graf Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy

Born in Saint Petersburg in 1817, Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy was a Russian writer from an old noble family and a distant relative of Leo Tolstoy. He served at court for part of his life, but literature became his lasting calling.

He wrote poetry, fiction, and drama, and is often singled out as one of the most important Russian historical dramatists of the nineteenth century. His best-known stage works include the dramatic trilogy about Ivan the Terrible and his successors, while his poems range from romantic and ballad-like pieces to comic and satirical verse.

Tolstoy also became known for humor and parody, including works connected with the fictional writer Kozma Prutkov. He died in 1875 at Krasny Rog, leaving behind a body of work that blends elegance, imagination, and a playful intelligence.