Repnin
Repnin (), the name of an old
Russian
princely family of
Rurikid stock. The family traces its name to Prince Ivan Mikhailovich
Obolensky (+1523), nicknamed
Repnya, i.e., "bad porridge". Like other princes Obolensky, he descended from
Mikhail Vsevolodovich, prince of
Chernigov, who, in
1246, was assassinated by the
Mongols.
Notable members of the family include:
*Princess
Elena Mikhailovna Repnina was crowned the Russian
tsarina together with her husband
Vasily Shuisky in
1606; but her husband scandalously divorced her the following year in order to marry a younger woman.
*Prince
Boris Aleksandrovich Repnin, a
boyar since
1639, who managed a number of
prikazes, governed
Astrakhan in 1643-46 and
Smolensk in 1656-59, and frequently presided over the
Boyar Duma in the absence of the tsar. He died on
17 May,
1670 in
Moscow.
*Prince
Anikita Ivanovich Repnin (1668-1726), his grandson, who was one of the Russian commanders during the
Great Northern War, ending his military career as Field Marshal and Minister of Defense.
*Prince
Vasily Anikitovich Repnin (1696-1748), the latter's son, who was the tutor of
Peter III of Russia and director of the Cadet Corps. He was the commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the
Rhenish expedition of 1748, was instrumental in bringing about the
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), but died on his way home.
*Prince
Nikolay Anikitovich Repnin (1734-1801), the latter's son, probably the most illustrious member of the family, noted for his involvement in the Polish affairs and his decisive actions during the
Russo-Turkish Wars. He had three daughters and a natural son (
Ivan Pnin) but no legitimate male heir, hence
Alexander I permitted his grandson Prince Nikolai
Volkonsky to take the name Repnin and coat of arms of his grandfather. His descendants are known as Princes Repnin-Volkonsky.
*
Website of the Repnin family*
Repnin family pedigree*
Genealogy and biographies
