Leo Tolstoy was a Russian writer who was born on September 9, 1828, in Tula province, Russia. He was the fourth of five children born to Count Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy and Countess Mariya Tolstaya. Tolstoy's mother died when he was only two years old, and his father passed away when he was nine. After his parents' deaths, Tolstoy was raised by relatives and educated at home by private tutors.

In 1844, Tolstoy began studying law and oriental languages at the University of Kazan. However, he dropped out of university in 1847 and returned to his family estate in Yasnaya Polyana, where he began to write his first stories. In 1851, he joined the army and served in the Crimean War. This experience would later inspire some of his most famous works, including the novel "War and Peace."

After leaving the military, Tolstoy devoted himself to writing and became one of the most prominent writers in Russia. He is best known for his novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina," which are considered two of the greatest works of literature in history. Tolstoy's writing focused on themes such as love, family, morality, and spirituality.

In addition to his literary work, Tolstoy was also known for his political and social activism. He was a pacifist and a Christian anarchist, advocating for non-violent resistance and rejecting the authority of the state and the church. His views on these topics and his personal lifestyle, which included living a simple and austere life on his estate, made him a controversial figure in Russia.

Tolstoy died on November 20, 1910, at the age of 82. His legacy as a writer and thinker continues to influence literature and philosophy to this day.