Joseph Stalin

=== 1878–1899: Childhood to young adulthood ===
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| footer = 1893 class table of Gori Religious School including a photo of Stalin. Some of the photos may be from earlier dates, but it is believed that this photo of Stalin was taken in 1893.
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Stalin was born in [[Georgia within the Russian Empire|Georgia]] in the town of [[Gori, Georgia|Gori]],{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=2|2a1=Khlevniuk|2y=2015|2p=11}} then part of the [[Tiflis Governorate]] of the [[Russian Empire]] and home to a mix of [[Georgians]], [[Azerbaijanis]], [[Armenians]], [[Russians]], and Jews.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=15}} He was born on {{OldStyleDate|18 December|1878|6 December}}{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=14|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=23}}{{efn|Although there is inconsistency among published sources about Stalin's exact date of birth, Ioseb Jughashvili is found in the records of the Uspensky Church in Gori, Georgia as born on 18 December ([[Julian calendar|Old Style]]: 6 December) 1878. This birth date is maintained in his school leaving certificate, his extensive [[Okhrana]] file, a police arrest record from 18 April 1902 which gave his age as 23 years, and all other surviving pre-Revolution documents. As late as 1921, Stalin himself listed his birthday as 18 December 1878 in a curriculum vitae in his own handwriting. After coming to power in 1922, Stalin gave his birth date as 21 December 1879 ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|Old Style date]] 9 December 1879). That became the day his birthday was celebrated in the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=23}}}} and baptised on 29 December.{{sfn|Service|2004|p=16}} His birth name was Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili,{{efn|name="birth_name"}} and he was nicknamed "Soso", a [[diminutive]] of "[[Ioseb]]".{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=11|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=16|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=23|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=17}} His parents were [[Besarion Jughashvili]] and [[Ekaterine Geladze]].{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1pp=1–2|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2p=5|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=14|4a1=Montefiore|4y=2007|4p=19|5a1=Khlevniuk|5y=2015|5p=11|6a1=Deutscher|6y=1966|6p=26}} He was their only child to survive past infancy.{{sfnm|1a1=Volkogonov|1y=1991|1p=5|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=16|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=22|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=17|5a1=Khlevniuk|5y=2015|5p=11}}

Besarion was a cobbler who was employed in a workshop owned by another man;{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=5|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=14|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=22|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=16}} it was initially a financial success but later fell into decline,{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=16|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2pp=22, 32}} and the family found itself living in poverty.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=11|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=19}} Besarion became an alcoholic{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=17|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=25|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3p=20|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=12}} and drunkenly beat his wife and son.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=10|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2p=5|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=17|4a1=Montefiore|4y=2007|4p=29|5a1=Kotkin|5y=2014|5p=24|6a1=Khlevniuk|6y=2015|6p=12}} Ekaterine and Stalin left the home by 1883 and began a wandering life, moving through nine different rented rooms over the next decade.{{sfnm|1a1=Montefiore|1y=2007|1pp=30–31|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=20}} In 1886, they moved into the house of a family friend, Father Christopher Charkviani.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=12|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=31|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=20–21}} Ekaterine worked as a house cleaner and launderer and was determined to send her son to school.{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|pp=31–32}} In September 1888, Stalin enrolled at the Orthodox Gori Church School,{{sfn|Dović|Helgason|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=nimVDwAAQBAJ&dq=gori+church+school+orthodox&pg=RA1-PA56 256]}} a place secured by Charkviani.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=11|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=20|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3pp=32–34|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=21}} Although he got into many fights,{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=20|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=36}} Stalin excelled academically,{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=12|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=30|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=44|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=26}} displaying talent in painting and drama classes,{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|pp=43–44}} writing [[Stalin's poetry|his own poetry]],{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=44}} and singing as a choirboy.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=13|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=30|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=43|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=26}} Stalin faced several severe health problems: An 1884 [[smallpox]] infection left him with facial scars;{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=12|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2p=5|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3p=19|4a1=Montefiore|4y=2007|4p=31|5a1=Kotkin|5y=2014|5p=20}} and at age 12 he was seriously injured when he was hit by a [[Phaeton (carriage)|phaeton]], probably the cause of a lifelong disability in his left arm.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=12|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=25|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3pp=35, 46|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4pp=20–21}}

