Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoj was born on September, 5th (on old style on August, 24th) 1817 in St.-Petersburg. Its father occured from an ancient and known sort Thick (the Lion Thick on this line is necessary Alexey the second cousin). Its mother, a beauty Anna Alekseevna Perovskaya, studying A.K. Razumovsky's column, has left in 1816 in marriage for elderly Konstantin Petrovicha Tolstogo's column. Marriage was unhappy; between spouses there was an open break. After a birth of the son spouses dispatch, mother has taken away it in Malorossiu to the brother A.A. Perovskomu known in the literature under a name of Antoniya Pogorelsky. Here, in manors Pogorelcs and the Red Horn, has passed the childhood Thick. The uncle was engaged in education of the future poet, it in every possible way encouraged its art propensities and specially for it has composed a known fairy tale « the Black hen, or Underground inhabitants ». Per 1826 Thick with mother and the uncle has gone to Germany; in its memory visiting in Weimar Goethe and that it sat at the great old man in a lap was especially sharply embodied. The extreme impression was made on it by Italy, with its works of art. "We have begun ", it writes to curriculum vitaes, " from Venice where my uncle has made significant purchases in old palace Grimani. From Venice we have gone to Milan, Florence, Rome and Naples, - and in each of these cities my enthusiasm and love to art so after returning to Russia I have run in present " homesickness ", in any despair owing to which I in the afternoon nothing wished to eat grew in me, and at night sobed, when dreams carried away me in my lost paradise ".

Then the boy have transported to Petersburg. At means Zhukovskogo it has been presented to the successor of a throne, the future emperor Alexander II, and it has appeared among children come to cesarevitch on Sundays for games (subsequently between them the warmest attitudes were kept). Perovsky on a regular basis went with the nephew abroad, acquainting it with local sights, once has presented its Goethe. To the most death in 1836 the uncle remained the main adviser in literary experiences of the pupil. It also showed products of young man Zhukovskomu and to Pushkin with which consisted in friendly attitudes, – and there are certificates, that they have been approved. All significant enough condition Perovsky bequeathed to the nephew.

Having received good house preparation, Thick in 1834 acts in number so-called « archival young men », consisting at Moskovsk the main archive of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In 1835 it has passed the examinations on a grade at Moskovsk university. Per 1837-1840 was registered at Russian diplomatic mission in Frankfurt am Main, but it is very fast after purpose has obtained holiday and time spent partly to Russia, partly on new foreign travel. Having returned to Petersburg, with 1840 was registered at II branch of imperial office. In 1843 has received a court grade of chambers-unkera, in 1851 – the master of ceremony.

In 1840th Thick conducted a life of the brilliant secular person, affording risky jokes and the leprosies, descended to it from hands owing to protection of cesarevitch. However also its serious literary activity then begins. The first publication – the fantastic story «Vampire» (1841, under pseudonym Krasnogorsky) has noted been by Belinsky.

With 1854 in "Contemporary" there are verses Kozm Prutkova. This mask of the stupid and vainglorious bureaucrat has been thought up in the beginning of 50th Thick and its cousins Alexey, Alexander and Vladimir Zhemchuzhnikovymi. Then thick has started to publish the lyrics. In the end of 50th it cooperates in Slavophile to " Russian conversation », then in « the Russian bulletin » and « the Bulletin of the Europe ».

In the winter 1850-1851 Thick has met on ball Sofia Andreevnu Miller, the wife the colonel. The rough novel, marked by its fast leaving from the husband was fastened. The husband, however, long did not give divorce, against this novel also mother Thick sharply objected. Therefore marriage Thick with Sofia Andreevnoj has been concluded only in 1863 Practically all its love lyrics addressed to it – including, the poem devoted to their first meeting « Among noisy ball, is casual …».

In 1855, during the Crimean war, Thick tries to organize a special voluntary home guard, but it is not possible to it, and it acts in number of hunters so-called « shooting a shelf of the Imperial surname ». Participations in military actions to it and should not be accepted, but it hardly does not die of the severe typhus which has carried away about Odessa a significant part a shelf.

In 1856, in day of crowning of Alexander II, Thick has been appointed a wing-aide-de-camp. Soon, because of unwillingness to remain in military service, has been put егермейстером (the chief of huntsmen of imperial hunting). In this rank, not bearing any service, it remained to the death; only short time was it a member of committee about dissenters. Career Thick developed successfully; thus it was able to keep internal independence, to follow own principles. Thick has helped to release from the reference to Central Asia and from soldier's duty Tarasa Shevchenko; has made everything that Turgeneva have released from the reference for the necrologue of memory of Gogol. Tell, that when Alexander II has asked once Alexey Konstantinovicha: « That is done in the Russian literature? », that has answered: « the Russian literature has put on mourning in occasion of unfair condemnation Cherneshevskogo ».

However career court and the politician was Thick not on a shower. Overcoming resistance of the people baked about its future (in particular, the emperor), it in 1859 has achieved indefinite leave, and in 1861 – full resignation (this everyday collision has found expression in a poem "John Damaskin"). Now it lives mostly abroad, in the summer on different resorts, in the winter in Italy and Southern France, but long happens also in the Russian manors – Pustenke (near Petersburg) and the Red Horn. ............