Jean Armand de Lestocq
Encyclopedia
Count Jean Armand de L'Estocq (German: Johann Hermann Lestocq, Russian: Иван Иванович Лесток, 29 April 1692, Lüneburg
— 12 June 1767, Saint Petersburg
) was a French
adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of Russia
during the early reign of Empress Elizabeth.
Coming from a noble family of Champagne
, as a youth he was committed to prison for a petty offense. He was liberated on the urging of Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
(1677–1749), legitimized daughter of Louis XIV of France
and Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
. Françoise-Marie was also married at the time to Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
. She was thus a well-connected patroness.
In 1709, Lestocq arrived to Saint Petersburg
in the capacity of a court physician
. He was well regarded by Catherine I of Russia
until 1720, when her husband
had him exiled to Kazan
for having seduced a jester's daughter. Upon the Emperor's death, Catherine summoned her favourite physician to the Russian capital, where his light-hearted character made him friends with her daughter Elizaveta Petrovna, who he reportedly cured of syphilis
.
More than anyone else, Lestocq helped prepare the 1741 coup d'etat
which brought Elizaveta to the throne. He shaped Elizaveta's actions according to the advices of the French ambassador Marquis de La Chétardie and the Swedish ambassador, who were particularly interested in toppling the regime of Anna Leopoldovna
, as France sought to counterbalance the Austrian influence at the Russian court and Sweden waged a war against Russia at that time.
After Elizaveta's coronation, Lestocq and La Chetardie attempted to monopolize the state power. The physician received a pension of 15,000 livres from the king of France and sought to influence the Russian foreign policy accordingly. Another beneficiary from Lestocq's intrigues was the king of Prussia
, who even persuaded Emperor Charles VII
to make him an imperial count. In 1743, Lestocq forged the so-called Lopukhina Conspiracy in order to bring about the downfall of the Chancellor Aleksey Bestuzhev. It was he who suggested Sophie Augusta Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst (whose married name would be Catherine and who would become Catherine the Great) , a Prussian protégé, as the bride for the heir apparent.
In 1745 Bestuzhev, still in power, succeeded in intercepting Lestocq's correspondence with La Chetardie, which resulted in the latter being banished from Russia. Three years later Lestocq, who continued to intrigue against Bestuzhev, was accused of plotting to dethrone Elizaveta in favor of the Prussophile heir to the throne
. He was put to the torture in the Secret Chancellery and sentenced to death. The Empress interfered and had him expelled first to Uglich
and then to Veliky Ustyug
. It was not until her death that Lestocq was restored to his estates and was allowed to return to the Russian capital.
First married to Barbara von Rutenhjelm, then to Alida Müller, described as 'Dirty and drunken', who died in November 1743 (ref 1). On 22 November 1747 he married, in Saint Petersburg, Maria Aurora von Mengden (born 1720), daughter of friherre Magnus Gustav von Mengden (1663–1726), former Lord Marshal
of Swedish Livonia
.
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
— 12 June 1767, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
during the early reign of Empress Elizabeth.
Coming from a noble family of Champagne
Champagne (province)
The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name...
, as a youth he was committed to prison for a petty offense. He was liberated on the urging of Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
Françoise-Marie de Bourbon
Françoise Marie de Bourbon, Légitimée de France was the youngest legitimised daughter of Louis XIV of France and his maîtresse-en-titre, Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan. Originally known as the second Mademoiselle de Blois, that style eventually gave way to the name Françoise Marie de...
(1677–1749), legitimized daughter of Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
and Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan
Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, marquise of Montespan , better known as Madame de Montespan, was the most celebrated maîtresse en titre of King Louis XIV of France, by whom she had seven children....
. Françoise-Marie was also married at the time to Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
. She was thus a well-connected patroness.
In 1709, Lestocq arrived to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in the capacity of a court physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. He was well regarded by Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I , the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death.-Life as a peasant woman:The life of Catherine I was said by Voltaire to be nearly as extraordinary as that of Peter the Great himself. There are no documents that confirm her origins. Born on...
until 1720, when her husband
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
had him exiled to Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
for having seduced a jester's daughter. Upon the Emperor's death, Catherine summoned her favourite physician to the Russian capital, where his light-hearted character made him friends with her daughter Elizaveta Petrovna, who he reportedly cured of syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
.
More than anyone else, Lestocq helped prepare the 1741 coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
which brought Elizaveta to the throne. He shaped Elizaveta's actions according to the advices of the French ambassador Marquis de La Chétardie and the Swedish ambassador, who were particularly interested in toppling the regime of Anna Leopoldovna
Anna Leopoldovna
Anna Leopoldovna of Russia , also known as Anna Karlovna , regent of Russia for a few months during the minority of her baby son Ivan...
, as France sought to counterbalance the Austrian influence at the Russian court and Sweden waged a war against Russia at that time.
After Elizaveta's coronation, Lestocq and La Chetardie attempted to monopolize the state power. The physician received a pension of 15,000 livres from the king of France and sought to influence the Russian foreign policy accordingly. Another beneficiary from Lestocq's intrigues was the king of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, who even persuaded Emperor Charles VII
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VII Albert a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 until his death in 1745...
to make him an imperial count. In 1743, Lestocq forged the so-called Lopukhina Conspiracy in order to bring about the downfall of the Chancellor Aleksey Bestuzhev. It was he who suggested Sophie Augusta Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst (whose married name would be Catherine and who would become Catherine the Great) , a Prussian protégé, as the bride for the heir apparent.
In 1745 Bestuzhev, still in power, succeeded in intercepting Lestocq's correspondence with La Chetardie, which resulted in the latter being banished from Russia. Three years later Lestocq, who continued to intrigue against Bestuzhev, was accused of plotting to dethrone Elizaveta in favor of the Prussophile heir to the throne
Peter III of Russia
Peter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. He was very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.-Early life and character:Peter was born in Kiel, in...
. He was put to the torture in the Secret Chancellery and sentenced to death. The Empress interfered and had him expelled first to Uglich
Uglich
Uglich is a historic town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, which stands on the Volga River. Population: A local tradition dates the town's origins to 937. It was first documented in 1148 as Ugliche Pole...
and then to Veliky Ustyug
Veliky Ustyug
Veliky Ustyug is a town in the northeast of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Sukhona and Yug Rivers. Administratively, it is incorporated as a town of oblast significance . It also serves as the administrative center of Velikoustyugsky District, by which it is completely...
. It was not until her death that Lestocq was restored to his estates and was allowed to return to the Russian capital.
First married to Barbara von Rutenhjelm, then to Alida Müller, described as 'Dirty and drunken', who died in November 1743 (ref 1). On 22 November 1747 he married, in Saint Petersburg, Maria Aurora von Mengden (born 1720), daughter of friherre Magnus Gustav von Mengden (1663–1726), former Lord Marshal
Lord Marshal
Lord Marshal may refer to one of the following*Lord Marshal of England* Lord Marshal of Sweden*Earl Marischal*Lantmarskalk was the speaker of the Riksdag...
of Swedish Livonia
Swedish Livonia
- Swedish infantry and cavalry regiments:Infantry regiments:* Garnisonsregementet i Riga * Guvenörsregementet i Riga * Livländsk infanteribataljon I...
.