Christopher Lieven

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Baron (friherre), then Count, then Prince Hristofor Andreyevich Liiven, Lord of Mezotne (Latvian: Kristofers Heinrihs fon Līvens; Russian: Христофор Андреевич Ливен; German: Christoph Heinrich von Liewen; Swedish: Christoffer Henrik von Liewen af Eksjö; Estonian: Kristofer Henrik Lieven; French: Christophe de Lieven; (6 May 1774 Kiev - 10 January 1839 Rome) was a nobleman of Livonian extraction, Russian general, ambassador to London in 1812-1834, and educator of tsesarevich Alexander Nikolaievitch.

Christopher Lieven was born on May 6, 1774 (Old Style) into an old noble family of Lieven (Livonian-originated Baltic medieval knights), as third son of baroness Charlotte von Gaugreben, afterwards 1st Princess Lieven (1743-1828) and friherre (baron) Otto Heinrich Andreas von Liewen af Eksjö (1726-1781) (source: Gustav Elgenstierna, Ättartavlor). Since his youth, his mother served as governess of the younger children of the then Grand Duke Paul Petrovich of Russia, Heir-Apparent to the throne of the then Empress Catherine II. As such, young baron Christopher's "foster-siblings" were a number of young grand dukes and grand duchesses, including his future liege lord the Emperor Nicholas I (1796-1855).

Fifteen-year old Christopher Lieven was registered in an artillery regiment, and made a quick military career: in 1791 he was promoted from the rank of warrant officer (Praporshchik) to the rank of second lieutenant (podporuchik) at the Semionovsky regiment; in 1794 to the rank of lieutenant (poruchik), and after the Swedish campaign in 1796 to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Vladimir dragoon regiment, later Tula musketeer regiment. Lieven was sent to Caucasus and participated in the Persian Expedition and in the Georgian expedition. In 1797, Emperor Paul I of Russia made him his aide-de-camp, and in 1798 he was promoted to the rank of mayor-general and assigned to the post of the Director of the Mobile Field Chancellery (военно-походная канцелярия) of His Majesty. On February 22, 1799 Lieven received the title of Count, as his mother was granted a countship.

Khristofor Lieven accompanied Alexander I of Russia during the Battle of Vishkovo and Battle of Austerlitz and at the signing of the Peace of Tilsit. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in 1807. In 1808 he assigned to the Foreign Office. In December 1809 he was sent to represent Russia at the Prussian court and, when Napoleon prepared to invade Russia, Napoleonic Wars in 1812, was appointed Ambassador to the court of St. James, a post he kept for 22 years. In 1826, his mother was created 1st Princess of Lieven, whereby Count Christopher also received the title of Prince. In 1834 tsar Nicholas I of Russia recalled Lieven to Russia and entrusted him to be governor of the heir to the throne, tsesarevich Alexander Nikolaevitch.

Somewhat overshadowed by his more illustrious wife, the famous socialite and political force, Dorothea Lieven, née von Benckendorff (17 December 1785 Riga - January 1857 Paris), whom he had married on February 1 1800 in St.Petersburg, Prince Lieven died suddenly on January 10, 1839 at Rome as he escorted the future Alexander II of Russia on his Grand Tour.

[edit] External links and references

• This article includes content derived from the Russian Biographical Dictionary, 1896 - 1918.
• Judith Lissauer Cromwell, "Dorothea Lieven: A Russian Princess in London and Paris, 1785-1857 (McFarland & Co., 2007) ISBN 0-7864-2651-9