20th Century
When Prince Nicholas Yusupov II died in 1891, he was succeeded by his daughter, Zinaida, who was considered a legendary beauty at the time, as well as one of the richest women in the country. Her suitors included the crown prince of Bulgaria. Princess Zinaida Nikolaievna Yusupova (September 2, 1861, Saint Petersburg, Russia - November 24, 1939, Paris, France) married Count Felix Felixovich Sumarokov-Elston (October 5, 1856, Saint Petersburg, Russia - June 10, 1928, Rome, Italy), General Governor of Moscow (1914–1915), son of Count Felix Nikolaievich Sumarokov-Elston. They married on April 4, 1882 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. After his father-in-law died, Felix was granted special permission from Tsar Alexander III of Russia to carry the title Prince Yusupov and Count Sumarokov-Elston and to pass it to his and Zinaida's heir. Prince Felix was appointed adjutant to the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich in 1904 and commanded the Cavalry of the Imperial Guards. In 1914 he was appointed Governor General of Moscow. At the beginning of World War I the Yusupovs owned more than 100,000 acres (400 km²) of land and their industries included sugarbeet factories, brick plants, saw-mills, textile and cardboard factories, mines and distilleries, in addition to more than 16 palaces and estates.
The older son of Zinaida and Felix Sumarokov-Elston, Nikolay Felixovich Yusupov (1883–1908) was killed in a duel at the age of 26 . The last Yusupov Prince was Prince Felix Yusupov II, Count Sumarokov-Elston, the younger son of Zinaida and Felix Sumarokov-Elston, who is famous for his involvement in the murder of Gregory Rasputin. Felix Yusupov II married Princess Irina, niece of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II. After the murder of Rasputin he was exiled to Crimea, but returned to St. Petersburg in 1917 to find the city in massive disorder after the February Revolution. He took with him some of his most precious paintings by Rembrandt and jewellery. In April 1919, he left Russia for good to Paris. He was the last Yusupov prince. His daughter, Irina, married Count Sheremetev's descendant. They moved to Greece with their children, although recently they were granted Russian citizenship by the Russian President.
Read more about this topic: House Of Yusupov
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