In the Service of Russia

The brother of Khan Yusuf, Ismail Murza, the usurper of the throne in the Nogai Horde, feared the rivalry and revenge of the sons of his late brother, Khan Yusuf. In 1563, he sent his nephews Il Murza and Ibrahim Murza to Moscow, in today's parlance, to seek political asylum under Ivan the Terrible. Thus in the late 16th century the ancient Middle Eastern family put down roots in Russia.

The great-grandson of Yusuf, Abdul Murza (?-1694), who fought bravely in Russia's wars with Rech Pospolita, the Osman Empire, and the Crimean Khanate, was awarded the title of Stolnik (a Russian courtier rank inferior to Boyar), and held a succession of gubernatorial and ambassadorial posts. He converted to Orthodox Christianity in 1681, and was christened Dmitri. During the 1682 Strelets Revolt, Dmitri Yusupov brought his detachment of Tatars to the Trinity Lavra to guard the young Tsars John and Peter. For this, he was awarded a land estate in the Yaroslavl Province.

The son of Dmitri Yusupov, Grigory (1676-1730) went down in Russian and family history as a close associate of Peter the Great. He took part in the majority of Petrine-era wars: the Azov campaigns, the siege of Narva, the capturing of Nienschanz in the Neva delta, the battle at Lesnaya, the battle of Poltava, and the Prut campaign. Prince Yusupov supervised the construction of a rowing fleet in Nizhny Novgorod, and managed supplies and the treasury for the Russian army. For his outstanding service to the Crown, Prince Grigory Yusupov was awarded the largest amount of lands ever given to a Yusupov, including estates in the provinces of Nizhny Novgorod, Kaluga, Ryazan, Kursk, Kharkov and Voronezh.

Peter I sent Grigory's son Prince Boris (1695-1759) to study in France. Upon his return, Empress Anna Johannovna appointed him General Governor of Moscow, and then put him in charge of the Ladoga Canal. Under Elizabeth, he was awarded the public service rank of Active Privy Councilor and appointed President of the College of Commerce. Boris Yusupov commanded RussiaòÀÙs first szlachta infantry corps for 9 years.

His son Nikolai (1751-1831) was perhaps the most influential figure in the history of the Russian Empire between the reigns of Catherine the Great and Nicholas I.

He spent around 15 years traveling and studying in Europe. Nikolai Yusupov studied law, philosophy and history at Leiden University in Holland, met with Diderot in the Hague, and Bomarche in London. In Paris, the 25-year old Russian aristocrat was admitted to the court of Louis XVI, and visited Voltaire. A splendid career awaited him in his native Russia. He headed Imperial Theaters, a glass factory, porcelain factory and wallpaper factory. Prince Yusupov was appointed to the State Council in 1823. His career was quite unique in that, as the Coronation Marshal-in-Chief, Yusupov presided over the crowning of three Russian monarchs in 29 years: Paul I, Alexander I and Nicholas I. In 1830, Nicholas I awarded Nikolai Yusupov the rarest, most priceless symbol of distinction: a pearl and diamond-spangled epaulette.

The wife of Prince Nikolai, Tatiana Yusupova nee Engelhardt, was remembered by her contemporaries as an intelligent woman and hospitable hostess of an elegant salon. Her select circle of friends included the best poetic talent of the epoch: Derzhavin, Zhukovsky, Krylov and Pushkin.