Prince Pyotr Vyazemsky

Poet, critic, memoirist. Father of Prince Pavel Vyazemsky. Born in Moscow (1792) in the family of Prince Andrei Vyazemsky (1754–1807) and Jenny O’Reilly (1762–1802). Studied at boarding schools run by Jesuits and the St Petersburg Pedagogical Institute (1805–07). Moved to Moscow (1808). Taught at home by professors of Moscow University. Founding member of the Arzamas literary group. Expressed his friendship with the Decembrists in such poems as St Petersburg (1818) and Indignation (1820). Wrote articles for The Contemporary. Returned to St Petersburg (1830). Vice-director of the Department of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Finances and manager of the State Loan Bank (1832–49). Headed the Department of Censorship (1856–58). Died in Baden-Baden and buried at the St Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St Petersburg (1878).