokov-Elston Jr. The Prince was very famous for his involvement in the murder of Grigoriy Rasputin. Prince Felix Yussupov Jr. married Irina, the great granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I. After the murder of Rasputin he was exiled to Crimea, he returned again in 1917 only to find the city under a massive disorder after the February Revolution, he took with him some of his most precious painting by Rembrandt and Jewelery and in autumn 1917, he left Russia for good to Paris. After he died there were no Yusupov princes again. His daughter married Count Sheremetev and the descendant moved to Greece, lately they were granted a Russian citizenship by the Russian President.
Sources
[Lost Splendor - Yusupov's self-biography until 1919] (online). Printed in 1952, ISBN 1885586582.
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