Page "Dmitry Pozharsky" Paragraph 2

Pozharsky was descended from a dynasty of sovereign princes which ruled the town of Starodub-on-the-Klyazma near Suzdal.

At one point in the 15th century their family patrimony burned to the ground, in consequence of which event they assumed the name of Pozharsky ( from pozhar, the Russian word for conflagration ).

It is interesting to note that Dmitry's mother came from the Beklemishev family, just like the mother of Mikhail Kutuzov, who would be credited with saving Russia precisely two centuries after him.