The picture shows the father of the scientist Pyotr Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky — Pyotr Semyonov. He was born in 1791 on the old estate of Salykovo in Pronsky County. At the age of ten he was placed in a noble boarding school at Moscow University, from which Pyotr Semyonov successfully graduated in 1806 and was granted student status.
In 1809 he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the Izmailovsky Regiment with the rank of warrant officer. Later, Pyotr Semyonov wrote several parodies and plays that enjoyed success among his contemporaries. Together with the Izmailovsky Regiment in the rank of ensign in 1812, he marched to the western border of Russia during the Patriotic War.
The young officer got his baptism of fire in the Battle of Borodino. For this battle Pyotr Semyonov was presented the award of the Golden Sword with the inscription ‘For Bravery’. After the end of fighting, he was given a long leave and it was not until 1815 that he returned to the regiment, where he served for another seven years. In 1816 he received the next rank — lieutenant, four years later he became a captain.
In St. Petersburg, Pyotr Semyonov continued his literary pursuits. His operetta ‘Good Luck from Bad Luck’ was a success in metropolitan theaters for decades. In 1816 in St. Petersburg one of the first secret societies of the future Decembrists appeared — the ‘Union of Salvation’, and Lieutenant Semyonov, who fully shared the views of his comrades, joined its ranks.
After leaving the army, he took over his father’s estate in Ryazanka, and was able to improve the lives of peasants, not only on his own estate, but in the entire Ranenburg county. In 1826 Peter Semyonov became an honorary superintendent of schools in Skopinsky County, and in this position, he did much to improve education in the county.
He died during a trip to his wife’s estate in Tambov Province. Noticing that his servant, who was sitting on the coachbox, was not well, he laid him down in his covered carriage and cared for him all the way. On arrival at the estate, the servant soon recovered, but Pyotr Semyonov showed signs of typhus. His relatives moved him to the neighboring estate of Elizavetino, but he could not recover and died on May 28, 1832. Pyotr Semyonov is buried in the village of Urusovo in the family vault at St. Nicholas Church, which was built according to his design as a monument to participants in the Patriotic War of 1812.
In 1809 he moved to St. Petersburg and joined the Izmailovsky Regiment with the rank of warrant officer. Later, Pyotr Semyonov wrote several parodies and plays that enjoyed success among his contemporaries. Together with the Izmailovsky Regiment in the rank of ensign in 1812, he marched to the western border of Russia during the Patriotic War.
The young officer got his baptism of fire in the Battle of Borodino. For this battle Pyotr Semyonov was presented the award of the Golden Sword with the inscription ‘For Bravery’. After the end of fighting, he was given a long leave and it was not until 1815 that he returned to the regiment, where he served for another seven years. In 1816 he received the next rank — lieutenant, four years later he became a captain.
In St. Petersburg, Pyotr Semyonov continued his literary pursuits. His operetta ‘Good Luck from Bad Luck’ was a success in metropolitan theaters for decades. In 1816 in St. Petersburg one of the first secret societies of the future Decembrists appeared — the ‘Union of Salvation’, and Lieutenant Semyonov, who fully shared the views of his comrades, joined its ranks.
After leaving the army, he took over his father’s estate in Ryazanka, and was able to improve the lives of peasants, not only on his own estate, but in the entire Ranenburg county. In 1826 Peter Semyonov became an honorary superintendent of schools in Skopinsky County, and in this position, he did much to improve education in the county.
He died during a trip to his wife’s estate in Tambov Province. Noticing that his servant, who was sitting on the coachbox, was not well, he laid him down in his covered carriage and cared for him all the way. On arrival at the estate, the servant soon recovered, but Pyotr Semyonov showed signs of typhus. His relatives moved him to the neighboring estate of Elizavetino, but he could not recover and died on May 28, 1832. Pyotr Semyonov is buried in the village of Urusovo in the family vault at St. Nicholas Church, which was built according to his design as a monument to participants in the Patriotic War of 1812.
