Born: 9 September 1828 · Died: 20 November 1910 · Age: 82
Russian novelist who wrote War and Peace and Anna Karenina and later became an influential advocate of non-violence
Did you know?He became a committed pacifist and vegetarian in later life, significantly influencing the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
Quick facts
Date of birth9 September 1828
Date of death20 November 1910
Age at death82
Cause of deathPneumonia
NationalityRussian
BirthplaceYasnaya Polyana, Russia
Occupationwriter, playwright, philosopher
Editor's Take:
Leo Tolstoy wrote two novels that many readers consider the greatest ever written, War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Born into a wealthy aristocratic family, he served as a soldier in the Crimean War, an experience that gave his battle scenes their rare authenticity. His genius was to make vast historical sweeps feel intimate, following hundreds of characters while still capturing the small thoughts that pass through a person's mind. In later life he turned away from wealth and the Church, preaching simple living and peaceful resistance to injustice. He died at a remote railway station after leaving home in old age, as restless at 82 as he had ever been.
Key Milestones
1851: Joins the army in the Caucasus
1855: Writes Sevastopol Sketches from the Crimean War
1869: Completes War and Peace
1877: Completes Anna Karenina
1890s: Becomes a famous advocate of Christian non-violence
1910: Leaves home and dies at Astapovo station
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой, IPA:; 9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential authors of all time.
Leo Tolstoy's birthday is September 9. He was born on September 9, 1828 in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia.
How old was Leo Tolstoy when he died?
Leo Tolstoy died on November 20, 1910, aged 82.
Who shares a birthday with Leo Tolstoy?
Famous people who share Leo Tolstoy's September 9 birthday include Lila Downs, Luka Modrić, Armand-Jean du Plessis, duc de Richelieu, Adam Sandler and Dennis M. Ritchie.
