YUSUPOV NIKOLAY BORISOVICH (1750–1831)
1814-1831 – Head of the Kremlin Buildings Construction and Maintenance Department, Head of the Workshop and the Armoury Chamber

Prince Nikolay Borisovich Yusupov is famous in Russian history primarily as a statesman, diplomat, art lover and connoisseur, one of Russia's most distinguished collectors and patrons, and the owner of the luxurious Archangelskoye estate in the Moscow suburbs. A considerable part of his life – seventeen years, from July 1814 to July 1831 – was connected with the Moscow Kremlin and the Royal Museum, the Armoury Chamber.

During this voyage, he was introduced to many European monarchs and met eminent scientists and philosophers of the time, as well as famous artists and architects. It was then that his interest in European art arose, and he began to collect art. From 1781, Yusupov held various positions at the court, in public institutions, and in the diplomatic arena. From 1791 to 1799, he was the director of the imperial theatres; in 1796, he took charge of the Imperial Hermitage and the Court Theatre, and was appointed the chief director of the Collegium of Manufactures. In 1800, Nikolay Borisovich resigned from all his posts and went abroad for treatment. During the war of 1812, he was a member of the committee for regulating the food supply of the troops in Moscow. In 1814, he was appointed chief of the Department of Construction and Maintenance of the Kremlin Buildings, head of the Workshop, and the Armoury Chamber. In 1823, he became a member of the Council of State, and in 1826, he was appointed Supreme Marshal for the third time on the occasion of the forthcoming coronation of Nicholas I. The previous two appointments were during the coronations of Paul I and Alexander I.

During his management of the Expedition over the post-war decade, unprecedented restoration work was carried out in the Moscow Kremlin. The Kremlin wall and towers along the Moscow River were restored, and the bell tower of Ivan the Great was repaired. The Assumption Bell Tower and the Filaret annex, completely destroyed during the retreat of the French troops, were rebuilt. The work was overseen by architects O.I. Bovet and I.D. Zhilyardi. Over time, the Chudov and Ascension Monasteries were restored, the interior decoration of the Assumption Cathedral was renewed, and the sacristies of the Kremlin cathedrals gradually filled with new furnishings. In 1814-1815, the building of the Armoury Chamber was refurbished. The interiors of the second floor were restored, and the finishing work was completed by the end of summer 1815. Preparations for the exhibition began.

A significant achievement of Yusupov was the publication of the first guidebook in the history of the Armoury Chamber, prepared at his request by the honorary member of the chamber, writer and publisher P.P. Svinin. The author dedicated this publication to N.B. Yusupov. The guidebook, aimed at a wide audience and providing detailed descriptions of the museum's exhibitions and items, was published in 1826, just before the coronation of Emperor Nicholas I. In matters of managing the accounting and custodial activities of the Armoury Chamber, Yusupov's invaluable experience as a connoisseur of many European museum collections and as an owner of his own artistic and bibliophile collections was evident. In the early years of his leadership of the Armoury Chamber, Yusupov issued orders for reconciling exhibits with the inventory of Soymonov, and a special book was created to record discrepancies in items.

At Yusupov's direction, large-scale restoration work began on items damaged during their evacuation to Nizhny Novgorod in 1812. Significant damage was caused to a large number of exhibits, including weapons, armor, and fabrics. Among the restored items was the double silver throne of Tsars Ivan V and Peter I. In 1825, the sable trim on seven royal crowns was replaced, for which fur was specially ordered.

During Yusupov's tenure as museum director, the collections were significantly enriched with new exhibits. The scientific activities of the Armoury Chamber staff included their systematization and description. The museum was replenished by the orders of emperors. For instance, Alexander I ordered the transfer of the priceless historical relic – the helmet of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich – to the museum. In 1816, six medallions containing strands of hair from the first royal representatives of the Romanov dynasty were transferred to the Armoury Chamber. In 1827, the Maltese Crown was acquired by the Armoury Chamber. That same year, the banner of D.M. Pozharsky was transferred to the museum. After the coronation of Nicholas I, the chamber was enriched with porphyries, heraldic costumes, and other ceremonial items.

Due to their exceptional significance, the exhibits of the Armoury Chamber were constantly used in coronation ceremonies and royal funerals. N.B. Yusupov took an active part in organizing these official state events. He organized mourning ceremonies in February 1826 when the body of Emperor Alexander I was transferred for farewell to the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on its way to St. Petersburg.

In 1826, the already aging N.B. Yusupov took on the responsibilities of preparing the Moscow Kremlin for the coronation of Nicholas I: cleaning and decorating the Kremlin, preparing royal crowns and regalia, polishing the embassy silver for the ceremonial dinner in the Faceted Chamber, etc. The position of N.B. Yusupov required receiving various high-profile guests in the Armoury Chamber. It is known that in July 1829, Yusupov hosted the Persian prince Khozrev-Mirza in the Kremlin, who came to Moscow to apologize following the death of A.S. Griboedov in Tehran. On July 16, the prince toured the Kremlin Palace and the Armoury Chamber, which "greatly piqued his curiosity; he examined everything with great attention and asked for explanations about everything."

On 15 July 1831, at the age of 82, N.B. Yusupov passed away without leaving his post. After his death, a new period began in the history of the Armoury Chamber – a reorganization of the management of the palace property in Moscow was conducted, the Expedition of the Kremlin Construction was abolished, and its functions were transferred to the newly established Moscow Palace Office. From that day forward, the Workshop and the Armoury Chamber were referred to as the Moscow Armoury Chamber. 

DECORATIONS:

Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called
Commander of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
Diamond Signs of the Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called
Order of Saint Vladimir, 1st Class
Mark of Distinction for 50 Years of Impeccable Service
Order of Saint Stanislaus (Poland)