Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy

Count Fyodor Ivanovich Tolstoy, also known as "the American", was a Russian nobleman from the well-known Tolstoy family. Possessed of an unusual temper, he became famous for his gambling, his passion for duels, and his supposed voyage to North America, from which he earned his nickname. He was acquainted with many famous authors of his period and served as a prototype for some of the characters in their works.