Stroganov family

Arms of Count Stroganov.

Stroganov Palace in St Petersburg.

The House of Stroganov or Stroganoff also known as the Stroganov family were a Russian noble family that were very powerful and often involved in the politics of the time. They even financed some military campaigns which shows how rich they were. During the Great Northern War of 1700–1721, the Stroganovs gave sizable financial support to the government of Peter the Great. Because of this, Alexander Grigoriyevich, Nikolay Grigoriyevich, and Sergei Grigoriyevich were raised to the rank of baron in 1722 and later to that of Count. The head of the family was called Count Stroganov and his wife Countess Stroganova. Extremely wealthy after the Russian Revolution of 1917 the Stroganov family emigrated with the White movement and all family property in Russia was nationalized. Even though they had much political influence they were also merchants in their own right. They were great rivals of the Counts Vorontsov as well as the Counts Sheremetev.

Namesakes

1. The "Stroganov School" - conventional name for the last major Russian icon-painting school, which thrived under the patronage of the fabulously rich Stroganov family of merchants in the late 16th and 17th century.
2. Stroganov Palace in St Petersburg. The main family residence built by the famous Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli from 1753 to 1754.
3. "Beef Stroganoff" a Russian dish including beef.