Leo Tolstoi 1828-1910 In full Lev Nikolayevich, Count Tolstoy Leo Tolstoy was born at Yasnya Polyana, in the Tula Province. His father’s family was new to Russia. The grand duke of Moscow, at the time, gave the name “Tolstoy” to the family. The word “tolstoy”, in russian, literally means fat. His parents died when he was a child, and relatives were left to bring him up. Tolstoy started his studies of law and oriental languages at Kaza University. Dissatisfied with the standard of education he returned in the middle of his studies back to Yasnaya Polyana, and spent then much of his time in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1851 he acc