Clanishness, nepotism - this is what helped those who managed to get closer to power at the imperial court in Russia. Such a person immediately sought to surround himself with relatives. So the Shuvalov clan pushed the Razumovsky family out of 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. The title of "Count" Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov never wore - neither at birth, nor subsequently, when he was an omnipotent nobleman. He received a good home education, knew four languages, read a lot, was interested in the arts and grew up as a handsome and modest young man.
The cousins who were at the court of Elizaveta Petrovna, at the age of 14, took the undergrowth to St. Petersburg and identified him in cell-pages. At this age, he was small in stature and spent all his free time reading books, and was not interested in dancing and young girls. But after four years, he was already stretched under two meters tall and became a handsome young man. At the wedding of his sister with Prince Golitsin Ivan, Empress Elizabeth noticed.
In 1749, he gave him his first rank. Ivan Shuvalov became a chamber junker, that is, an indoor boy. And so the brothers tried to keep him alone with the forty-year-old empress.
Ober Chamberlain
Soon, Ivan Ivanovich received a new title - Chief Chamberlain. For most of the courtiers, the Empress' new hobby seemed a short-lived whim. But smart, handsome, not greedy for money and not arrogant, Ivan Ivanovich remained in favor with Elizaveta Petrovna until her death in 1761.
His personal qualities, especially the lack of a penchant for money-grubbing, were at that time very rare. This amazed everyone, including the suspicious empress, who was used to everything from her seeking ranks, lands, peasants and money. The aging Empress Elizabeth did not look for a soul in her chosen one, and he, despite the fact that with her age, her character noticeably worsened, treated her with unchanging affection.
Activities of Ivan Shuvalov
It is not necessary to think that, being in the right place at the right time, Ivan Ivanovich then only enjoyed his life and pleased the empress, who was suitable for him in his mother. Young and handsome, dressed fashionably and expensively, with excellent manners, he led a life not only dandy. I. Shuvalov showed an unusual love for the arts: for the arts, literature, theater.
So, intending to create the Academy of Arts, in 1755 he took F.S. Rokotov and gave him the opportunity to start training in his home until the Academy opened. And in 1761 he saw in the stoker the palace of the future sculptor I. Shubin. Ivan Ivanovich in his time 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 a project and opened Moscow University on the day of his mother’s name day - on Tatyana’s day, in 1755. He supported this project for a long time.
I. Shuvalov selected teachers and students, and from his books 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 the Moscow Gazette.
The Academy of Arts is completely his brainchild. He gathered teachers abroad, searched for gifted students, and presented a collection of his paintings to the Academy. His political projects, not yet sufficiently studied, proposed an increase in the number of senators and an improvement in their activities, streamlining of the bureaucracy, and in the army he believed that it was necessary to give priority to Russians, not foreigners.
Much of the proposed Shuvalov was ahead of time and only came to life under Catherine II and Paul I. In 1757, Count Vorontsov presented a draft decree according to which I. I. Shuvalov was given the title of count, post of senator and ten thousand souls of serfs. Ivan Ivanovich refused the title. Later, the honorary title of "Count" Ivan Shuvalov did not accept and from Ekaterina Alekseevna. He did not want such a title.
Palace of Count Shuvalov
Although Ivan Ivanovich did not carry the title of Count, his palace was a truly grandiose building that occupied a whole block. He was and is still (albeit rebuilt) on Italian Street not far from the Summer Palace of his patroness.
The palace was built for five years in the style of the Elizabethan Baroque. It was designed by architect S.I. Chevakinsky. Inside the palace, the historical decoration of the lobby with low columns with capitals has been preserved. The entire interior of the palace is richly decorated with stucco. But this is mainly later restructuring.
Today it houses the Museum of Hygiene, and the building itself is protected by the state, as it is our historical and cultural heritage.
The death of Elizabeth Petrovna
After the death of his patroness, Ivan Ivanovich lived thirty-five years. Without hesitation, he swore allegiance to the new empress in 1762, but withdrew from the court. Not that it was an opal, but still his position there has changed.
Lieutenant General Shuvalov went abroad. He was caressed at the court of Marie Antoinette, entered the narrow circle of her associates and the so-called Lilac League. It determined the policy of France, and, besides Ivan Ivanovich, a refined, well-mannered person with a broad outlook, there were never foreigners in it.
When Catherine II found out about this, she was simply shocked. Now, realizing that abroad there was a Russian nobleman who was devoted to the throne and had authority in Europe, the Empress gave him a number of diplomatic missions. He carried them out with brilliance and received the rank of real secret adviser.
In 1776 I. Shuvalov returned to Russia. He was assigned a pension of ten thousand rubles, and then he received the title 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 wealthy nobleman, a spoiled child of fate, now led a private life. He again organized a literary salon in his house and hosted at dinner poets G. Derzhavin and I. Dmitriev, admiral and philologist A. Shishkov, translator Homer E. Kostrov. He knew how to enjoy life, while giving pleasure to friends.
I. Shuvalov all his long life, and he lived for 70 years, was accompanied not by envy, but the glory of an intelligent, kind, honest man. Not so the life of his cousins.
Peter Ivanovich Shuvalov (1711-1762)
Pyotr Ivanovich was a native of small local noblemen of the Kostroma province. His father, the commandant of Vyborg, managed to attach his son with a page at the court of Peter the Great. When the emperor died, he participated in the coronation of Catherine I. During his page service, he learned all the requirements of the court and was able, thanks to this, to continue his court career.
