The Chichagovs' Noble Clan

The Chichagovs' Noble Dynasty

The Chichagovs' Noble Dynasty, whose origin dates back to the XV-th century, is one of the most ancient and most far-flung branch-network in Russia. The roots of this family are found in Kostroma region where a good many Chichagovs still live. From time immemorial the Chichagovs' Family Russian branches existed in Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, Smolensk, Tver, Nizhnij Novgorod and other places. Social cataclysms of the past, wars and revolutions have split the Family Tree of the Chichagovs and caused its descendants to scatter all over Russia and beyond. Nowadays, the Chichagovs' descendents can be found in France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, USA, Canada and other countries.

"Lack of respect to ancestors is a sure sign of savagery and immorality". These words were spoken by A.S. Pushkin in XIX-th century and they have not lost their significance to this day. The restoration of historic memory of Clans of Russian nobility, half-forgotten at present, but celebrated in the past, is now a matter of particular importance. We in Russia consider it our duty to do everything possible to restore already significantly lost ties among the Chichagovs' Family descendents. It is not only we who need to restore these ties; it should be done for the sake of our children and grandchildren to whom we must pass on loyalty to the memory of our great ancestors.

Many a glorious pages have been written into the history of Russia by descendents of the Chichagovs' Dynasty. Among them are Admiral Vassily Y. Chichagov, who glorified himself as the earliest explorer of the Arctic Sea Route and a famous navy commander during Catherine the Great's reign; his son Admiral Pavel V. Chichagov, Russia's first Minister of Navy and a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 against Napoleon's invasion; Nikifor P. Chichagov, Councillor of State, an author of fundamental historic publications and a close associate of Michail M. Speransky, a famous Russian reformer; Nickolai I. Chichagov, an outstanding Moscow architect, who supervised the construction of the Great Palace in the Kremlin, and his sons who followed their father's footsteps and became famous Russian architects. Architect Dimitry N. Chichagov epitomized the "Russian Style" in architecture and built many government offices in Russia, including the building of the Moscow State Council (Duma). Architect Mikhail N. Chichagov is remembered in Russian architectural history as a "theater architect" who designed and constructed theater buildings in Moscow, Samara, and Voronezh.

A special place in the cohort of glorious representatives of Chichagovs' Family belongs to Leonid M. Chichagov, a Guards Colonel of the Russian Army, a veteran of Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) who gave up his brilliant military career in the name of service to the Russian Orthodox Church; made his way to the top level of the Church hierarchy- a Metropolitan and, eventually, laid down his life for the Faith and Church and was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church for his deeds as a Martyr-Saint.

Among these historic personalities there were people who shared different political views, but none of them ever compromised their conscience or stained their family honour or the honour of a citizen of their Motherland. The inspiring example set by the outstanding sons and daughters of Russian nobility and addressing the sources of their patriotism and their allegiance to spiritual values of Christianity, historic traditions of their loyalty to the Duty towards their Motherland, where they were born and their ancestors rest in peace, should provide formidable support for us in Russia and contribute to the Spiritual Resurrection and Development of our country.

In order to read Russian books about some of Chichagovs' Family go here.

It is high time to start building a bridge connecting the heroic past and present in order to find proper guidance for the future. It is in this context one should consider the activities of the Charity Foundation of the Chichagovs' Noble Family, which was established in 1999 in Moscow.

Read more about The Foundation.