Biography
Felix Feliksovich Yusupov, Count Sumarok-Elston, was the last of the famous branch of the princes of Yusupov. He tried to engage in life with many things, but entered the story as one of the killers Grigory Rasputin. Subsequently, being in emigration, Yusupov even wrote about this two books of memories, the fees for which were the main source of its income. In addition, Felix turned out to be one of the first people who managed to win a lawsuit against film companies and get a compensation of moral damage in the form of a rather round sum.
Yusupov was the younger son of Graph Felix Sumarokov-Elston and his spouses Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova. It should be noted that the princess wanted and waited for the daughter, so when Felix was born, she did not treat him as a boy, but dressed in a pink dress, taught to decorations and even taught to paint. A strange whim of the mother put a huge imprint on the last life of this unusual person. Over the years, the main entertainment of Yusupov was the following: in a women's dress, having raised being unrecognized, walk through the boulevard or dine in the restaurant. On the oddities of the "Golden Boy" spoke all Russian to know, he was accused even in homosexuality, although no one had the actual evidence.
Felix graduated from a prestigious private gymnasium, and later Oxford University, where he founded Russian society, as it was always and until the end of the life remained a patriot of his homeland, but solely in the monarchical version. In the young years of Yusupov and his elder brother Nicholas were passionate fans of the theater. Moreover, young people and themselves performed on stage. Eyewitnesses argued that Felix had an outstanding acting talent, which was especially noticeable in the art of reincarnation in other people. And we are not only about a very convincing execution of female roles, but also about creating very realistic images of male characters on the stage - from commoners to Cardinal Richelieu.
At 21, Yusupov unexpectedly turned into a sole heir of the huge family state of his family. The fact is that his elder brother Nicholas died to duel from the hand of Arvida Mandyfel, who thus defended his honor to his wife, seduced by Yusupov-Sr. However, as a further life will show, enjoy wealth to fully Felix was not destined.
Murder Rasputin
In 1916, Felix Yusupov and Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov, his Shurin, together with the State Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich, organized a conspiracy against each other and the approximate Russian emperor Nicholas II - Grigory Rasputin. Felix told later: each of the three men had his own thought that all the misfortunes of Russia began the beginning of the 20th century were related to the name of the "royal elder." When they started discussing, they came to the conclusion - Rasputin must be stopped at any cost. But the initiator and the embodiment of the conspiracy is considered to be USUP.
In the penultimate day of 1916, he invited Grigory Rasputin to his home and under the pretext to show a place where it is usually singing with the guests, lured into the basement. Suggesting Gregory to leave St. Petersburg forever forever and receiving a refusal, Felix took out a gun and fired in Rasputin. The testimony in the office of the investigator of three conspirators will differ significantly from each other and very much with the facts detected by the investigation. Unambiguously, you can only speak that three shots were made in the old man, and later the dead body was taken by car to the Petrovsky bridge and dropped into the river.
The emperor's family was very angry by the act of Yusupov and his accomplices. Most likely, they would be waiting for a death sentence, but because of participation in Prince Dmitry, the investigation was delayed. Meanwhile, Purishevich was sent to the front, Romanov - to Persia, and Prince Felix was expected by home arrest in the genital estate in Kursk province. But the death of Rasputin led to the February, and then the October Revolution, and Yusupov leaves abroad, where in any society it appears primarily as "that murderer." By the way, the man will later write the book-memories "End of Rasputin" and "Memoirs" about these tragic events.
Social activity
It is necessary to emphasize that Yusupov was a patriot and a rather generous man. During World War I, he organized hospitals in St. Petersburg at his own expense. In the first of them, created in the house on Flytein Avenue, Felix worked and himself, until he received permission to go to annual officer courses in the Prazi Corps. Looking ahead, it is worth adding that during World War II, Prince Yusupov will take a very interesting position: he did not want to support the Nazis who took France, but at the same time also categorically responded with a refusal to offer to St. Petersburg, referred to the disposal of the Soviet Union as a state .
