Ancestors & family tree

V.I. Talanin is a descendant of the ancient Russian aristocratic family. At present, a continuous direct male ascending line of kinship in 34 generations has been studied in detail. In addition, many side branches from the main genus have been investigated.

In V-X centuries (until 946) the ancestors were the ruling pre-varangian dynasty of the Russian state (Seslavich dynasty, the so-called “Drevlian principality” of Russian chronicles or “State of Dir” by Arab authors). In 946 the last Grand Prince (G.P.) Niszkina was overthrown by the Varangian Rurik dynasty. From marriage the G.P. Svyatoslav I [969-972] with Princess Mala was born Vladimir I Saint [980-1015], whose descendants are all subsequent Rurikids. From the elder brother of Princess Mala – Dobrynia (Dobroslav) Niskinich – the male branch of the clan went: the descendants of the older brother (Dobrynia) always have a genealogical seniority to the descendants of the younger sister (Mala).

Until the 1130s, Niskinichi were hereditary posadniki in Veliky Novgorod. Then, as a result of the victory of the opposition, they lost their hereditary power becoming one of the main Novgorod boyars clans (the Nerevsky district). In X-XII centuries women from the Niskinich clan married to European monarchs. The granddaughter of Dobrynia Niskinich became the mother of the Hungarian kings Andrew I [1046-1060] and Bela I [1060-1063], i.e., all subsequent members of the Arpad dynasty. The descendant of Dobrynya Nyskinich in the fifth knee, Euphrosyne Mstislavna (daughter of G.P. Mstislav I [1125-1132]), became the wife of the Hungarian king Geza II [1141-1162]. Her daughters were married to the Czech Přemyslid dynasty, Babenberg, Petralif-Komnin, and Wittelsbach families, which taking into account the cross marriages of the Arpads, means bonds with virtually all sovereign dynasties of Europe. In particular, the great-granddaughter of Euphrosyne — Yolande, the queen (1235) of Aragon — became the mother of Isabella, the queen (1270) of France. The her granddaughter was Isabella, the queen (1308) of England, the mother of the English king Edward III [1327-1377] (this king became the ancestor of all subsequent British monarchs up to the present). At the beginning of the XIII century the descendants of the Novgorodian Niskinich’s along the male line are migrated in the Hungarian kingdom, and they founded the noble family Orrus (Oros, Orozi). The descendants of this genus became in the XIV-XV centuries the German genus von Naso and Polish genus Nasuta (whose descendants are currently living in Poland and Belarus). Also a descendant of this genus became the Hungarian genus Tisza de Borosjenő.

In pre-Mongol period of Russian history the Niskinich’s actively patronized the processes of Russian chronicling and the creation of medieval literature in the form of Russian epics, which were examples of classical skaldic poetry. The famous Novgorod-Seversky tysyatsky Raguil Dobrynich, who became the author of «The Tale of Igor’s Campaign», was a direct descendant of Dobrynya Niskinych in the fifth generation and uncle of Euphrosyne Mstislavna. In addition, in XII-XIII centuries the Novgorod Niskinich’s professionally engaged in military affairs, leading military units which became the prototype of the later army special forces. In 1320 they founded the famous Novgorod ushkuiniks movement. In particular, during the first campaigns of ushkuiniks their first ruler boyarin Luka Varfolomeyevich (d. 1342/1343) colonized and assigned Dvina land to the Novgorod principality.

In the first half of the XIII century the Novgorod Niskinich’s in the person of Nerevsky boyars of Malyshevich family actively supported the Vladimir-Suzdal Rurikids, retaining Veliky Novgorod in a common all-Russian field and becoming the local pillar of G.P. Alexander Nevsky in his struggle with Western Europe. A member of this family was canonized in 1461 as St. Barlaam of Khutyn (in XV-XVI centuries he was the spiritual patron of Moscow Rurikids). And also belonged to the general genus such hierarchs as prominent at one time as: 1) Dobrynya Yadreykovich (Barlaam of Khutyn second-cousin nephew), Anthony as a monk, and the second abbot of the Novgorod Khutyn monastery [1208/1209 – 1210] (the founder and the first abbot of this monastery was Barlaam of Khutyn [1180s – 1208/1209]); he is also the Archbishop of Novgorod [1210-1218, 1226-1228, 1228-1229] and the Bishop of Przemysl [1219-1225]; 2) St. Xenophon of Robeika (uncle of Barlaam of Khutyn canonized in XIV century), third abbot of Khutyn monastery [1210-1230], founder and first abbot of Xenophontos Robeika monastery [1230-1262].

