He started his education in Moscow, but at the request of influential family friend, Countess Sofia Stroganova, he was accepted to Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum.

Among his awards were a golden sword for valor (1828) and a brilliant ring - a very rare decoration for an army officer.

He didn't fully recover from this wound, and for the long time was using a sling to support his left hand.

Lying on his death bed, Pushkin said to Zhukovsky and Vyazemsky, "Beg for Danzas.

He asked to be transferred to the Caucasus, and took position of a commander of the Tengin regiment, where Mikhail Lermontov served.