- Meshchersky
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The coat of arms of the Meshchersky family.
Meshchersky is a princely family whose title was recognized by the Russian Empire.
Contents
Origin
Its origin is from the medieval independent rulers of the Meshchera tribe. This family was somewhat arbitrarily grouped in documentation together with Tatar princely families of the Russian Empire. The neighboring Tatar kingdom subjugated lords of the Meshchera tribe under its suzerainty, and some of them converted to Islam and bore Muslim-like first names; but soon, under Russian subjugation, subsequent generations converted to the Eastern Orthodox faith and used Slavic Christian names. The family was listed in the first part of the Registers of the Nobility of Russia, which became formalized in the 19th century or earlier.
The book Notice sur les principales familles de la Russie does not mention the Meshchersky family at all, which may be attributable to the well-established animosity towards the Meshcherskys of its author, Prince Pyotr Dolgorukov.
Estates
The Meshcherskys had estates particularly in Ukraine, examples of their lands being at: Pokrovskoe, Petrovskoe, Lotoshino, and the Vesholi-Podol Palace in Poltava. The estate of Petrovskoye-Alabino, near Moscow, is currently claimed by Yevgeniy Meshchersky.
Members
The second marriage of the elderly Prince Alexander Vasilievich Meshchersky (died 1903) produced a male child, Prince Vyacheslav Alexandrovich (born 1898). His daughter from the first marriage, Natalia Meshcherskaya, became Duchess of Sasso-Ruffo.
External links
- Descendants of Meshchersky at Genealogics - Early stages in the Family Tree of the Meshchersky princely house - the tree can be browsed further there
Categories:- Russian nobility
- Russian noble families
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