The southern branch of Niskinich’s (Galician branch) pursued a policy similar to that of the Novgorod branch. Galician Niskinich’s in 1205-1245 actively fought with Daniil Romanovich, Prince of Volyn. Galician Niskinich’s were headed, according to annals, by the famous family of Kormilchich’s. However, in 1240s their struggle ended in defeat, due to which South Russia was captured and divided between Lithuania and Poland.

After the cessation of the inner Novgorod wars for higher power the Novgorod Niskinich’s in the person of the Nerev boyar families of Mishinichi and Ontsiforovichi from 1272 to 1471 regularly occupied the post of Novgorod posadnik. Simultaneously, from 1270 to 1478, the family of the Mishiniches, then Grigorievichs (since 1300s), and then the Ontsiforovichs (since 1351/1352) were hereditary governors of Korel land in Novgorod principality. In 1384 the boyar Yuri Ontsiforovich became the founder city of Yam (later Yamburg, modern Kingisepp).

After reunification of Novgorod with Moscow (1478) the Korel governor was deprived of his post but remained under the Moscow governor as Karelian ruler until 1499/1500. Members of Ontsiforovich family in 1478 were left in Veliky Novgorod in the status of boyars, while the family of Mishinich’s was repressed through executions and exile, and the family of Grigorievich’s was repressed by transferring it from the category of boyars to black peasantry. The descendants of the boyars Grigorievich’s are living up to this day in the Arkhangelsk region (Dvina land) as families of Amosovs, Lent’evs, Kologrivovs, Onezhsky Klyucharyovs.

In 1499/1500 all the previously not repressed old-Novgorod boyars were deprived of boyar status but were ranked among the all-Russian noble category. In 1540s this category was reformed: the governance took their lands which they owned along patrimonial right but then returned it along landed right. As reform result many descendants of the old-Novgorod nobility for one reason or another were not included in the official Russian nobility. Thus, the direct descendants of the last Korel’s governor in the third knee became large Novgorod merchants (usurers, silk merchants and expensive clothes), and also in the 1570s repeatedly held the position of a tselovalnik (a member of city government elected by voting from merchants and craftsmans).

In 1579/1580 all descendants of Ontsiforovich family moved to Nizhny Novgorod where merchant Lukyan Leontievich became the founder of village Bogorodskoye (modern city of Bogorodsk, Nizhny Novgorod region) and his elder brother, the monk Porfiry, founded and became the first abbot of the Nizhny Novgorod Descent of the Holy Spirit monastery [1579/1580 — 1600/1604]. The descendants of the eldest son of the merchant Lukyan began to live in Nizhny Novgorod ordinary citizens. The grandson of the merchant Lukyan (from the second son of Lukyan) Kuzma Minin became a Russian national hero, the Savior of Fatherland. Members of his clan branch moved to Moscow and having founded the noble genuses of Minin and Voinov. The descendants of the three younger sons of the merchant Lukyan remained to live in the Bogorodsky village in the status of peasants as well as white priests at the church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and founding the local families of the Tretyakov, Popov, Talanin, Proskuryakov/Proskurnikov, Ponomarevs. The Talanin family was hereditary priests at this church until 1711–1715 when the break-up of traditional Russian society from Tsar Peter I [1682-1725] forced them to become landowner peasants. A descendant of the last priest Afanasy Vasilievich (d. after 1722) in 10th generation is a V.I. Talanin.

Since 1720s the Bogorodsk Talanins were listed in the intra-estate category of “commercial peasants” and by 1820 owned the tannery. Since 1860s the Bogorodsk Talanins became merchants of 2nd guild. The direct great-grandfather of V.I. Talanin in the male line in 1917 for awarding the Order of St. George restored the hereditary nobility.

All known genealogical lineage for 34 generations are shown on the corresponding charts.

