ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ wʌz bˈɔːɹn tʊ ɐ fˈæmɪli ʌv ˈɔːɹɪˌɑːl noʊbˈɪlᵻɾi ænd wʌz ʌv ɹˈʌʃən slˈæʃ bˌɛlɚɹˈuːsiən, fɹˈɛntʃ, dʒˈɔːɹdʒən, ænd tˈɑːɾɚ dᵻsˈɛnt.
Alexander was born to a family of Oryol nobility and was of Russian/Belarusian, French, Georgian, and Tatar descent.