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Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt 1757-1814

 

Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt 1757-1814

Image above:

Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt

University of Helsinki



Armfelt as Advisor

Although Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt looks a little bit like Richard Simmons here, he was in fact very Swedish and a skilled diplomat. His king, Gustav III of Sweden, sent him on many diplomatic missions, some of which introduced him to Catherine II of Russia. Gustaf Armfelt became a valued and trusted counselor to the Swedish king.

Armfelt had his hands full because the Swedish nobility hated King Gustav's guts and their next move was about as predictable as a wet powder keg.

 

The Russo-Swedish War of 1788 - 1790

Sweden had declared war on Russia in 1788 and Armfelt represented his country at the peace negotiations and the signing of the Treaty of Värälä in 1790.

 

Watching Over Gustav Jr.

Gustav the king trusted Gustaf the diplomat immensely. And rightly so because Gustaf Armfelt was a loyal man.

When in 1792 Gustav the king got himself shot in the opera house, in took him two weeks to die. The king used this time to arrange his affairs. One of his provisions was the appointment of Gustaf Armfelt as the guardian of his 13-year-old son. The king also promoted Armfelt as a member of the government council.

Later in 1792, wee Gustav became king Gustav IV Adolf and his uncle Charles, the former king's brother, aka the duke of Södermanland, lead the country in his name.

Furthermore, Charles felt perfectly able to look after the young king himself and wanted Armfelt out of his sight.

And so it happened that Gustaf Armfelt, instead of becoming a member of the government council, was made Swedish ambassador to Naples. A long long way from home.

 

Not So Sure About Uncle Charles

Officially, Charles ruled for King Gustav IV until the latter would be old enough to take it from there. But Armfelt was not convinced. He was pretty sure that Charles had his own set of ambitions and deemed him capable of wiggling young Gustav completely out of the picture.

Gustaf Armfelt's righteous soul was troubled. After all, he gave his word to look after the king's son. This would include fighting for the boy's rightful chair, the throne.

Thus from Naples, Italy, the diplomat Armfelt sent a text message to  Catherine II in Russia. He asked her to flex some military muscle that would scare his people at home back on track and boost the authority of young King Gustav.

This scheme was discovered and now Armfelt's life was in danger. The queen of Naples, which was Napoleon's baby sister Caroline, helped Armfelt escape to Russia.

 

Later Assignments

When Gustav IV finally had enough power, he restored Gustaf Armfelt's status from wanted dead or alive to trusted diplomat.


In 1802, Armfelt was assigned a new post. This time he would be the Swedish ambassador to Vienna, which was a little bit closer to his home country.

In Vienna, Armfelt spoke up against Austria's foreign policy toward Napoleon Bonaparte, which got him fired.


His next job was commander in chief of all Swedish forces in Pomerania. And here's a map of Pomerania in 1806:


MAP OF POMERANIA IN 1806
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE


 

In 1809, Sweden lost the Russo-Swedish War of 1808 and Finland to Russia. Consequently, the Swedes provided their king Gustav IV with a one-way ticket into exile and uncle Charles became the new ruler, now Charles XIII.

In 1811, Gustaf Armfelt had had it with his fellow countrymen. He went back to Russia, became Russian Emperor Alexander I's new BFF, helped the Russians to organize Finland, and aided the Russians in their fight against Napoleon I.

 

Gustav Mauritz Armfelt Brief Biography

1757, March 31 - Birth in St. Mårtens, Finland

1781 Appointed diplomat to the king

1788 - 1790
Russo-Swedish War

1790
Peace of Värälä

1792 Ambassador to Naples

1794 Escapes from Naples to Russia

1802 - 1804 Ambassador to Vienna

1805 - 1807 Commander in chief of the Swedish forces in Pomerania

1811 Back to Russia

1813 Governor-general of Finland

1814, Aug. 19 - Death in Pushkin, Russia

 

 

 

 

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