Vladimir Paley was a Russian nobleman, poet, and military officer born in Saint Petersburg in 1897. As the son of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, he held the title of Prince Paley. During the First World War, he served as a lieutenant in the Emperor's Hussars and received the Order of Saint Anne for his service. A gifted writer, he published volumes of poetry and various plays. His life ended prematurely in 1918 when he was executed by Bolshevik forces in a mineshaft near Alapayevsk.