Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Nikolay Ignatyev akaberekerwa muSt Petersburg, kuna Maria Ivanovna Maltsova naKaputeni Pavel Nikolayevich Ignatyev. Baba vake vakanga vatsigirwa naTsar Nicholas I, nemhaka yokutendeka kwake panguva yokupandukira kwaDecembrist muna 1825
, uye Grand Duke Alexander (akazova Tsar Alexander II) akatsigira mukubhabhatidzwa kwemukomana wacho. Pashure pokupedza kudzidza paCorps of Pages, pazera ramakore gumi nemanomwe akava mukuru mukuru weRussian Guards, achishanda neHis Majesty's Hussar Guards Regiment. Ignatyev akabva agadzwa kuGeneral Staff uye akava mubatsiri kumukuru mukuru muEstonia mudunhu remauto. Akakwidziridzwa kuva mukuru muna 1856. Munguva yebasa raIgnatyev rakatevera akanga asingabvumirani naVaPyotr Shuvalov: mumwe mudzidzi weCorps of Pages.