Lenin family

In 1879, Vladimir Lenin, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, was still a young boy living with his family in Russia. He was born in 1870, so in 1879, he would have been nine years old. His family was part of the Russian upper middle class, and they lived in the city of Simbirsk (now Ulyanovsk), which was located on the Volga River.

Lenin's father, Ilya Ulyanov, was a well-educated and respected civil servant in the Russian Empire, holding various administrative positions. His mother, Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova, was a nurturing influence in his life. The Ulyanov family was intellectually inclined and placed great importance on education, which significantly shaped Lenin's future.

In 1879, Lenin's family faced a tragedy. His father, Ilya, passed away in January of that year. This event had a profound impact on young Vladimir, who would later be deeply affected by the loss and it motivated his sense of justice and political ideology. Lenin's mother and his older brother Alexander continued to support and guide him through his education.

At this time, Lenin’s political development had not yet fully emerged, but the death of his father and the subsequent influence of his brother, who was involved in revolutionary activities, would play a role in shaping his eventual ideological path. By the time he reached adulthood, Lenin would become one of the most significant figures in Russian history, leading the October Revolution of 1917 and ultimately establishing Soviet Russia.

Though still young in 1879, Lenin’s early environment in the intellectual and somewhat politically active atmosphere of his family would lay the foundation for the revolutionary leader he would later become.

As for Bashkortostan, which is now a federal subject of Russia, it was at the time a part of the Russian Empire, inhabited predominantly by the Bashkirs. This region, with its mix of ethnic groups, had its own unique political and cultural dynamics, though it was far removed from the Ulyanov family’s immediate world in Simbirsk. However, the broader context of Russia’s regional diversity and tensions would play a role in shaping Lenin's broader view of the Empire and its future revolutionary transformation.