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{{Short description|French adventurer in Russian court politics}}
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Count '''Jean Armand de L'Estocq''' (German: ''Johann Hermann Lestocq'', Russian: ''Иван Иванович Лесток'', ] ], ] — ] ], ]) was a ] adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of ] during the early reign of ]. Count '''Jean Armand de L'Estocq''' {{langx|de|Johann Hermann Lestocq}}; {{langx|ru|Иван Иванович Лесток}}; 29 April 1692, in ] – 12 June 1767, in ]) was a French adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of ] during the early reign of ].


==Biography==
Coming from a noble family of ], as a youth he was committed to prison for a petty offense. He was liberated on the urging of ] (1677 - 1749), legitimized daughter of ] and ]. Françoise-Marie was also married at the time to ]. She was thus a well-connected patroness. Coming from a noble family of ], as a youth he was committed to prison for a petty offense. He was liberated on the urging of ] (1677–1749), legitimized daughter of ] and ]. Françoise-Marie was also married at the time to ]. She was thus a well-connected patroness.


In 1709, Lestocq arrived to ] in the capacity of a court ]. He was well regarded by ] until 1720, when ] had him exiled to ] 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 ], who he reportedly cured of ]. In 1709, Lestocq arrived in ] in the capacity of a court ]. He was well regarded by ] until 1720, when ] had him exiled to ] 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 ], whom he reportedly cured of ].


More than anyone else, Lestocq helped prepare the 1741 ] which brought Elizaveta to the throne. He shaped Elizaveta's actions according to the advices of the French ambassador ] and the Swedish ambassador, who were particularly interested in toppling the regime of ], as France sought to counterbalance the Austrian influence at the Russian court and Sweden ] against Russia at that time. More than anyone else, Lestocq helped prepare the 1741 ] which brought Elizaveta to the throne. He shaped Elizaveta's actions according to the advice of the French ambassador ] and the Swedish ambassador, who were particularly interested in toppling the regime of ], as France sought to counterbalance the Austrian influence at the Russian court and Sweden ] 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 ], who even persuaded ] to make him an imperial count. In 1743, Lestocq forged the so-called ] in order to bring about the downfall of the Chancellor ]. It was he who suggested ] (whose married name would be Catherine and who would become Catherine the Great) , a Prussian protégé, as the bride for the heir apparent. After Elizaveta's coronation, Lestocq and La Chetardie attempted to dominate state power. The physician received a pension of 15,000 livres from the king of France and sought to influence Russian foreign policy accordingly. Another beneficiary from Lestocq's intrigues was the King of ], who persuaded ] to make him an imperial count. In 1743, Lestocq forged the so-called ] to engineer the downfall of Chancellor ]. It was he who suggested ] (the future Catherine the Great), a Prussian protégé, as a 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 ]. He was put to the torture in the Secret Chancellery and sentenced to death. The Empress interfered and had him expelled first to ] and then to ]. It was not until her death that Lestocq was restored to his estates and was allowed to return to the Russian capital. 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 ]. He and his aide de camp, ], nephew of his brother Johann Ludwig von L'Estocq,<ref>Johann Ludwig von L'Estocq married in 1720 Helene Clara Chappuzeau (1690-1768), the daughter of ] and only sister of ]; they had one child, Karl Ludwig (1725-1806), and divorced in 1726. Alexander Chappuzeau (1720-1755) was the son of Jacob Chappuzeau.</ref> were both arrested. L'Estocq was tortured in the Secret Chancellery and sentenced to death. The Empress intervened and had him instead exiled, first to ] and then to ]. Only upon her death was Lestocq restored to his estates and allowed to return to the Russian capital.


Lestocq was married first to Barbara von Rutenhjelm, then to Alida Müller, described as 'dirty and drunken', who died in November 1743.<ref>''Mémoires du prince Pierre Dolgoroukow'', by Pierre Dolgoroukow, Cherbuliez et H. Georg, 1867, I, p 484</ref> On 22 November 1747 he married, in Saint Petersburg, Maria Aurora von Mengden (born 1720), daughter of ] ] (1663–1726), former ] of ].
⚫ == References ==
*{{efron}}


==See also==
⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Lestocq, Jean Armand de}}
*] (1738–1815)

⚫ ==References==
⚫ *{{Efron|Лесток, Иоганн Германн}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|de}} {{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} - marriage with Maria Aurora von Mengden

{{Authority control}}

⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Lestocq, Jean Armand De}}
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Latest revision as of 02:28, 28 October 2024

French adventurer in Russian court politics
Jean Armand de Lestocq; portrait by Georg Christoph Grooth (1740s)

Count Jean Armand de L'Estocq German: Johann Hermann Lestocq; Russian: Иван Иванович Лесток; 29 April 1692, in Lüneburg – 12 June 1767, in Saint Petersburg) was a French adventurer who wielded immense influence on the foreign policy of Russia during the early reign of Empress Elizabeth.

Biography

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 in 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, whom 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 advice 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 dominate state power. The physician received a pension of 15,000 livres from the king of France and sought to influence Russian foreign policy accordingly. Another beneficiary from Lestocq's intrigues was the King of Prussia, who persuaded Emperor Charles VII to make him an imperial count. In 1743, Lestocq forged the so-called Lopukhina Conspiracy to engineer the downfall of Chancellor Aleksey Bestuzhev. It was he who suggested Sophie Augusta Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst (the future Catherine the Great), a Prussian protégé, as a 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 and his aide de camp, Alexander Chappuzeau, nephew of his brother Johann Ludwig von L'Estocq, were both arrested. L'Estocq was tortured in the Secret Chancellery and sentenced to death. The Empress intervened and had him instead exiled, first to Uglich and then to Veliky Ustyug. Only upon her death was Lestocq restored to his estates and allowed to return to the Russian capital.

Lestocq was married first to Barbara von Rutenhjelm, then to Alida Müller, described as 'dirty and drunken', who died in November 1743. 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.

See also

References

References

  1. Johann Ludwig von L'Estocq married in 1720 Helene Clara Chappuzeau (1690-1768), the daughter of Laurent Chappuzeau and only sister of Jacob Chappuzeau; they had one child, Karl Ludwig (1725-1806), and divorced in 1726. Alexander Chappuzeau (1720-1755) was the son of Jacob Chappuzeau.
  2. Mémoires du prince Pierre Dolgoroukow, by Pierre Dolgoroukow, Cherbuliez et H. Georg, 1867, I, p 484

External links

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