After the October Revolution, together with his family, a man leaves Russia forever. At first he settled in Malta, and later he moved to London and already from there to Paris. All the jewels that were able to take out with them, yusupov bought a house in the Boulogo forest on Pierre Genn Street, where Felix lived to the end of life. Interestingly, in their estate in Russia there was still so many property that looting at least a week continued. But, even significantly lunch, Felix continued to help refugees. Together with his mother, he organized a special foundation, and also gave a shelter in his house.
In the 20s of Yusupov, together with his wife, opens the house "Irfé" fashion, which becomes a unique phenomenon for France. The fact is that the models and even the seams in the "Irfé" performed a Countess and Princess, for which the fashionable house of Yusupov was called the most aristocratic. Designers "Irfé" were focused on Russian style, used painting on silk, and the main innovation was the introduction of a completely unprecedented phenomenon - the so-called sports style in casual wear. The takeoff of popularity was so rapid that it can only be compared with an equally instant drop. It was time for the Great Depression, and Felix could not rebuilt and continued to lead a wasteful lifestyle, so the company went bankrupt.
The budget was replenished by issuing a book about Rasputin, as well as at the expense of unprecedented audacity - filing a claim for American film companies "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer". The fact is that Kinokartina "Rasputin and Empress" in 1932 comes to the screens in 1932, which says that the wife of Yusupov was the mistress of Gregory. Felix, who all convinced the uselessness of his actions, sues and manage to prove the unreasonableness and vote of the film scenario. The company "MGM" pays for him 25 thousand pounds sterling, which at the time is considered a huge amount. In addition, this precedent served that now in the movie titers write phrases like "based on the work" and "similarities with real persons are not pre-mental."
Personal life
Young Felix was considered one of the most beautiful men among the Russian nobility. Many of the weak floor representatives went crazy. They rummed that men repeatedly looked at such a showing appearance. But all suspicions of the non-traditional orientation of the Yusupov dispelled, marrying the princess Irina Aleksandrovna Romanova, the native niece of the sovereign Nikolai II. In 1915, the spouses were born daughter Irina, whose godsmen, by the way, became the emperor himself and his wife Empress Maria Fedorovna.
In deep old age, a few months before death, Felix and Irina adopted 18-year-old Mexican Victor Manuel Kontreras. Later, a young man will become famous as a sculptor and artist. His works are decorated with museums of many countries, as well as presented on central squares in North America and in Europe.
By the way, Yusupov himself, too, once tried himself in visual art. After reaching the first edition of the book, the memories of Felix unexpectedly took the mascara and watercolor and created a whole series of infernal portraits under the general name "Monsters". In just a few weeks, they were drawn 15 works, and more Felix never returned to this lesson. It is believed that these portraits are associated with nightmares, who persecuted Yusupov all their lives. About half of these drawings were kept in the Christian Buton Gallery.
Death
The last heir to the famous kind of princes of the Yusupovian age of 80, September 27, 1967 passed away. He was buried in Paris, in the Russian cemetery in the Saint-Geneviev de Boua area, in one grave with his mother Zinaida Nikolaevna. Interestingly, a cross was put on the chest of the mustache, carved from the chips from the coffin of the Great Princess Elizabeth Feodorovna, who was patronized all his life. Felix Yusupov's wife survived her husband for only three years. The absolutely amazing story of the Felix House on Pierre Genn Street. Shortly after the death of Princess Irina Alexandrovna, the house suddenly fell under the ground, reminding witnessing this picture the story of Edgar on the "fall of the house of Ashers".
About Felix Felixovich Yusupov has written many books and a lot of films shot. Almost always, when the history of the sovereign Nikolai II or Grigory Rasputin is shielded, the character of this unusual person is also present. Recently, Vladimir Koshevoy, Philip Yankovsky, James Frein and other actors were depicted on the Felix screen.
Bibliography
- 1927 - End Rasputin
- 1953 - Prince Felix Yusupov. Memoirs