0-1. Seslav, G.P. Russian [ca. 450/470s – up to 502/504] is the main prototype of the epic characters «Volkh Vseslavich» and «Volga». As a monarch he fought against the Byzantine possessions in the Bosporus (present-day Taman and Kerch), and conquering them, and dying there ca. 502/504.

0-2. Boguslav (I) («Bozgh») Seslavich, G.P. [up to 502/504 – after 536] is the main prototype of the epic character «Ilya Muravlenin» (later «Ilya Muromets»). Reflected by Saxo Grammaticus under the name of «Bous Russian». As a monarch he controlled the Byzantine possessions in the Bosporus until ca. 519/520, and also helped the Italian Ostrogoths in their wars with Byzantium.

0-3. Vladimir Seslavich, G.P. [after 536 – up to 568/570] is the main prototype of the epic character  «Vladimir Red Sun»; reflected by Thidreksaga under the name of «Valdemar Russian», and by Saxo Grammaticus under the name of «Olimar Russian». As a monarch he actively fought with Byzantium and helped the Italian Ostrogoths. 

0-4. Dobroslav (Dobrynya) («Dobreta») Vladimirovich, G.P. [up to 568/570 – 612/620] referred to as the real Samoderzshets (or Autocrat) of Sklavins in Byzantine sources ca. 568/570. As a monarch he actively fought with Byzantium and the Avar Kaganate but was forced to make peace with both opponents.

0-5. name unknown, G.P. [612/620 – after 626]. As a monarch he resumed from 620 the war with Byzantium and the Avars, and contributed to the creation of the Slavic «state of Samo», as a buffer between the Russian state and the Avar Khaganate. 

0-6. name unknown, G.P. [after 626 – 670s]. As a monarch he presumably died as a result of a sharp breakthrough of the Avars deep into the Russian Polesie up to the area of the present Krakow ca. 672/675.

0-7. Radoslav, G.P. [670s – 710/720s], reflected in Western-Russian fairy tales under the name «Radar the Plowman». Winner of the legendary Polish fairytale character «Wawel Dragon». As a monarch he stopped the invasion of the Avars («Wawel Dragon») into Polesie, and expelling them and defeating their satellites, the Poles-Wislans. 

0-8. name unknown, G.P. [710/720s – 740/750s]. As a monarch he presumably died as a result of the beginning of the Khazar expansion, which led to the loss of the Middle Dnieper region and the Kiev Mountains area by the Russian state.

0-9. Svyatoslav («Bravlin»), G.P. [740/750s – 770/790s]. In «Vita of St. Stefan from Suroz» he reflected under the name of «Prince Bravlin». As a monarch he began an active war with Byzantium, which was the patroness of the Khazars. 

0-10. Boguslav (II), G.P. [770/790s – after 838] is the second prototype of the epic character «Ilya Muravlenin» in a specific part of the Russian epos, conventionally reflected by poem «Ilya Muromets and Zhidovin». As a monarch he defeated the Khazar kaganate (the epic struggle against the «Zhidovins»), and defeated the domestic renegade-satellites of the Khazars (so-called «Volyntsev archaeological culture») in the 820s, and then he self-proclaimed himself «kagan» («emperor»).

1. Vysheslav («Dir»), G.P. [840s – 870/880s] reflected in Russian chronicles under the name of «Prince Dir». As a monarch he continued the confrontation with Khazaria and Byzantium; during his reign, the Rus campaign against Constantinople took place in 860. He inflicted a major defeat on the Pechenegs in 870s.

2. Borislav («Askold») Vysheslavich, G.P. [870/880s – 900/910s] reflected in Russian chronicles under the name of «Prince Askold». In 880s he rebuilt a small guard post on the Kiev Mountains into a large river port, in fact, founding the city of Kiev. Between 911 and 920 the Kievan port was captured by the Varangian group, and during this war Borislav presumably died.

2-1. Vladislav Borislavich, G.P. [900/910s – 943/944]. As a monarch he headed the Russian state trying to expel the Varangians from the Kiev Mountains. Since the Varangians were supported by Byzantium, he went for a forced alliance with them, and is mentioned in the Varangian-Byzantine (erroneously considered «Russian-Byzantine») treaty of 938 (erroneously dated 945) under the name «Volodislav». 

