Karl Ivanovich Weber
Encyclopedia
Karl Ivanovich Weber was a diplomat
of the Russian Empire
and a personal friend to King Gojong of Korea
's Joseon Dynasty
. He is best known for his 1885–1897 service as Russia
's first consul general to Korea.
from an early age. He graduated from the University of Saint Petersburg
in 1865, and joined the diplomatic service the following year. His first overseas posting was in Beijing
; he was named Russian Consul in Tianjin
in 1882.
in April of the following year as Russia's first official representative to Korea. He was accompanied by his wife as well as a housekeeper from Alsace
, Antoinette Sontag. His wife had personality conflicts with several other members of the Russian
and German expatriate communities of Seoul
; in particular, she was believed to be responsible for a malicious rumour in the late 1880s that the German consul, Ferdinand Krien
, held orgies in the German legation. During his early service in Korea, Weber developed his friendship with King Gojong; when the Russian government made known their intention to transfer him onward to another posting, King Gojong wrote a letter of protest to Nicholas II of Russia
, dated 2 July 1895, in which he praised Weber's wisdom and asked that he be allowed to remain in Korea longer. His request was fulfilled when Alexei Speyer, Weber's intended replacement, was instead posted to Tokyo
, Japan
.
After the 1895 assassination of Queen Min
, Weber personally offered King Gojong refuge in the Russian Legation building in Jeongdong (modern-day Jung-gu, Seoul
), where he lived between February 1896 and February 1897. This time marked the height of Russian influence in Korea; Weber was able to persuade King Gojong to appoint a new cabinet consisting of a "pro-Russian faction" led by Yi Wan-yong
, Yi Beom-jin, and Yi Yun-yong, and in May 1896 signed the Komura-Waeber Memorandum with his Japanese counterpart Komura Jutarō
, granting Russia the right to station four companies of troops in the Korean peninsula, and requiring the Japanese to recognise the new cabinet. Gojong was also quite impressed with Weber's housekeeper Sontag, and would go on to employ her as majordomo in charge of household affairs after he returned to the palace.
. Weber would again visit Seoul in an official capacity in April 1903, on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War
, for further talks with King Gojong. He was a recipient of the Order of St. Andrew
, Russia's highest order of chivalry. He died and was buried in Niederlößnitz, Radebeul
. His tomb was designed by the architects Otto Rometsch and Adolph Suppes, with sculptures by Ernst Thalheim.
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and a personal friend to King Gojong of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
's Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
. He is best known for his 1885–1897 service as 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...
's first consul general to Korea.
Early life and career
Weber was born to a middle-class family, and expressed an interest in the history of AsiaHistory of Asia
The history of Asia can be seen as the collective history of several distinct peripheral coastal regions such as, East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East linked by the interior mass of the Eurasian steppe....
from an early age. He graduated from the University of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
in 1865, and joined the diplomatic service the following year. His first overseas posting was in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
; he was named Russian Consul in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
in 1882.
In Korea
Weber signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Russia and Korea on 25 June 1884, and moved to SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in April of the following year as Russia's first official representative to Korea. He was accompanied by his wife as well as a housekeeper from Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, Antoinette Sontag. His wife had personality conflicts with several other members of the Russian
Russians in Korea
Russians in Korea do not form a very large population, but they have a history going back to the era of the Korean Empire. The community of Russian subjects/citizens in Korea has historically included not just ethnic Russians, but members of minority groups of Russia as well, such as Tatars, Poles,...
and German expatriate communities of Seoul
Germans in Korea
Germans in Korea have a long history, though they have never formed a very large population.-History:The first German to set foot on Korean soil in 1832: Lutheran missionary Karl Gützlaff, who aside from religion, is also credited with importing the potato...
; in particular, she was believed to be responsible for a malicious rumour in the late 1880s that the German consul, Ferdinand Krien
Ferdinand Krien
Ferdinand Krien was the German consul in Joseon Dynasty Korea from 1887 to 1898.-In Korea:Krien was appointed to his position on 22 May 1887, after having served as an interpreter at the German Legation in Tokyo...
, held orgies in the German legation. During his early service in Korea, Weber developed his friendship with King Gojong; when the Russian government made known their intention to transfer him onward to another posting, King Gojong wrote a letter of protest to Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, dated 2 July 1895, in which he praised Weber's wisdom and asked that he be allowed to remain in Korea longer. His request was fulfilled when Alexei Speyer, Weber's intended replacement, was instead posted to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
After the 1895 assassination of Queen Min
Empress Myeongseong
Empress Myeongseong , also known as Queen Min, was the first official wife of King Gojong, the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea...
, Weber personally offered King Gojong refuge in the Russian Legation building in Jeongdong (modern-day Jung-gu, Seoul
Jung-gu, Seoul
Jung-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River, and is the historical center of the city .-Overview:...
), where he lived between February 1896 and February 1897. This time marked the height of Russian influence in Korea; Weber was able to persuade King Gojong to appoint a new cabinet consisting of a "pro-Russian faction" led by Yi Wan-yong
Lee Wan-Yong
Lee Wan-Yong was a pro-Japanese minister of Korea, who signed the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, which placed Korea under Japanese rule in 1910....
, Yi Beom-jin, and Yi Yun-yong, and in May 1896 signed the Komura-Waeber Memorandum with his Japanese counterpart Komura Jutarō
Komura Jutaro
was a statesman and diplomat in Meiji period Japan.-Biography:Komura was born to a lower-ranking samurai family in service of the Obi clan at Nichinan, Hyuga province . He attended the Daigaku Nankō...
, granting Russia the right to station four companies of troops in the Korean peninsula, and requiring the Japanese to recognise the new cabinet. Gojong was also quite impressed with Weber's housekeeper Sontag, and would go on to employ her as majordomo in charge of household affairs after he returned to the palace.
Later career
Speyer finally arrived to replace Weber in September 1897, whereupon he returned to Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Weber would again visit Seoul in an official capacity in April 1903, on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, for further talks with King Gojong. He was a recipient of the Order of St. Andrew
Order of St. Andrew
The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called is the first and the highest order of chivalry of the Russian Empire.- Russian Empire :The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus and patron saint of Russia...
, Russia's highest order of chivalry. He died and was buried in Niederlößnitz, Radebeul
Radebeul
Radebeul is a town in the Elbe valley in the district of Meißen in Saxony, Germany, a suburb of Dresden. It is well-known for its viticulture, a museum dedicated to writer Karl May and a narrow gauge railway connecting Radebeul with the castle of Moritzburg and the town of Radeburg...
. His tomb was designed by the architects Otto Rometsch and Adolph Suppes, with sculptures by Ernst Thalheim.