Ivan Osterman
Encyclopedia
Count
Ivan Andreyevich Osterman (1725–1811) was a Russia
n statesman, son of Andrei Osterman
.
After Osterman's father had fallen into disgrace, he was transferred from the Imperial Guards
to the regular army and then sent abroad, where he would continue his education. In 1757, Osterman was in the Russian service again. He held diplomatic posts in Paris
and Stockholm
, where he would exercise big influence on Gustav III of Sweden
. In 1774, Osterman was appointed senator
.
In 1783, he was appointed Minister of foreign affairs of Imperial Russia, but would play only a secondary role on this post. His closest associates - Count Bezborodko, Prince Zubov, Fyodor Rostopchin
- were the ones with real power, but they lacked the fluency in languages and oleaginous manner of address which Osterman was famed for.
In 1796, Osterman was appointed the Chancellor
of the Russian Empire, again as a puppet of real policy-makers. A year later, the new Emperor Paul dismissed him from office. Ivan Osterman spent the last years of his life in Moscow
. As he had no children of his own, his title and last name were inherited by a nephew, the celebrated General Tolstoy
.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Ivan Andreyevich Osterman (1725–1811) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n statesman, son of Andrei Osterman
Andrei Osterman
Count Andrey Ivanovich Osterman was a German-born Russian statesman who came to prominence under Tsar Peter I of Russia and served until the accession of the Tsesarevna Elizabeth. His foreign policy was based upon the Austrian alliance...
.
After Osterman's father had fallen into disgrace, he was transferred from the Imperial Guards
Russian Imperial Guard
The Russian Imperial Guard, officially known as the Leib Guard were military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Russia. Peter the Great founded the first such units following the Prussian practice in the 1690s, to replace the politically-motivated Streltsy.- Organization :The final...
to the regular army and then sent abroad, where he would continue his education. In 1757, Osterman was in the Russian service again. He held diplomatic posts in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, where he would exercise big influence on Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
. In 1774, Osterman was appointed senator
Governing Senate
The Governing Senate was a legislative, judicial, and executive body of Russian Monarchs, instituted by Peter the Great to replace the Boyar Duma and lasted until the very end of the Russian Empire. It was chaired by the Ober-Procurator...
.
In 1783, he was appointed Minister of foreign affairs of Imperial Russia, but would play only a secondary role on this post. His closest associates - Count Bezborodko, Prince Zubov, Fyodor Rostopchin
Fyodor Rostopchin
Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin was a Russian statesman, who served as governor of Moscow during French invasion of Russia.Rostopchin was born in Orel, son of Vasily Fyodorovich Rostopchin, Lord of Livna and ... Krakova...
- were the ones with real power, but they lacked the fluency in languages and oleaginous manner of address which Osterman was famed for.
In 1796, Osterman was appointed the Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Russian Empire, again as a puppet of real policy-makers. A year later, the new Emperor Paul dismissed him from office. Ivan Osterman spent the last years of his life in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. As he had no children of his own, his title and last name were inherited by a nephew, the celebrated General Tolstoy
Alexander Ivanovich Ostermann-Tolstoy
Alexander Ivanovich Count Osterman-Tolstoy was a Russian nobleman and soldier in the era of the French Revolutionary Wars...
.
External links
- Ostermanniana (website about Ostermann). (In Russian).