3. Velimir Borislavich, in 935 he was mentioned as a participant in a knightly tournament in Magdeburg with the title «princeps Russiae», and he being heir to his older brother. 

4. Niszkin Velimirich, G.P. [943/944 – 946, d. 972/975] (the chronicle «Drevlyan prince Mal»). During the continuous war with the Varangians, he captured and executed their leader Igor but he himself was captured by the latter’s widow, Olga. Olga married her son Svyatoslav and his daughter, which ended the enmity between Seslavichi and Rurikovichi.

5. Dobrynya Nyskinich (935/936 – 997/1001), mentor of G.P. Vladimir I Saint, the first historical Novgorod posadnik [980 — 997/1001], and a historical prototype of the epic hero “Dobrynia Nikitich”.

6. Konstantin Dobrynich, Novgorod posadnik [ca. 1014 – ca. 1030].

7. Ostromir Konstantinovich, Novgorod posadnik [ca. 1052 – after 1064], married to Theophano (d. after 1057), daughter of Vladimir I and Byzantine princess Anna (963-1011) from the Macedonian dynasty.

8. Raguil Ostromirich (b. 1020/30s – d. ?), Novgorod boyar.

9. Dobrynya Raguilovich, Novgorod posadnik [ca. 1116 – 1117].

10. Mal Dobrynich (b. XI c. — d. XII c.), Novgorod boyar.

11. Mikhail Malyshevich (b. up to 1180s – d. after 1199/1205), Novgorod boyar.

11. Yury Mishinich, Novgorod posadnik [1291-1292, 1304-1305].

12. Varfolomey Yuryevich, Novgorod posadnik [1323-1324, 1326-1327, 1331-1332].

13. Luka Varfolomeyevich (d. 1342/1343), Novgorod boyar, founder of the ushkuiniks movement, colonized and assigned Dvina land (future Arkhangelsk region) to Veliky Novgorod.

14. Ontsifor Lukinic (d. 1367), Novgorod posadnik [1350-1354], the actual dictator in Veliky Novgorod who carried out the reforms and voluntarily abdicated.

15. Lukyan Ontsiforovich, governor of Korela land [1400s – 1420s].

16. Leonty Lukyanovich, governor of Korela land [1420s – 1450/60s].

17. Lukyan Leontievich, governor of Korela land [1450/60s – 1478], from 1478 to 1499/1500 was a boyar who unofficially managing Korela land as part of the Novgorod governorship; from 1499/1500 he was deprived of the boyar rank and transferred to the common noble category.

18. Leonty Lukyanovich (d. after 1530-х гг.), nobleman of Novgorod district.

19. Lukyan Leontievich Talan (1510/20s – 1587/1600), nobleman of Novgorod district, between 1540s and 1560s became Novgorod merchant-usurer, Novgorod tselovalnik [1571-1573], moved with his family to Nizhny Novgorod, founded the village Bogorodskoe (1579/1580) — now the Bogorodsk city, Nizhny Novgorod region.

21. Cornelius Lukyanovich (b. up to 1546/1567 – d. 1623/1646), Bogorodsky peasant.

22. Savva Kornilevich Okomor (b. up to 1605/1608 – d. 1667/1678), the sexton of Bogorodsk church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary [before 1621/1623 — until 1646], then peasant.

23. Vasily Savvinovich Talan’, priests of church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary [before 1667 – 1690s].

24. Afanasy Vasilyevich (d. after 1722), priests of church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary [1690s – 1711/1715], then peasant.

25. Vasily Afanasyevich Talanin (before 1701 – 1779), commercial peasant, married to Ustinja Grigorievna (nee Pestova, ca. 1717 — 1777).

26. Ivan Vasilievich Talanin (ca. 1746 – 1810), commercial peasant, married to Marfa Nikitichna (nee Bolshakova, ca. 1749 – 1831).

27. Gavriil Ivanovich Talanin (1774 – 1836), commercial peasant, tannery owner, married to Anna Ivanovna (nee Kukina, ca. 1778 – 1831).