When the daughter of the Great Peter went with her husband to Kiel, P. Shuvalov also left the cell-page 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 crown princess, in 1728. During these years, he met with Mavra Egorovna Sheveleva, whom he later married. She was a close friend of Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna and later helped a lot in her career as an ambitious courtier.
Near the throne
After returning from abroad, Shuvalov served faithfully to the chamber junker to Tsarevna Elizaveta.
Pyotr Ivanovich took an active part in the coup of 1741, enthroning Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, and in gratitude he received the high court rank of chamberlain. His military career is growing rapidly. At first he was only a guards lieutenant and a major general, but next year he became a lieutenant, and soon he became an adjutant general.
The growth of his career is simply rapid, since Elizaveta Petrovna does not forget among the pleasures of a clever assistant who helped her get the throne. Peter Ivanovich receives the Order of St. Anne 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” maid of honor Mavre Yegorovna Shepeleva, who, like Alexander's elder brother, who had been at court for ten years, helped him quickly move up the career ladder.
Way up
Initially, all his actions in the army are ceremonial. He, together with his platoon, participates in the ceremony of the coronation of the Empress in Moscow. Then his platoon performs in parades, but Count Shuvalov quickly assimilates at court and no less quickly receives the highest military rank - Field Marshal. He can be said to jump into the economic and political life of both capitals, as well as the entire empire.
Proposals of Count P. Shuvalov
Already in 1745, Count Shuvalov developed a project to collect the poll tax and combat arrears. The empress saw in him a man who could revive the former greatness of the state. She carefully listens to his proposals on replacing direct taxes with indirect taxes, on recruitment fees for the army, on collecting salt, and on minting copper money (they began to mint twice from copper and then four times as much money, which brought big profits to the treasury). But the empress is more interested in a whirlwind of entertainment, so power is gradually concentrated in the hands of the greedy and money-hungry Pyotr Ivanovich.
In 1753, at his proposal, domestic customs duties were canceled, and in 1755, with his active participation, a new Customs Charter was adopted.
Army changes
Already in 1751, when P. Shuvalov became an General-Chef, he received a division almost in undivided command. 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 begins with Prussia in 1756.
Count Shuvalov threw all his strength into preparing 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 was appointed general feldzeichmeister, which means command of artillery and the engineering corps. Count Shuvalov is expanding his activities to train gunners and is submitting to the Senate a project to create a new howitzer.
Without going into technical details, it should be noted that although it was adopted, it was unsuccessful. But the next weapon called "Unicorn" was an achievement. This howitzer was invented by gunners 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 the unicorn three times enters the coat of arms of Count Shuvalov. Firstly, it is depicted on the shield itself, secondly, it holds the shield and, thirdly, is located on the left above the helmet with the count's crown. And three grenades recall the accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna. This is also indicated by the inscription.
At the end of the reign of Elizabeth I
Count Shuvalov under Elizabeth Petrovna actually becomes the head of the Russian government. Everything that the count offers is discussed in the Senate. However, unselfish, unlike his cousin, he did not differ. Often his activities benefited him and damage to the treasury.
Exclusively, he had the right to trade timber, lard and blubber. Seals and fish fishing in the White and Caspian Seas was also its monopoly. Count Shuvalov participated in tobacco farms, he had the best iron mills. And the spouse, being the state lady of Elizabeth Petrovna, as they say, got the ranks and rewards for money to the seekers.
After the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, despite the favorable attitude of Peter III to him, the count began to hurt and died in 1762. His best and strongest character traits were the ability to organize a business and bring it to the end. Thus lived the mighty, ambitious Count Shuvalov. His biography demonstrates that he was an outstanding person, but still the thieving, arrogant and fabulously rich count did not use the love of his contemporaries.
Heir to Count Peter Ivanovich
It could be assumed that the Count left a significant fortune after his death. After all, money just flowed towards him. However, this was not the case. The count was a very wasteful person.
His heir - son Andrei Petrovich - only debts of 92 thousand rubles remained. But in the Catherine’s era, Andrei Petrovich was not lost, but became a senator, a true Privy Councilor, bank manager and writer. He continued the dynasty of Counts Shuvalov, who lived in the XIX century.
Elder brother Shuvalov
Alexander Ivanovich (1710-1771), together with his younger brother, arrived at the court of Peter I and also began his service as a page. But, reckoned to the court of Tsarevna Elizabeth, he was in charge of her yard household. In those days it was a high position.
After the palace coup, in which both brothers took an active part, Alexander Ivanovich went to growth. To begin with, from 1742, he only slightly touches on the affairs of the Secret Chancellery, but by the graces of the empress he is not abandoned.
He is awarded the
Order of Alexander Nevsky, then promoted to lieutenant general, a little later - to adjutant general. And since 1746, Count Ivan Shuvalov has appeared before us, who replaced the sick head of the Secret Chancellery and then headed it all his life.
During the reign of Elizabeth I and Peter III until 1762, he was feared and disliked. And he preferred to do business, which could help make up his fortune. Elizaveta Petrovna did not forget the faithful assistant and awarded him in 1753 the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of St. St. Andrew the First-Called.
Later, Shuvalov will become both a senator and a field marshal. 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 cuddly, sparing money even for clothes that were befitting their position. In their marriage, a daughter Catherine 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 theater, and her serf dancers became the backbone of the Bolshoi ballet troupe. Her sons were childless, and her daughter did not get married. So this branch of the Shuvalovs did not have offspring.
Using the example of the Shuvalov clan, one can imagine how different people were, having the same roots.