| House of Semyonov Семенов (Cyrllic) セミョーノフ (Japanese) | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Transbaikal Cossacks, Buryat, Russian, Japanese |
| Current region |  Russia |
| Information | |
| Founder | Ataman Grigory Mikhaylovich Semyonov |
| Place of origin | Russia -  Buryatia-  Siberia Japan |
| Notable members | Kazoku Takahiro Semyōnofu Prince Paul I Grigoryevich Prince Vassily I Grigoryevich Prince Andrew I Vladimirovich |
| Current Head | George I Vasilyevich, Prince of Buryatia |
| Estate | many Ulan Ude, Russia (main) Kharbin, Russia (main) |
House of Semyonov (Cyrllic: Семенов) known in Japan as the Semyōnofu (セミョーノフ) is a noble family in Russia of Cossack and Buryat origin. They are the current ruling families of Baikal and large parts of Siberia and Manchuria, and once having also been a Japanese kazoku family until their expulsion during the Tumultous 1990s, to which they also supported the White Mongolian movement.
The family currently exists in ethnic different branches, the Buryat and Russian branches. In addition, there are also Buddhist and Orthodox, while the Russian factions are mostly Orthodox, the Buryat and Japanese are a mix of Buddhist and Orthodox.
The patriarch is Ataman Grigory Semyonov, a Russian and later White officer during the civil war, later exiled from Russia during the ascent of Kiril I Vladimirovich as the Tsar. Semyonov lived in Kharbin, and later Japan as an exile, becoming one of the Kozakus of Japan.
After the Second World War, the Semyonovs wee allowed to return to Russia, and become nobles since they had no direct involvement in Japanese operations against Russia. After the Tumultous 1990s, the remaining Kozakus fled back to Russia in fears of retaliation from the anti-Russian movements in Japan.
History[]
Return to Russia - 1947[]
In the aftermath of the Allied invasion of Japan, the remaining Semyonovs were found by American troops, since they had fled to American-held portion of Japan. Due to their Mongolic-Russian origin, General MacArthur decided it best to let the Russians handle them.
The Russian Senate agreed that the military veterans would become part of the penal prisoner groups. Of those spared, and allowed by Russia's Right of Return law, were Yuuma Semyōnofu, Takahiro Semyōnofu and Riku Semyōnofu.
The eldest, Takahiro stayed in Japan, to continue the Japanese faction. However, Yuuma and Riku both re-migrated to Russia, where they became Prince Paul I Grigoryevich and Prince Vassily I Grigoryevich respectively. The former remained Buddhist, and the latter became Eastern Orthodox. They were given the title "Prince of Transbaikal".
Prince Vassily married Princess Anna I Miroslavovna Bessolesky-Belozersky. Their children would migrate further north inland into the Grand Duchy of Siberia, to become atamans of Siberia. They would follow a culture devoid of Cossack culture, and follow "proper" Russian noble rites.
The Semyonovs continued to grow, and had high ties with the Ungern-Sternbergs, known for their love of Asiatic cultures. Together with the Ungern-Sternbergs and Aisin Gioros, Alimovs, they would go find the Royal Asiatic Society (Королевское азиатское общество).
Tumultous 1990s[]
After Japan broke off its relations with Russia, the Semyōnofu kazokus fled to Russia with withdrawing forces, aboard an Antonov. Feeling virtually no hope of returning to Japan, they became Russian Orthodox and became part of the broader House of Semyonov.
In 2000, after Japan and Russia signed a new agreement on the renewal of economic relations, the Japanese Semyonovs re-established ties with Japan. Many claim that the Semyonovs popularized Japanese cultural styles into Russia, however the Far East had long-been Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian-influenced.
For example, Prince Andrew I Vladimirovich, formerly Kozaku Kenzou Semyōnofu (華族 けんぞう セミョーノフ), popularized ju-juitsu in Russia, causing it to become a popular sport in Buryatia. He would later become the first president of the Royal Jiu-Jitsu Assocation (Королевский джиу-джитсу Ассоциация), while it had been a popular sport in Russia, it didn't have a large-enough niche in of its own.
In spite of restoring relations with Japan, the Japanese Semyōnofu never permanently returned, citing safety concerns from anti-Russian sentinments in Japan. The Japanese government however stated they'll do their best to keep bilateral relations cordial.
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