28. Ivan Gavrilovich Talanin (1799 – 1883), commercial peasant with the rank of “single-member” (otherwise “capitalist” or “first-class”), since 1865 merchant of 2nd guild, married to Anastasia Ivanovna (nee Martyukhina, ca. 1796 – 1834).

29. Fedor Ivanovich Talanin (1825 – 1859), commercial peasant with the rank of “single-member”, married to Evdokia Ivanovna (nee Shpenkova, 1823 – 1904).

30. Ivan Fedorovich Talanin (1858 – 1918), merchant of 2nd guild, owner of the planing workshops for leather and fur raw materials, and a wholesaler in leather products; died in the Volunteer Army during liberation of Ekaterinodar from bolsheviks (August, 01-03 (14-16) 1918), married to Anna Fedorovna (nee Chilikina, 1860 – 1920/1921).

Anna Fedorovna Talanina (nee Chilikina, 1860 – 1920/1921), great-great-grandmother (1920)

31. Vasily Ivanovich Talanin (1900 – 1969), graduated from 6 classes of realschule (1917) and accelerated courses of ensigns of the Alexander Military School in Moscow (1917); Kremlin defender from bolsheviks during «bloody Moscow week» (October, 25 (November, 7) – November, 02(15) 1917); the participant of the battles for the liberation from bolsheviks of Rostov-on-Don (November, 26 (December, 09) – December, 02(15) 1917), for which he was awarded the Military Ataman of the Don Cossack Forces A.M. Kaledin on Order of St. George 4th.; pervopohodnik; served in 1st Alekseevsky cavalry regiment of Volunteer Army (1918), staff-captain of cavalry intelligence team of the 1st Officer gen. Drozdovsky Infantry Regiment (autumn 1919), remained in Russia, not evacuated to Crimea after the «Novorossiysk disaster» (March 1920); since 1930s he worked as accountant; married to Sophia Petrovna (nee Zubkova, 1896 — 1971), granddaughter of company-officer of the Warsaw Gendarme Police Department and the daughter of a personal honorary citizen and hereditary noblewoman.

Officers of cavalry intelligence team of the 1st Officer gen. Drozdovsky Infantry Regiment (autumn 1919), lieutenant (in gloves) Mikhail Ivanovich Talanin (1889-1936) and staff-captain Vasily Ivanovich Talanin (1900-1969)

Sophia Petrovna Talanina (nee Zubkova, 1896-1971), great-grandmother (November 1917)

32. Evgeniy Vasilievich Talanin (1926 – 1999), graduated from Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys (1958), moved with his family to the Zaporozhye city (1958), metallurgical engineer of Zaporozhye titanium-magnesium plant; is married to Zinaida Nikolaevna (nee Samokhina, 1918 — 2015), a descendant of the Moscow merchant family of Samokhins (her father’s line) and the Borovsk merchant family of Shcherbakovs ( her mother’s line).

Сalanins family (1957). Standing from left to right: Zinaida Nikolaevna (1918-2015) and Evgeny Vasilyevich (1926-1999) of Talanins. Sit from left to right: Sofia Petrovna (1896–1971), Igor Evgenievich (1952-2022) and Vasily Ivanovich (1900–1969) of Talanins

33. Igor Evgenievich Talanin (1952 — 2022), graduated from Dnepropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute (1975), D.Sc. (2005), Full professor, head of various departments in Zaporozhye universities since 2005; married to Lyubov Ivanovna (nee Nosova, b. 1953), a descendant of Stepan Semyonovich Nosov (before 1855 — after 1884) who were owner of a pencotrepaline plant in Karachev, Orel Province (resettled with his family in Tavrichesky Province, and engaged in cattle breeding), the daughter of Ivan Alexandrovich Nosov (1927 — 2005), the Chief-Engineer of the Repair and Construction Directorate of the Zaporozhye technical hub of republican trunk links [1979-1988].

Lyubov Ivanovna Talanina (nee Nosova) (1976)	Igor Evgenievich Talanin (1976)

Ivan Alexandrovich Nosov (1927-2005)

Talanins family (1979): Lyubov Ivanovna, Vitalyi Igorevich and Igor Evgenievich of Talanins

Talanins family (31.V.2022)	Talanins family (01.VI.2022)