| 1645 | Peter Tolstoy born. |
| 1725 | Peter Tolstoy made a Count. |
| 1727 | Exiled. |
| 1729 | Died. |
| 1814 | Count Nicholas Tolstoy captured by French. |
| 1822 | Marriage of Tolstoy's parents. |
| 1828 | (28 Aug. o.s.) Birth of Leo Tolstoy. |
| 1830 | Death of Leo Tolstoy's mother. |
| 1837 | Death of father and grandmother. Return to Yásnaya Polyána. |
| 1840 | Famine Year. |
| 1841 | Death of the Countess Osten-Sáken. Move to Kazán. |
| 1844 | Matriculates at Kazán University. |
| 1847 | Leaves the University. |
| 1848 | Passes two examinations at Petersburg University. |
| 1849 | Starts Peasant Children's School at Yásnaya. |
| 1851 | 20 April | Leaves Yásnaya for Caucasus. |
| " | Aug. | Goes on expedition from Starogládovsk. |
| " | Nov. | At Tiflis; writing Childhood. |
| " | Dec. (end) | Appointed Junker. |
| 1852 | Jan. | Sádo's friendship. |
| " | Feb. | Goes on expedition. |
| " | 2 July | Finishes Childhood. |
| " | 28 Aug. | Receives letter from Nekrásof accepting Childhood. |
| " | Nov. | Childhood appears in Contemporary. |
| " | 24 Dec. | The Raid finished. |
| 1853 | Jan. | Serves against Shámyl. |
| " | 18 Feb. | Nearly killed by grenade. |
| " | March | The Raid appears in Contemporary. |
| " | 13 June | Chased by Tartars. |
| " | July to Oct. | Stays at Pyatigórsk. |
| " | Oct. | War between Russia and Turkey. |
| 1854 | Jan. | Receives his commission. |
| " | 2 Feb. | Revisits Yásnaya Polyána. |
| " | End of Feb. | Starts for Bucharest. |
| " | March | War: England and France against Russia. |
| " | March | Tolstoy reaches Bucharest. |
| " | June (end) | Siege of Silistria abandoned. |
| " | Aug. | Tolstoy leaves Bucharest for Russia. |
| " | 14 Sept. | Allies land in Crimea. |
| " | Oct. | Boyhood appears in Contemporary. |
| " | 17 Oct. | Bombardment of Sevastopol. |
| " | Nov. (end) | Tolstoy reaches Sevastopol. |
| " | Dec. | Stationed at Simferópol. |
| 1855 | Jan. | Memoirs of a Billiard Marker published. |
| " | 13 April to 27 May | Serves in Sevastopol, in Fourth Bastion. |
| " | June | Sevastopol in December published. |
| " | Aug. | Sevastopol in May published. |
| " | 16 Aug. | In Battle of Tchérnaya. |
| " | Sept. | The Wood-Felling published. |
| " | 8 Sept. | Maláhof captured by French. Sevastopol abandoned by Russians. |
| " | Sept. | Tolstoy returns to Petersburg. |
| 1856 | Jan. | Sevastopol in August published. |
| " | Jan. (end) | Death of Demetrius Tolstoy. |
| " | March | Russia concludes peace with England, France, and Turkey. |
| " | March | The Snow Storm published. |
| " | May | Two Hussars published. |
| " | Summer | Engagement with V. V. A. |
| " | Nov. | Grand Duke Michael displeased about Soldiers' Song. |
| " | 26 Nov. | Tolstoy leaves the army. |
| " | Dec. | Meeting a Moscow Acquaintance in the Detachment published. |
| " | Dec. | A Squire's Morning published. |
| 1857 | Jan. | Youth published. |
| " | 10 Feb. (N.S.) | Leaves Moscow for Paris. |
| " | April | Visits Switzerland. |
| " | July | Stays at Lucerne. |
| " | Aug. | Returns to Yásnaya Polyána. |
| " | Sept. | Lucerne published. |
| 1858 | Jan. | Writes Three Deaths. |
| " | March | Visits Petersburg. Helps to found Moscow Musical Society. |
| " | Aug. | Albert published. |
| " | Sept. | Signs Resolution of Nobles concerning Emancipation. |
| " | 22 Dec. | Nearly killed by bear. |
| 1859 | Jan. | Three Deaths published. |
