Zinaida Yusupova
Princess Zinaida Yusupova | |
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Head of the House of Yusupov | |
Tenure | 19 July 1891 – 24 November 1939 |
Predecessor | Prince Nikolai Yusupov |
Successor | Prince Felix Yusupov |
Full name | Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova |
Born | 2 September 1861 Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
Died | 24 November 1939 (aged 78) Paris, France |
Noble family | Yusupov |
Spouse(s) | Count Felix Felixovich Sumarokov-Elston |
Issue | Prince Nicholas Felixovich Yusupov Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov |
Father | Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov |
Mother | Countess Tatiana Alexandrovna de Ribeaupierre |
Princess Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova (
Early life
Princess Zinaida Nikolayevna Yusupova was the only surviving child of Prince Nicholas Borisovich Yusupov (12 October 1827 – 31 July 1891), Marshal of the Imperial Court, and
Princess Zinaida's only brother, Prince Boris Nicholaievich Yusupov, died in early childhood. She also had a younger sister, Princess Tatiana Nicholaievna, who died young, in 1888. As the only surviving child of a distinguished, highly placed, and vastly rich couple, Zinaida enjoyed great favor at court. She was the greatest Russian heiress of her day, and the last of her line, the
Princess Zinaida was known for being intelligent, hospitable, socially skilled, and beautiful; qualities that would last her late into her life.
Marriage
Prince Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov was hoping that Zinaida would make an illustrious marriage, but at a reception organized to pair her with Alexander of Battenberg, Zinaida met and fell in love with Count Felix Felixovich Sumarokov-Elston (5 October 1856, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 10 June 1928, Rome, Italy), son of Count Felix Nikolaievich Sumarokov-Elston.[2] Felix was a lieutenant in the Horse Guards. They were married on 4 April 1882 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Princess Zinaida and her husband had four sons, two of whom survived childhood: Prince Nicholas Felixovich Yusupov (1883–1908) and Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov (1887–1967). After his father-in-law died, in 1891, Felix was granted special permission by
The couple had their own mansion in Liteyny Avenue, where the Institute of Economic Relations, Economics and Law is currently located. She owned the palace at Nevsky Prospect 86 as well.[3]
Socialite
As a leading figure in pre-Revolutionary Russian society, Zinaida was famed for her beauty, elegance and the lavishness of her hospitality. In her book of memoirs, Ladies of the Russian Court, Meriel Buchanan (1886–1959), daughter of the British ambassador at the Russian court, described Princess Zinaida as:
- "Delicate in health, easily exhausted, essentially feminine, she was not one of those capable, competent woman, able to run big charitable organizations. She was always ready to give, freely and generously, to anyone who appealed to her, to do what she could to help anyone in distress, to lend her name, her house, her resources for any worthy cause, but she shrank from publicity, from all the complications of executive administration".[4]
Princess Zinaida Yusupova served as lady-in-waiting to both the
Following the
Descendancy
Her descendants are as follows:
- Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov (11 March 1887 – 27 September 1967), Count Sumarakov Elston, who married Irina Alexandrovna Romanova (21 March 1895 – 30 August 1970), and had one daughter and a son:
- Princess Irina Felixovna Yusupova, (21 March 1915, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 30 August 1983, Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France), married Count Nikolai Dmitrievich Sheremetev (28 October 1904, Moscow, Russia – 5 February 1979, Paris, France), son of Count Dmitry Sergeevich Sheremetev and wife Countess Irina Ilarionovna Vorontzova-Dachkova and a descendant of Boris Petrovich Sheremetev; had issue:
- Countess Xenia Nikolaevna Sheremeteva (born 1 March 1942, Rome, Italy), married on 20 June 1965 in Athens, Greece, to Ilias Sfiris (born 20 August 1932, Athens, Greece); had issue:
- Tatiana Sfiris (born 28 August 1968, Athens, Greece), married in May 1996 in Athens to Alexis Giannakoupoulos (born 1963), divorced, no issue; married Anthony Vamvakidis and has issue:
- Marilia Vamvakidis (born 7 July 2004)
- Yasmine Xenia Vamvakidis (born 17 May 2006)[citation needed]
- Tatiana Sfiris (born 28 August 1968, Athens, Greece), married in May 1996 in Athens to Alexis Giannakoupoulos (born 1963), divorced, no issue; married Anthony Vamvakidis and has issue:
- Countess Xenia Nikolaevna Sheremeteva (born 1 March 1942, Rome, Italy), married on 20 June 1965 in Athens, Greece, to Ilias Sfiris (born 20 August 1932, Athens, Greece); had issue:
The Australian conductor Alexander Briger claims descent from her,[5] though this is unproven. His stated genealogy does not match the actual family relationships.
Jewel collection
As the head of one of the most important noble families in Russia, she also inherited a vast fortune, which meant owning the largest collection of historical jewels in Russia, second only to that of the vaults of the
Following her narrow escape during the Russian Revolution, she was forced to leave all her financial assets in Russia: her entire jewel collection was hidden in a secret vault in Moika Palace in hopes that she would retain their use in their return to Russia, however all were found and sold by the Bolsheviks in 1925. During her exile she took only the major jewels, and those of historical importance, and had them sold to fund her family's life.[10]
Ancestry
Ancestors of Princess Zenaida Nikolaievna Yusupova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notes
- ^ Variously transliterated from Russian as Yussupov, Yossopov, Iusupov, Youssoupov, Youssoupoff
- ^ a b Papi, Jewels of the Romanovs: Family & Court, p. 176
- ISBN 9785496006521.
- ^ Ladies of the Russian Court
- ^ Clive Paget, "Russians adore Aussie maestro with link to Rasputin's killer", Limelight, April 2017, p. 15
- ^ , About The Jewels of Princess Yusupouv
- ^ here, enter your name. "The Sultan of Morocco Diamond". tripod.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ "Marie Antoinette Diamond Earrings - Gem Gallery - Smithsonian Institution". Archived from the original on November 1, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ^ "An Antique Sapphire, Spinel and Diamond". christies.com. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- ^ a b "A 15th-Century Ruby Buddha and the Yusupov Jewels". jewelsdujour.com. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Bibliography
- Buchanan, Meriel. Princess Zenaida Yusopova . Royal Russia. N 4, 2013. ISBN 978-1927604045.
- Papi, Stefano. Jewels of the Romanovs: Family & Court . Thames & Hudson, 2013. ISBN 978-0-500-51706-2
- Youssoupoff, Prince Felix. Lost Splendor: The Amazing Memoirs of the Man Who Killed Rasputin. Turtle Point Press, 2003. ISBN 978-1885586582