Clanism, nepotism - that's what helped those who managed to get closer to power to hold out at the imperial court in Russia. Such a person immediately sought to surround himself with relatives. So the Shuvalov clan ousted the Razumovsky family from the throne in the early 50s of the 18th century.
Chamber page Ivan Shuvalov (1727-1797)
Ivan Ivanovich was born into a poor noble family in Moscow. Shuvalov Ivan Ivanovich never bore the title "count" - neither at birth, nor later, when he was an all-powerful nobleman. He received a good education at home, knew four languages, read a lot, was interested in the arts, and grew up to be a handsome and modest young man.
Cousins, who were at the court of Elizabeth Petrovna, at the age of 14 took the undergrowth to St. Petersburg and identified him as a chamber page. At this age, he was small in stature and spent all his free time reading books, and was not fond of dancing and young girls. But on the other hand, after four years, he had already stretched out under two meters tall and became a handsome young man. At the wedding of his sister with Prince Golitsin, Ivan was noticed by Empress Elizabeth.
In 1749 she gave him his first rank. Ivan Shuvalov became a chamber junker, that is, a room boy. And the brothers did their best to leave him alone with the forty-year-old empress.
Chief Chamberlain
Soon, Ivan Ivanovich received a new title - chief chamberlain. To most of the courtiers, the empress's new passion seemed to be a short-term whim. But smart, handsome, not greedy for money and not arrogant, Ivan Ivanovich remained in favor with Elizabeth Petrovna until her death in 1761.
His personal qualities, especially the lack of a tendency to acquisitiveness, were at that time a rarity. This amazed everyone, including the suspicious empress, who was used to the fact that everyone was trying to get ranks, lands, peasants and money from her. The aging Empress Elizabeth did not look for souls in her chosen one, and he, despite the fact that her character deteriorated noticeably with age, treated her with unchanging affection.
Activity of Ivan Shuvalov
One should not think that, having found himself in the right place at the right time, Ivan Ivanovich then only enjoyed life and pleased the empress, who was fit for his mother. Young and handsome, fashionably and expensively dressed, with excellent manners, he led the life of not only a dandy. I. Shuvalov showed an unusual love for the arts: arts, literature, theater.
So, going to create the Academy of Arts, in 1755 he took F. S. Rokotov and gave him the opportunity to start studying at home until the Academy opened. And in 1761 he saw in the stokerpalace of the future sculptor I. Shubin. Ivan Ivanovich once supported the creator of the first Russian theater F. Volkov, as well as A. Sumarokov, a playwright and poet.
Together with M. Lomonosov, he drafted and opened Moscow University on his mother's name day - Tatyana's Day, in 1755. He supported this project for a long time.
I. Shuvalov selected teachers and students, and from his books he laid the foundation for the university library and achieved the appearance of a printing house at the university, which printed not only scientific literature, but also Moskovskiye Vedomosti.
The Academy of Arts is entirely his brainchild. He gathered teachers abroad, looked for gifted students, donated a collection of his paintings to the Academy. His political projects, still insufficiently studied, proposed increasing the number of senators and improving their activities, streamlining the bureaucracy, and in the army he believed that Russians should be given priority, not foreigners.
Much of what Shuvalov proposed was ahead of its time and was put into practice only under Catherine II and Paul I. the souls of the serfs. Ivan Ivanovich refused the title. Later, Ivan Shuvalov did not accept the honorary title of "count" from Ekaterina Alekseevna either. He did not want such a title.
Palace of Count Shuvalov
Although Ivan Ivanovich did not bear the title of count, his palace was a truly grandiose structure that occupied an entirequarter. It was and is still (albeit rebuilt) on Italian Street not far from the Summer Palace of its patroness.
The palace took five years to build in the Elizabethan Baroque style. It was designed by the architect S. I. Chevakinsky. Inside the palace, the historical decoration of the vestibule with low columns with capitals has been preserved. The entire interior of the palace is richly decorated with stucco. But these are mostly later restructurings.
Today it houses the Museum of Hygiene, and the building itself is protected by the state, as it is our historical and cultural heritage.
Death of Elizabeth Petrovna
After the death of his patroness, Ivan Ivanovich lived for thirty-five years. He, without hesitation, swore allegiance to the new empress in 1762, but retired from the court. Not that it was a disgrace, but still his position there has changed.
