According to family legend, the Derzhavins and Narbekovs descend from one of the Tatar clans. Bagrym-murza, having left the Great Horde for Moscow, entered the service of Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich after his baptism.

Gavriil Romanovich was born on July 14, 1743, into a family of minor gentry in the estate of Sokury near Kazan, where he spent his childhood. His mother was named Fyokla Andreyevna. His father, second-major Roman Nikolaevich, died when Gavriil was still a child.

From 1762, he served as a private in the Preobrazhensky Regiment and participated in the coup of June 28, 1762, which led to the ascension of Catherine II to the throne.

From 1772, Derzhavin served in an officer position as a second lieutenant and participated in suppressing the uprising of Yemelyan Pugachev in 1773 and 1775. His notes are an important source of information about the uprising, as he worked at the headquarters of General A. I. Bibikov, dealing with paperwork, relations with the nobility, organizing militias, and intelligence activities. Because he was born and raised in those areas, his memories are characterized by geographical accuracy. A. S. Pushkin used Derzhavin's materials when writing "The History of the Pugachev Rebellion" and "The Captain's Daughter." Derzhavin left several records about the uprising, which are valuable sources of information.

Academician Y. K. Grot systematized Derzhavin's works on the Pugachev campaign.

Derzhavin's first poems were published in 1773.

In 1777, after retiring, he began civil service in the Governing Senate as a state councilor.

Literary fame came to him in 1782 after the publication of the ode "Felitsa," dedicated to Catherine II.

From 1783, Derzhavin became a member of the Imperial Russian Academy and participated in the creation of the first explanatory dictionary of the Russian language.

In May 1784, Catherine II appointed him governor of the Olonets Province. In Petrozavodsk, he organized reforms, created administrative and judicial institutions, opened a hospital and pharmacy. He also participated in clarifying the Russian-Swedish border and preparing for the opening of the Olonets Main People's School. In the summer of 1785, Derzhavin conducted an inspection of the Olonets region, the result of which was his "Daily Note." Subsequently, images of Karelia found reflection in his poems.

In 1786 and 1788, he was the governor of the Tambov Province, where he opened several schools, a theater, a printing house, and published the first provincial newspaper "Tambovskie Izvestiya."

In 1791 and 1793, he was the cabinet secretary of Catherine II, and in 1793 he became a senator and privy councilor.

From 1795 to 1796, Derzhavin was the president of the Commerce Collegium, advocating for the development of foreign trade.

In 1802 and 1803, he held the position of Minister of Justice of the Russian Empire.

All this time, he continued to write, creating odes "God," "Thunder of Victory, Resound!", "Nobleman," "Waterfall," and others.

Derzhavin was friends with Prince S. F. Golitsyn and often visited his estate in Zubrilovka. In the poem "Autumn During the Siege of Ochakov," he urged his friend to return to his family.

On October 7, 1803, he was retired and relieved of all positions.

After retirement, he settled in his estate Zvanka in the Novgorod province, where he engaged in literature until the end of his life.

Derzhavin passed away in 1816 in his home in Zvanka. Despite feeling unwell, he continued to lead an active lifestyle and died while planning to travel to St. Petersburg to see a doctor the next day.