[[File:The Orthodox Theological Seminary.jpg|thumb|left|In 1894, Stalin began his studies at the Tiflis Theological Seminary (pictured here in the 1870s).]]
In August 1894, Stalin enrolled in the [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]] [[Tbilisi Theological Seminary|Theological Seminary in Tiflis]], enabled by a scholarship that allowed him to study at a reduced rate.{{sfnm|1a1=Deutscher|1y=1966|1p=28|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2pp=51–53|3a1=Khlevniuk|3y=2015|3p=15}} He joined 600 trainee priests who boarded there,{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|pp=54–55}} and he achieved high grades.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=19|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=36|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=56|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=32|5a1=Khlevniuk|5y=2015|5p=16}} He continued writing poetry; five of his poems, on themes such as nature, land and patriotism, were published under the pseudonym of "Soselo" in [[Ilia Chavchavadze]]'s newspaper ''[[Iveria (newspaper)|Iveria]]'' (''Georgia'').{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=18|2a1=Service|2y=2004|2p=38|3a1=Montefiore|3y=2007|3p=57|4a1=Kotkin|4y=2014|4p=33}} According to Stalin's biographer [[Simon Sebag Montefiore]], they became "minor Georgian classics"{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=58}} and were included in various anthologies of Georgian poetry over the coming years.{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=58}} As he grew older, Stalin lost interest in priestly studies, his grades dropped,{{sfnm|1a1=Montefiore|1y=2007|1p=69|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=32|3a1=Khlevniuk|3y=2015|3p=18}} and he was repeatedly confined to a cell for his rebellious behaviour.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=19|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=69|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=36–37|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=19}} The seminary's journal noted that he declared himself an atheist, stalked out of prayers and refused to doff his hat to monks.{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|pp=70–71}}

Stalin joined a forbidden book club at the school;{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=19|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=62|3a1=Kotkin|3y=2014|3pp=36, 37|4a1=Khlevniuk|4y=2015|4p=18}} he was particularly influenced by [[Nikolay Chernyshevsky]]'s 1863 pro-revolutionary novel ''[[What Is to Be Done? (novel)|What Is To Be Done?]]''{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=63}} Another influential text was [[Alexander Kazbegi]]'s ''[[The Patricide]]'', with Stalin adopting the nickname "Koba" from that of the book's bandit protagonist.{{sfnm|1a1=Conquest|1y=1991|1p=14|2a1=Volkogonov|2y=1991|2p=5|3a1=Service|3y=2004|3pp=27–28|4a1=Montefiore|4y=2007|4p=63|5a1=Kotkin|5y=2014|5pp=23–24|6a1=Khlevniuk|6y=2015|6p=17}} The pseudonym may also have been a tribute to his wealthy benefactor, Yakobi "Koba" Egnatashvili, who paid for his schooling at the Tiflis seminary. ("Koba" is the Georgian diminutive of Yakobi, or Jacob, and Stalin later named [[Yakov Dzhugashvili|his first-born son]] in Egnatashvili's honour.){{sfnm|1a1=Brackman|1y=2004|1p=7|2a1=Montefiore, 6 September 2007}} He also read ''[[Das Kapital]]'', the 1867 book by German sociological theorist [[Karl Marx]].{{sfnm|1a1=Deutscher|1y=1966|1p=38|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=64}} Stalin devoted himself to Marx's socio-political theory, [[Marxism]],{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=69}} which was then on the rise in Georgia, one of various forms of [[socialism]] opposed to the [[Tsarist empire]]'s authorities.{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=40|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=43}} At night, he attended secret workers' meetings{{sfn|Montefiore|2007|p=66}} and was introduced to [[Silibistro Jibladze|Silibistro "Silva" Jibladze]], the Marxist founder of [[Mesame Dasi]] ("Third Group"), a Georgian socialist group.{{sfnm|1a1=Montefiore|1y=2007|1p=65|2a1=Kotkin|2y=2014|2p=44}} Stalin left the seminary in April 1899 and never returned.{{sfnm|1a1=Service|1y=2004|1p=41|2a1=Montefiore|2y=2007|2p=71}}