20 Facts About Alexander Gorchakov

Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Gorchakov was a Russian diplomat and statesman from the Gorchakov princely family.

Alexander Gorchakov has an enduring reputation as one of the most influential and respected diplomats of the mid-19th century.

Alexander Gorchakov became a good classical scholar, and learned to speak and write in French with facility and elegance.

On leaving the lyceum Alexander Gorchakov entered the foreign office under Count Nesselrode.

Alexander Gorchakov remained at Stuttgart for some years as Russian minister and confidential adviser of the crown princess.

Alexander Gorchakov foretold the outbreak of the revolutionary spirit in Germany and Austria, and was credited with counselling the abdication of Ferdinand I of Austria in favour of Francis Joseph.

Alexander Gorchakov therefore transferred Gorchakov to Vienna, where the latter remained through the critical period of the Crimean War.

Alexander Gorchakov perceived that Russian designs against the Ottoman Empire, which was supported by Britain and France, were impracticable, and he counselled Russia to make no more useless sacrifices, but to accept the basis of a pacification.

Not long after his accession to office, Alexander Gorchakov issued a circular to the foreign powers in which he announced that Russia proposed, for internal reasons, to keep herself as free as possible from complications abroad, and he added the now-historic phrase, La Russie ne boude pas; elle se recueille.

In July 1863 Alexander Gorchakov was appointed Chancellor of the Russian Empire, expressly in reward for his bold diplomatic attitude towards an indignant Europe.

Alexander Gorchakov was not against the sale but always advocated for careful and secret negotiations and saw the eventuality of the sale but not the immediate necessity.

In return for Russia's service in preventing Austro-Hungarian support being given to France, Alexander Gorchakov looked to Bismarck for diplomatic support on the Eastern Question, and he received an instalment of the expected support when he successfully denounced the Black Sea clauses of the Treaty of Paris.

In 1875, Bismarck was suspected of having designs to again attack France, and Alexander Gorchakov let him know in a way that was not meant to be offensive, but roused Bismarck's indignation, that Russia would oppose any such scheme.

Alexander Gorchakov hoped to use the complications of the situation in such a way as to recover, without war, the portion of Bessarabia ceded by the Treaty of Paris, but he soon lost control of events, and the Slavophile agitation produced the Russo-Turkish War.

Alexander Gorchakov was honored as first plenipotentiary, but he left to the second plenipotentiary, Count Pyotr Andreyevich Shuvalov, not only the task of defending Russian interests but the responsibility and odium for the concessions which Russia had to make to Britain and Austria-Hungary.

Alexander Gorchakov had the satisfaction of seeing the lost portion of Bessarabia restored to Russia but at the cost of greater sacrifices than he anticipated.

Alexander Gorchakov considered the treaty the greatest failure of his official career.

Alexander Gorchakov continued to hold the post of foreign minister but lived chiefly abroad, with Dmitry Milyutin taking responsibility for foreign affairs.

Alexander Gorchakov resigned formally in 1882 and was succeeded by Nicholas de Giers.

Alexander Gorchakov died at Baden-Baden and was buried at the family vault in Strelna Monastery.