Lieutenant-General Shuvalov went abroad. He was treated kindly at the court of Marie Antoinette, entered the narrow circle of her close associates and the so-called Lilac League. It determined the policy of France, and, except for Ivan Ivanovich, a refined, educated man with a broad outlook, there were never foreigners in it.
When Catherine II found out about this, she was simply shocked. Now, realizing that there was a Russian nobleman devoted to the throne, who had authority in Europe, abroad, the Empress gave him a number of diplomatic assignments. He fulfilled them with brilliance and received the rank of real privy councillor.
In 1776 I. Shuvalov returned to Russia. He was assigned a pension of ten thousand rubles, and then he received the rank of chief chamberlain. This, by the way, was the highest rank of the court - the second after the empress. But in general, I. Shuvalov, a we althy nobleman, a minion of fate, now led a private life. He again organized a literary salon in his house and hosted the poets G. Derzhavin and I. Dmitriev, the admiral and philologist A. Shishkov, and the translator Homer E. Kostrov at dinner. He knew how to enjoy life while giving pleasure to friends.
I. Shuvalov throughout his long life, and he lived for 70 years, was accompanied not by envy, but by the glory of an intelligent, kind, honest person. This is not how his cousins' lives were.
Pyotr Ivanovich Shuvalov (1711-1762)
Peter Ivanovich was a native of the small estate nobles of the Kostroma province. His father, the commandant of Vyborg, managed to place his son as a page at the court of Peter the Great. When the emperor died, he participated in the coronation of Catherine I. During his service as a page, he learned all the requirements of the court and, thanks to this, was able to continue his court career.
When the daughter of the Great Peter, together with her husband, left for Kiel, the chamber-page P. Shuvalov went there with them. There he gained a new life experience.
Having given birth to a son, the future Emperor Peter III, Anna Petrovna died, and P. Shuvalov returned to Russia, accompanying the ship with the body of the princess, in 1728. During these years, he met Mavra Egorovna Sheveleva, whom he later married. She was a close friend of Princess Elizabeth Petrovna and later helped her career in many ways.ambitious courtier.
Close to the throne
After returning from abroad, Shuvalov served faithfully as chamber junker to Tsarina Elizabeth.
Peter Ivanovich took an active part in the coup of 1741, raising Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, and in gratitude he received the high court rank of chamberlain. His military career is also growing rapidly. At first he was only a second lieutenant of the guards and a major general, but the very next year he became a lieutenant, and soon an adjutant general.
The growth of his career is simply rapid, as Elizaveta Petrovna does not forget among the pleasures of a smart assistant who helped her get the throne. Peter Ivanovich receives the Order of St. Anna and St. Alexander Nevsky and becomes a senator. And in 1746 Count Shuvalov appeared before us. By this time, he was already married to the "sneaky", as they said then, maid of honor Mavra Yegorovna Shepeleva, who, like her older brother Alexander, who had been at court for ten years, helped him rapidly move up the career ladder.
The way up
Initially, all his actions in the army are ceremonial. He, along with his platoon, participates in the coronation ceremony of the Empress in Moscow. Then his platoon performs at parades, but Count Shuvalov quickly gets used to the court and no less quickly receives the highest military rank - field marshal general. It can be said that he is galloping into the economic and political life of both capitals, as well as the entire empire.
Proposals of Count P. Shuvalov
Already in 1745 Count Shuvalovdeveloped a project on the collection of poll tax and the fight against arrears. The Empress saw in him a man who could revive the former greatness of the state. She carefully listens to his proposals to replace direct taxes with indirect ones, to recruit fees for the army, to collect s alt, to mint copper money (from a pound of copper they began to mint twice, and then four times more money, which brought big profits to the treasury). But the empress is more attracted by the whirlwind of entertainment, so power is gradually concentrated in the hands of the greedy and money-hungry Peter Ivanovich.
In 1753, at his suggestion, internal customs duties were abolished, and in 1755, with his active participation, a new Customs Charter was adopted.
