Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

Ivan Andreyevich Osterman (russian: Иван Андреевич Остерман; 1725–1811) was a Russian statesman and the son of

Andrei Osterman Count Andrey Ivanovich Osterman (''Heinrich Johann Friedrich Ostermann''; russian: Андрей Иванович Остерман) (9 June 1686 31 May 1747) was a German-born Russian statesman who came to prominence under Tsar Peter I of Russia ...

. After Osterman's father fell into disgrace, Ivan Osterman was transferred from the Imperial Guards to the regular army and then sent abroad, where he continued his education. In 1757, Osterman was in the Russian service again. He held diplomatic posts in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

and Stockholm, where he would exercise considerable influence on Gustav III of Sweden. In 1774, Osterman was appointed a member of the

Governing Senate The Governing Senate (russian: Правительствующий сенат, Pravitelstvuyushchiy senat) was a legislative, judicial, and executive body of the Russian Emperors, instituted by Peter the Great to replace the Boyar Duma and laste ...

. In 1783, Osterman was appointed

Minister of foreign affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

of Imperial Russia, but would play only a secondary role in this post. His closest associates - Count Bezborodko, Prince Zubov,

Fyodor Rostopchin Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin (russian: Фёдор Васильевич Ростопчин) ( – ) was a Russian statesman and General of the Infantry who served as the Governor-General of Moscow during the French invasion of Russia. H ...

- 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 Paul I (russian: Па́вел I Петро́вич ; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1796 until his assassination. Officially, he was the only son of Peter III and Catherine the Great, although Catherine hinted that he was fathered by her l ...

dismissed him from office. Ivan Osterman spent the last years of his life in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

. As he had no children of his own, his title and last name were inherited by a nephew, the celebrated General Tolstoy.

References

External links

Ostermanniana (website about Ostermann)
(In Russian). 1725 births 1811 deaths Russian nobility Foreign ministers of the Russian Empire Chancellors of the Russian Empire People from the Russian Empire of German descent 18th-century people from the Russian Empire 18th-century diplomats of the Russian Empire 18th-century military personnel from the Russian Empire {{Russia-noble-stub