Alexey Razumovsky (1748)
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Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Alexey Kirillovich Razumovsky (September 23, 1748 – April 4, 1822) was a RussianRazumovsky (Alexander Feofanov)
/ref> statesman from the
Razumovsky The House of Razumovsky or Rozumovsky (, Ukrainian: ''Розумовський'', German: ''Razumofsky'') is the name of an Imperial Russian noble family of Zaporozhian Cossack origin from Siveria. The main family line became extinct in th ...
Family. Son of Count Kirill Razumovsky from a marriage with Yekaterina Naryshkina, brother of
Andrey Razumovsky Count (later Prince) Andrey Kirillovich Razumovsky (2 November 1752 – 23 September 1836) was a Russian diplomat who spent many years of his life in Vienna. His name is transliterated differently in different English sources, including sp ...
; son–in–law of Count Peter Sheremetev (from 1774), father–in–law of
Sergey Uvarov Count Sergey Semionovich Uvarov (; – ) was a Russian classical scholar and politician who is best remembered as an influential statesman under Nicholas I of Russia. Biography Uvarov, connected through marriage with the Razumovsky family, ...
(from 1811). Acting Chamberlain (1775), Senator (1776–1807), Minister of Public Education (1810–1816).
Active Privy Councillor Active Privy Councillor (, deystvitelnyi taynyi sovetnik) was the civil rank (ru: чин / chin) in the Russian Empire, according to the Table of Ranks introduced by Peter the Great in 1722. That was a civil rank of the 2nd class and equal to those ...
(1807). The builder of the Gorenki Estate near Moscow and the Palace on the Yauza. The ancestor of the Perovsky nobles: father of Antony Pogorelsky, grandfather of Alexey Tolstoy, great–grandfather of
Sophia Perovskaya Sophia Lvovna Perovskaya (;  – ) was a Russian revolutionary and a member of the revolutionary organization ''Narodnaya Volya''. She helped orchestrate the assassination of Alexander II of Russia, for which she was executed by hanging. ...
.


