One way or another, historical figures are significantly associated with large clans and ancient families. Few people have not heard the name of the Demidovs, it flashes quite often in the chronicles of the past. This is an outstanding family, all of them not only served for the good of the state, but also concerned charity and art. For example, one of the most famous descendants, Pavel Pavlovich Demidov, Prince of San Donato, belongs to the sixth generation. This man left a deep and vivid mark on the history of Russia.
Childhood and youth
This outstanding man was born in 1839, on October 9, in the city of Weimar. His father was Pavel Nikolaevich Demidov, a hereditary nobleman and a mining industrialist, a philanthropist and just a very intelligent person, who died about two years after the birth of the heir. The mother was Aurora Chenval - a hereditary noblewoman and also a very educated woman.
Pavel Pavlovich Demidov received an excellent education, but unfortunately, there is not much information about his childhood. But it is known that he successfully entered the University of St. Petersburg at the Faculty of Law in 1856, having completed his studies four years later, having received a candidate’s degree. Immediately after graduation, the future philanthropist chose to leave his homeland and moved to Paris. There he continued his education, but already under the guidance of famous people - Frank, Labule and Baudrillard.
Family life
Pavel Demidov married exactly two times, which is not surprising given the realities of that time. Princess Maria Elimovna Merescherskaya became his first wife in 1867, but the marriage was unsuccessful. For the girl herself, this wedding was by no means coveted, but Pavel Pavlovich Demidov simply burned with love and immediately decided to give birth to heirs. While he was waiting for the first-born, his wife gradually died away, and after the birth of her son in the summer of 1868, she completely died. The boy was named Elim - in honor of the rare name of the father of his first wife. But no matter how Paul was expecting a child, the death of his beloved woman drove him into a deep depression, he no longer hoped for happiness.
Maria Elimovna was originally buried in the family crypt of her own family in Paris. And in honor of her heartbroken husband became the founder of a shelter for disadvantaged and poor women, calling him “Maria”.
Three years after the death of his first wife, Prince Demidov married again. The choice fell on Princess Elena Petrovna Trubetskoy, from whom later he had five children. The wedding year was 1791, and already in 1792 the firstborn was born - Nikita, the name was given in honor of the great grandfathers. But after a year and a half, the long-awaited girl appears. It was named after her grandmother - Aurora.
In the same year, the Prince and his family moved to Italy, where he bought the estate of Pratolino, on which at the time of creation (second half of the 16th century) the great architect Buontalenti worked for Francesco the First Medici, Duke of Florence. But the estate itself went to the Demidov family in a deplorable state. Throughout the area - 1.5 square meters. km devastation and chaos reigned, instead of fountains and statues there were only piles of stones and desolation.
Having bought the residence of Pratolino, the family began to work actively to recreate its former splendor. Everything that is possible is being restored, materials are being purchased and new buildings are being built, and a monument to the ancestor of the dynasty, Nikolai Demidov, made of Carrara marble, is being installed on the site of the old palace.
Career
After the death of his first wife, Pavel Demidov moves to Vienna, where he enters the service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in addition, he was ranked as an embassy. But abroad, he did not like it, and he returns to his homeland, where he becomes a modest adviser to the provincial government. Again not for long.
Soon the prince decided to move to Kiev, where he became a justice of the peace, and already in 1870 and the head of the city. At the same time, his uncle, Anatoly Demidov, was dying, bequeathing to his beloved nephew all his fortune and the title of Prince San Donato.
In 1877, during the war with Turkey, the Demidovs again returned to their homeland, to Kiev, where they took an active part in helping citizens. The prince himself spares neither his own health nor money, sending help to all those in need.
Death
The famous man died in 1885, having managed to do a lot for the homeland. During his lifetime, he financed many benefits such as pensions and bonuses to certain categories of citizens. At his expense, several educational and charitable institutions were built at the Nizhny Tagil plant, colleges and schools, chambers and pharmacies, hospitals. He never spared money for those in need, he never refused help if he saw that it was really needed. Great was a man.