RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS IN PARIS

RYMAYNTZEV NICKOLAY PETROVICH (1754 - 1826) Count, statesman

He was the elder son of count P. A.Rymayntzev-Zadunaisky. He received together with his brother Sergey Petrovith very superficial education; in 1772 - 1773 was at the court yard of Catherine II, and then together with baron Grimm he went abroad and there listened the lectures at the Leiden university, then traveled through Italy. In 1799 he was appointed the Minister Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary at the German Seym and tried ardently to strengthen Russian influence into the German affaires. All free time he devoted to the studying of French, German and English literatures, political sciences, history and bibliography.

During the reign of Pavel I count Rymayntzev has been erected a senator, at Alexander I he became the minister of commerce and in this rank he took much care about improvement of the Russian water communications and development of industry and trade with Asia. In 1807 Rymayntzev was appointed the minister of Foreign Affairs, and in 1809 he has been erected as a chancellor. The invasion of Napoleon in Russia has so shaked Rymayntzev that he had apoplectic seizure and he had lost hearing forever.

After the end of the war with Napoleon, Rymayntzev sent an expedition at his own expense on the ship «Ryrik», under command of the captain Kotzeby (1815 - 1818), for search of the northeast sea passage. He took part in other similar affaires (Gagelmeister, Korsakovsky Ystinov and others). He made a lot for the national history. Even not taking into account the rich book assembly, which has the basis of Rymayntzevsky museum and which Rymayntzev did not count money collect during very long time it is necessary also to mention that Rymayntzev grouped around him and financing many modern scientists such as: Batish-Kamensky, Stroyev, Kalaydovitch, Keppen, Krug, Fren, Vostokov, Grigorovitch, Arzibashev, mitropolit Eugene, Karamzin and many others. A lot of issuings has been printed out at his expense. And the main among it - «Assembly of the State Muniments and Contracts».