In a book titled “A Thin Thread Of Destiny” the history of the famous Russian aristocratic family – Dukes Ukhtomsky – was presented. In this article we will tell about the history of the ancestors and descendants of this family in a more detailed way.
Let’s start with the fact that Ukhtomskys were a Russian princely family, descended from Rurik, a branch of dukes Belozersky. Their ancestor was the Prince Ivan (XVII knee from Rurik), grandson of Vasily Romanovich, Prince Sugorsky. He owned Ukhtomsky parish, which was situated on the river Uhtoma – from where that family got their second name.
In the ten generations from Ivan Ivanovich there were 116 direct representatives of the genus. Among the members of this genus, which also exists today, there are many well-known figures. For example, duke Vasily has shown himself very well in the battle against the Tatars near Kazan. In the Time of Troubles in Vyatka Mikhail Ukhtomsky led an active struggle against the gang of thieves.
Prince Dmitry Ukhtomsky took an active part in the construction of the Kremlin, he also helped to reconstruct the Red Gate which was burned down in 1748. A number of representatives of the genus have shown themselves in the second half of the XIX century. For example, the admiral Leonid Ukhtomsky wrote his memoirs which were published in the journal “Sea Bulletin”.
The diplomat Esper Ukhtomsky was one of the trustees of Nicholas II, and he sought to strengthen the position of the Russian Empire in the East. Also, as a journalist, he campaigned for the rights of minorities living in the Russian Empire, including the Armenians and the Buryats.
One of the commanders of the fleet in the Russian-Japanese War was Paul Ukhtomsky. In addition, Ukhtomsky brothers, Alex and Alexander, have been church leaders. At the same time, Alex was one of the most prominent Soviet physiologists and academicians. Dmitry Ukhtomsky served in the military intelligence in Iran during the World War II, and later became a famous photojournalist.
The coat of arms of this family deserves separate attention. It is a shield which has a blue field and a golden cross over it, the silver moon under it, and two silver fish that swim in the river crosswise in the lower part of the shield.
If you gather the most important representatives of this genus, there will be a long list that includes:
• Ukhtomsky Vasily – the Russian statesman and military leader of the XV century, the prince;
• Ukhtomsky Alexei (1875-1942) – the scientist, psychologist, creator of the dominant doctrine;
• Ukhtomsky Andrew (1770-1852) – the artist;
• Ukhtomsky Dmitry (1719-1774) – architect, educator;
• Ukhtomsky Leonid (1829-1909) – the Russian naval officer, Vice Admiral, writer;
• Ukhtomsky Nikolai (1895-1953) – one of the leaders of the White emigration to Manchuria;
• Ukhtomsky Paul (1848-1910) – the Vice-Admiral;
• Ukhtomsky Esper (1834-1885) – the naval officer, a member of the defense of Sevastopol and several sea voyages;
• Ukhtomsky Esper (1861-1921) – the trustee of Nicholas II, the diplomat and Orientalist;
• Ukhtomsky Alexander (1872-1937) – the Archbishop, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church.