| " | 4 Feb. | Speaks on Art to Society of Lovers of Russian Literature. |
| " | April | Family Happiness published. |
| " | Winter | Organises School at Yásnaya. |
| 1860 | 15 July | Leaves Petersburg for Berlin. |
| " | 15 July | Visits Auerbach in Dresden. |
| " | July and Aug. | At Kissingen for his health. |
| " | 20 Sept. | Nicholas Tolstoy dies at Hyères. |
| " | Winter | Visits Florence, Rome, Naples, Marseilles. |
| 1861 | Jan. | Revisits Paris. |
| " | Feb. | Visits London. |
| " | 5 May | Re-enters Russia. |
| " | 26 May | Challenges Tourgénef. |
| " | | Commences work as Arbiter of the Peace. |
| 1861-2 | Winter | Occupied with his school. |
| 1862 | Feb. | Yásnaya Polyána magazine appears. |
| " | May | Discharged from office of Arbiter of the Peace 'on ground of ill-health.' |
| " | May and June | Takes koumýs cure in Samára Government. |
| " | | Police raid on Yásnaya Polyána. |
| " | 17 Sept. | Proposes to Miss S. A. Behrs. |
| " | 23 Sept. | Marries. |
| " | 3 Oct. | Minister of Interior disapprove of Yásnaya Polyána magazine. |
| " | 15 Oct. | School abandoned. |
| 1863 | Jan. | The Cossacks published. |
| " | Feb. | Polikoúshka published. |
| " | 28 June | Eldest son, Sergius, born. |
| 1864 | | War and Peace commenced. |
| " | Sept. | Dislocates arm while hunting. |
| " | Sept. | Collected edition of Tolstoy's works published. |
| " | 4 Oct. | Birth of daughter, Tatiána. |
| 1865 | Jan. and Feb. | First part of War and Peace published. |
| " | Autumn | Visits battlefield of Borodinó. |
| 1866 | May | Second son, Ilyá, born. |
| " | June | Defends soldier at court-martial. |
| 1867 | Summer | Treated by Zahárin for indigestion. |
| 1868 | | Publication of War and Peace continued. |
| 1869 | 20 May | Third son Leo, born. |
| " | Nov. | War and Peace completed. |
| 1869-70 | | Studies the drama. |
| 1870-1 | Winter | Studies Greek. |
| 1871 | | Works at ABC Book. |
| " | 12 Feb. | Birth of daughter, Mary. |
| " | June-July | Koumýs cure in Samára. |
| 1872 | Jan. | Re-starts school. |
| " | Jan. | A Prisoner in the Caucasus published. |
| " | Feb. | God Sees the Truth published. |
| " | 13 June | Son, Peter, born. |
| " | Sept. | Confined to Yásnaya by Investigating Magistrate. |
| " | Nov. | ABC Book published. |
| 1872-3 | Winter | Prepares to write novel of Peter the Great's time. |
| 1873 | May | Goes with family to Samára. |
| " | 17 Aug. | Samára Famine; Tolstoy's appeal. |
| " | Sept. | Kramskóy paints his portrait. |
| " | 9 Nov. | Death of son, Peter. |
| 1874 | 15 Jan. | Speaks on Learning to Read. |
| " | 22 April | Son, Nicholas, born. |
| " | 20 June | Death of Aunt Tatiána. |
| " | Sept. | Publishes article, On Popular Education. |
| 1875 | 20 Feb. | Death of son, Nicholas. |
| " | | New ABC Book published. |
| " | Jan.-April | First Installment of Anna Karénina published. |
| " | Summer | Horse races at Samára. |
| " | 1 Nov. | Baby daughter, Varvára, born and died. |
| " | Dec. | Death of Pelagéya I. Úshkof. |
| 1876 | Jan.-April and Dec. | Further instalments of Anna Karénina. |
| " | | Observes Church rites and fasts. |
| " | Sept. | Visit to Samára and Orenbourg. |
| 1877 | Jan.-April | Final Installments of Anna Karénina published. |
| " | | Rupture with Katkóf. |
| " | 6 Dec. | Son, Andrew, born. |
| 1878 | March | Visits Petropávlof Fortress. |
| " | | Abandons The Decembrists. |
| " | May | Reconciliation with Tourgénef. |
| " | 7 Aug. | Tourgénef at Yásnaya Polyána. |