The Barclays de Tolly (Russian: Баркла́й-де-То́лли) are a Baltic German noble family. They descend from Peter Barclay, a merchant from Banff in Scotland who emigrated to Rostock in 1621. Barclay was himself descended from the barons of Towie or Tollie in Aberdeenshire. His son, Johann Stephan Barclay, settled in Riga and became the ancestor of the Livonian branch of the family.[2]

Barclay de Tolly
Coat of arms of the Barclay de Tollys
Arms of Prince Barclay de Tolly
Parent houseClan Barclay[1]
CountryRussian Empire
TitlesPrince
MottoВерность и терпение
("Loyalty and patience")
The coat of arms of Prince Barclay de Tolly-Weymarn

Weinhold Gotthard Barclay (1734–1781), Johann Stephan's grandson, became a poruchik in the Russian Army and was the first of his family to be accepted into the Russian nobility. He was married to Margaretha Elisabeth von Smitten (1733–1771), and they had four sons: Emil Johann, a General in the Russian service; B. Michael Bogdanovitch; C. Andrei Bogdanovitch, a Colonel; and Michael Bogdanovitch (known as Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly), a very prominent military commander who was made a count in 1813 and a prince in 1815 by Alexander I of Russia.

After the extinction of the original princely line upon the death in 1871 of Prince Michael's son, Magnus, Alexander II of Russia allowed Prince Michael's sister's grandson (through female lineage), Alexander von Weymarn, to assume the title of Prince Barclay de Tolly-Weymarn in 1872.[3]

Notable family members

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Sources

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Josselson, M., & Josselson, D. (1980). The commander : a life of Barclay de Tolly. Oxford University Press.

Notes

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  1. ^ In Russian: Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli Cyrillic: Михаи́л Богда́нович Баркла́й-де-То́лли
  1. ^ "Scottish Influences in Russian History" (PDF).
  2. ^ Barclay, Hubert F. (1933). A History of the Barclay Family. London: St Catherine Press. pp. 279–80.
  3. ^ "Genealogisches Handbuch der Oeselschen Ritterschaft, Seite 442". personen.digitale-sammlungen.de.
  4. ^ "Weymarn, Alexander Magnus Friedrich v., seit 31. Mai 1872 Fürst Barclay de Tolly-W.". Retrieved 8 November 2018. In: BBLD – Baltisches biografisches Lexikon digital Göttingen 2012-