Biography

The eldest son of Count
Kirill Razumovsky Count Kirill Grigoryevich Razumovsky or Razumovski (also known as ''Cyril Razumovski''; ; ; Oleksander Ohloblyn. Rozumovsky, Kyrylo'. Encyclopedia of Ukraine – ) was a Russian statesman of Ukrainian Cossack origin who served as the last ...
, the last
Hetman ''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...
of the Zaporozhye Army. He received a thorough education: a special "institute" was set up for him with his brothers, in which Schlözer first introduced the teaching of statistics, under the name "Knowledge of Own Fatherland"; later he attended lectures at the
University of Strasbourg The University of Strasbourg (, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers. Founded in the 16th century by Johannes Sturm, it was a center of intellectual life during ...
. At first, he carried out only court service, in 1775, he was awarded the rank of acting chamberlain. On June 27, 1786, he was appointed
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
with the promotion to privy councillors. In 1795, due to a disagreement to approve the law proposed by the empress, Razumovsky resigned. He re–entered service only in 1807. On November 2, 1807, Razumovsky was appointed a
trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, refers to anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the ...
of
Moscow University Moscow State University (MSU), officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,. is a public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, and six branches. Al ...
, which, with the advice of his advice, entrusted him with the guardianship of the Moscow Educational District, and was promoted to
Active Privy Councillor Active Privy Councillor (, deystvitelnyi taynyi sovetnik) was the civil rank (ru: чин / chin) in the Russian Empire, according to the Table of Ranks introduced by Peter the Great in 1722. That was a civil rank of the 2nd class and equal to those ...
s. In this position, he held a decree on the election of a rector for three years (instead of one year) and patronized the Society of Nature Experts, on whose behalf he formed an expedition to study the
Moscow Governorate The Moscow Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Tsardom of Russia, and the Russian Empire. It was bordered by Tver Governorate to the north, Vladimir Governorate to the northeast, Ryazan Governorate to the southeast, Tula Gove ...
. On January 1, 1810, Razumovsky was appointed Minister of Public Education and a member of the
State Council State Council may refer to: Government * State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative authority of China, headed by the Premier * State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of S ...
. In the first two years of his activity, 72 parish schools, 24 district schools, several gymnasiums and other educational institutions were opened in this position; improved teaching; increased supervision over foreign educators; several scientific societies were opened; the first Department of Slavic Literature was established at Moscow University. With the personal assistance of Razumovsky, the charter of the
Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum The Imperial Lyceum () in Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg, also known historically as the Imperial Alexander Lyceum after its founder Tsar Alexander I, was an educational institution which was founded in 1811 with the object of educating yo ...
was developed and on October 19, 1811, it was opened. Honorary Member of
Moscow University Moscow State University (MSU), officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,. is a public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, and six branches. Al ...
(1812). After 1812, he considerably cooled down to the service and for the last two years did not do business at all. Being, before his appointment as minister, a member of the Masonic lodge and follower of Osip Pozdeev, with whom he had a long correspondence (it was published by Alexander Vasilchikov in his book "The Razumovsky Family"), since 1814, Razumovsky fell under the influence of the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
and, mainly, the famous Count
Joseph de Maistre Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre (1 April 1753 – 26 February 1821) was a Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, diplomat, and magistrate. One of the forefathers of conservatism, Maistre advocated social hierarchy and monarchy in the period immedi ...
. The latter "literally disposed of him, dictated what should be taught to Russians and what not to be taught"; at his direction, the
Greek language Greek (, ; , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language, constituting an independent Hellenic languages, Hellenic branch within the Indo-European language family. It is native to Greece, Cyprus, Italy (in Calabria and Salento), south ...
,
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,
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,
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,
chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
and the history of philosophical systems were thrown out of the original program of the Lyceum, as "not illuminating the mind with useful truths, but darkening with delusions and bewilderments". Introduced theology as the main discipline in all educational institutions. Under the influence of the same de Maistre, Razumovsky introduced new censorship restrictions and began a struggle with the
Vilna Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
Trustee Adam Czartoryski for the
Russification Russification (), Russianisation or Russianization, is a form of cultural assimilation in which non-Russians adopt Russian culture and Russian language either voluntarily or as a result of a deliberate state policy. Russification was at times ...
of the Western Region of Russia, of which de Maistre was a supporter. The failure in the fight against Czartoryski and the government's mistrust of the
Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
forced Razumovsky to ask for resignation from the post of Minister and member of the State Council, which was given to him on August 10, 1816. For the first two years after that, Razumovsky lived in Moscow and at his estate near Moscow, Gorenki, where he had a botanical garden, which until the 1830s was considered one of the wonders of Moscow. From 1816, he lived in Little Russia, in the town of
Pochep Pochep () is the name of several types of inhabited localities in Russia, inhabited localities in Russia. ;Urban localities *Pochep, Bryansk Oblast, a town in Pochepsky District of Bryansk Oblast; ;Rural localities *Pochep, Okulovsky District, No ...
, Mglinsky District, where he died. He was buried in the ancestral crypt, but then reburied in the Transfiguration Church of Novgorod–Seversky. According to Vigel, all the sons of Hetman Kirill Razumovsky "were stuffed with French literature, clothed in foreign forms, considered themselves Russian Montmorency, were amiable at court and intolerable outside of it aristocrats". To this, Prince Alexander Vasilchikov adds that the eldest of them, Alexey, was "an exorbitant pride ... and stern in the circle of his family".


