Leo Tolstoy (Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy)

Leo Tolstoy was born at Yasnaya Polyana, the family estate located approximately 200 kilometers south of Moscow in Tula Province. His birth occurred into one of Russia's most aristocratic families—his ancestors had been granted nobility by Peter the Great, and the Tolstoys had served in...

Following his departure from military service, Tolstoy devoted himself fully to literature. Petersburg, where he became associated with the progressive journal *The Contemporary* and its editor, Nikolai Nekrasov.

*War and Peace* stands as one of the supreme achievements of world literature. At over 1,200 pages in standard editions, with more than 550 fictional characters and dozens of historical figures, the novel redefined the possibilities of prose fiction.

Beyond their public achievements, Leo Tolstoy's personal life reveals a complex and multifaceted individual whose private experiences have shaped their public persona.

Leo Tolstoy's relationships with contemporaries provide insight into the social and intellectual networks that shaped their era. These connections influenced their work and legacy.