Changes in the army
Already in 1751, when P. Shuvalov became General-in-Chief, he received almost undivided command of a division. He shows remarkable zeal, moving and advancing cadres, training them, arming the division and doing its uniforms. This will come in handy later, when the seven-year war with Prussia begins in 1756
Count Shuvalov threw all his strength into the preparation of artillery and a reserve corps, which consisted of thirty thousand people. This business is familiar to him, and he successfully completes the reserves with new artillery, new firearms and uniforms.
At this time, he is appointed Feldzeugmeister General, which means command of the artillery and engineering corps. Count Shuvalov develops activities for the training of gunners and submits to the Senate a project to create a newhowitzers.
Without going into technical details, it should be noted that although it was adopted, it was unsuccessful. But the next gun called "Unicorn" was an achievement. This howitzer was invented by artillerymen M. Danilov and S. Martynov, and it was used to accompany infantry in battle almost a hundred years after its invention. The name is connected with the desire to flatter the count, on whose coat of arms this fantastic beast was depicted.
Coat of arms of Count Peter Shuvalov
The figure of a unicorn is three times included in the coat of arms of Count Shuvalov. Firstly, he is depicted on the shield itself, secondly, he holds the shield and, thirdly, he is located on the left above the helmet with the count's crown. And three grenades remind of the accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna. The inscription says the same.
On the decline of the reign of Elizabeth I
Count Shuvalov under Elizaveta Petrovna becomes the de facto head of the Russian government. Everything the earl proposes is discussed in the Senate. However, unselfishness, unlike his cousin, he did not differ. Often his activities benefited him and harmed the treasury.
Exclusively, he had the right to trade in timber, bacon and blubber. Fishing for seals and fish in the White and Caspian Seas was also his monopoly. Count Shuvalov participated in tobacco farming, he had the best ironworks. And the wife, being the lady of state of Elizabeth Petrovna, as they say, got the seekers of rank and rewards for money.
After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, despite the favorable attitude of Peter III, Countbegan to get sick and died in 1762. His best and strongest character traits were his ability to organize things and see things through to the end. This is how the powerful, ambitious Count Shuvalov lived his life. His biography demonstrates that he was an outstanding person, but the thieving, arrogant and fabulously rich count still did not use the love of his contemporaries.
Heir to Count Peter Ivanovich
One might assume that the Earl left a considerable fortune after his death. After all, money just flowed to him like a river. However, this turned out not to be the case. The Count was a very wasteful man.
His heir - son Andrey Petrovich - was left with only debts in the amount of 92 thousand rubles. But in the Catherine era, Andrei Petrovich did not get lost, but became a senator, a real privy councilor, a bank manager and a writer. He continued the dynasty of the Counts Shuvalovs, who lived already in the 19th century.
Elder brother Shuvalov
Alexander Ivanovich (1710-1771), together with his younger brother, arrived at the court of Peter I and also began serving as a page. But, numbered in the court of Princess Elizabeth, he was in charge of her household. At that time it was a high position.
After the palace coup, in which both brothers took an active part, Alexander Ivanovich began to grow. To begin with, since 1742, he has only slightly touched the affairs of the Secret Office, but he has not been abandoned by the favors of the Empress.
He is awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky,then they are promoted to lieutenant general, a little later - to adjutant general. And since 1746, Count Alexander Ivanovich Shuvalov appears before us, replacing the ill head of the Secret Chancellery and then heading it all his life.
During the reign of Elizabeth I and Peter III until 1762, he was feared and not loved. And he preferred to engage in commercial affairs that could help make a fortune. Elizaveta Petrovna did not forget her faithful assistant and in 1753 awarded him the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Later Shuvalov will become both a senator and a field marshal general. After the accession of Catherine, he was sent to his estate near Moscow. By the way, of the three brothers, this was the most uninteresting person, one might say, colorless.
Family Life
Count Alexander Ivanovich was married to Ekaterina Ivanovna Kastyurina. This family was greedy and tight-fisted, sparing money even for clothes that befitted their position. In their marriage, a daughter, Ekaterina, was born, who was married to Count G. I. Golovkin.
Under Alexander I, she became a lady of state. There are suggestions that A. S. Pushkin was born in her Moscow house. She was fond of the theater, and her serf dancers became the backbone of the ballet troupe of the Bolshoi Theater. Her sons were childless, and her daughter did not marry. So this branch of the Shuvalovs had no offspring.
On the example of the Shuvalov clan, one can imagine how different people were who had the same roots.
