Famous Last Will and Testament Russian Leo Tolstoy

About the last will and testament of famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy.

WHERE THERE'S A WILL

LEO TOLSTOI, Russian author, died 1910

Last Will: To Tolstoi, being a good provider meant caring for the masses ahead of one's own needy family. In a charade of legalistic red tape and in the face of bitter opposition from his wife and sons, he wrote five wills before his final one in 1910. Extreme domestic discord accompanied his decision to bequeath all papers and copyrights to his youngest daughter, Sasha, who was directed to turn them over "to the people." It was an idealistic move designed to implement Tolstoi's contempt for personal inheritance. Daughter Sasha later bought the large family estate from her mother and brothers and gave the land to the peasants, according to her father's wishes.