Family

Razumovsky was married on February 23, 1774, to one of the richest brides in Russia, Varvara Sheremeteva (January 2, 1750 – May 27, 1824), the second daughter of General–in–Chief Count
Pyotr Sheremetev Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev () (1713–1788) was a Russian nobleman and courtier, the richest man in Russia aside from the tsar; he was the son of Boris Sheremetev. When his father Boris died in 1719, tsar Peter promised to be "like a father" ...
. Around 1784, at the request of her husband, Varvara Petrovna left her family and lived alone in her own house in Moscow – in 1796 a house on Maroseyka (No. 2) was completed. In marriage they had three daughters and two sons. *Peter (1775–1835), in 1783 he was registered as a sergeant in the Izmailovsky regiment, studied abroad at the
University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen (, commonly referred to as Georgia Augusta), is a Public university, public research university in the city of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1734 ...
; adjutant to his grandfather, Hetman
Kirill Razumovsky Count Kirill Grigoryevich Razumovsky or Razumovski (also known as ''Cyril Razumovski''; ; ; Oleksander Ohloblyn. Rozumovsky, Kyrylo'. Encyclopedia of Ukraine – ) was a Russian statesman of Ukrainian Cossack origin who served as the last ...
; in 1797, Lieutenant Colonel, later Colonel, Commander of a Grenadier Battalion, in the army of his uncle, Infantry General
Ivan Gudovich Count Ivan Vasilyevich Gudovich (, tr. ; 1741–1820) was a Russian noble and military leader of Ukrainian descent. His exploits included the capture of Khadjibey (1789) and the conquest of maritime Dagestan (1807). Ivan's father was an inf ...
, a freemason. In 1801, he retired and was granted the title of acting chamberlain. While living in Saint Petersburg, he ran into a lot of debts, which prompted his father to seek to transfer his son to the service in
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
, in 1806, in the rank of a Real State Councilor, he was appointed an Official for Special Assignments under the Novorossiysk Governor. He died in Odessa on July 18, 1835. *Cyril (1777–1829), chamberlain, suffered from insanity, in 1806–1807, he was a prisoner of the Shlisselburg and Peter and Paul Fortresses, later he was transferred to the Spaso–Evfimiev Monastery, after the death of his father he was transported to
Kharkov Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.
, where he died in 1829. *Catherine (1777–1780). *Varvara (1778–1864), since 1802, married to Prince Nikolai Repnin–Volkonsky; was a renowned philanthropist who did much for women's education. *
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
(1781–1849), beloved maid of honor of Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna and employee of the Patriotic Society. Since 1811, she was married to the trustee of the Saint Petersburg Educational District and the future Minister of Public Education, Count
Sergey Uvarov Count Sergey Semionovich Uvarov (; – ) was a Russian classical scholar and politician who is best remembered as an influential statesman under Nicholas I of Russia. Biography Uvarov, connected through marriage with the Razumovsky family, ...
. Having got rid of his legal wife, Aleksey Kirillovich settled in his bourgeois woman Marya Sobolevskaya.Lib.Ru. Classic: Alexey Tolstoy. Dmitry Zhukov
/ref> He had ten illegitimate children, delicately called "pupils" (five sons and five daughters) – Perovskys.
/ref> * Nikolai (1785–1858), (the only one of ten children who bore the patronymic "Ivanovich") the Governor of the Crimea, mayor of
Feodosia Feodosia (, ''Feodosiia, Teodosiia''; , ''Feodosiya''), also called in English Theodosia (from ), is a city on the Crimean coast of the Black Sea. Feodosia serves as the administrative center of Feodosia Municipality, one of the regions into ...
. *
Alexey Alexey ( ; ), is a Russian and Bulgarian male given name derived from the Greek ''Aléxios'' (), meaning "Defender", and thus of the same origin as the Latin Alexius. Similar Ukrainian and Belarusian names are romanized as Oleksii (Олек ...
(1787–1836), Russian writer (pseudonym – Anthony Pogorelsky), member of the Russian Academy. *Maria (1791–1872), wife of General Maxim Kryzhanovsky, a Lady of Cavalry (1837). *
Lev Lev or LEV may refer to: People and fictional characters *Lev (given name) *Lev (surname) Places *Lev, Azerbaijan, a village *Lev (crater), a tiny lunar crater Religion *an abbreviation for Leviticus, the third book of the Hebrew Bible and the ...
(1792–1856), statesman, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Appanages. *
Vasily Vasili, Vasily, Vasilii or Vasiliy (Russian language, Russian: wikt:Василий, Василий) is a Russian masculine given name of Greek language, Greek origin and corresponds to ''Basil (name)#Given name, Basil''. It may refer to: *Vasily ...
(1795–1857), statesman and military leader, Cavalry General, Adjutant General, Governor–General of the Orenburg and Samara Provinces. *Elizabeth (Praskovya) (1795–?). *Anna (1796–1856), husband – Count Konstantin Tolstoy (1779–1870), son – Alexey Tolstoy. *Olga (1798–1833), husband – Mikhail Zhemchuzhnikov, among the sons –
Alexey Alexey ( ; ), is a Russian and Bulgarian male given name derived from the Greek ''Aléxios'' (), meaning "Defender", and thus of the same origin as the Latin Alexius. Similar Ukrainian and Belarusian names are romanized as Oleksii (Олек ...
, Alexander, Lev and Vladimir Zhemchuzhnikov. *Sophia (1812–1883), husband – Vladimir Lvov. *Boris (1815–1881), military and statesman, Adjutant General, member of the State Council. Varvara Petr. Sheremeteva by I.Argunov (before 1768, Kuskovo).jpg, Varvara Alexseevna Repnina.jpg, Ekaterina Uvarova.jpg, BrullovP-TPEROV.jpg, Orest Kiprensky 030.jpg, Anna Alexeevna Perovskaya (Tolstaya).jpg, S.A. Lvova by A.Brullov.jpg,


Awards

*
Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky The Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire first awarded on by Empress Catherine I of Russia. History The introduction of the Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was envisioned by Emperor ...
(April 14, 1808). *
Order of Saint Vladimir The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir () was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine the Great, Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev, Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of ...
, First Class (October 25, 1811).


References


Sources


Alexander Vasilchikov. The Razumovsky Family
*
Presidents of the Moscow Society of Naturalists – Participants of the Patriotic War of 1812
{{DEFAULTSORT:Razumovsky, Alexey 1748 births 1822 deaths Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class Members of the State Council (Russian Empire) Russian Freemasons Senators of the Russian Empire