Eduard von Stoeckl

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Baron de Stoeckl
(Library of Congress, Washington DC, created between 1855 and 1865)
William H. Seward and Eduard von Stoeckl in the negotiations for the Alaska Purchase. Painting by Emanuel Leutze

Eduard Andrejewitsch Stoeckl ( Russian Эдуард Андреевич Стекль , scientific transliteration Ėduard Andreevič Stekl ' ; * 1803 (date and place of birth uncertain); † January 26, 1892 in Paris ) was a Russian diplomat. As envoy to the United States (1857–1868) he negotiated the sale of Russian America (now Alaska ) to the United States ( Alaska Purchase ). His parents were the Austrian civil servant Andreas von Stoeckl (archivist of the Austrian Internuntiatur inIstanbul ) and Maria Pisani, the daughter of Nicolas Pisani , a dragoman of Italian descent in Constantinople . In his later life he performed with the not guaranteed title Baron .

Life

After completing his schooling at the Lycée Richelieu in Odessa , he entered Russian services like his father . First he served in Moldova , Wallachia and Constantinople , briefly in Washington in 1839 and then in London . In 1848 he was back in Washington as Chargé d'Affaires . During the ambassador's stay in the USA, Aleksandr Bodisko , Stoeckl represented him in 1849/50. In 1853 Stoeckl was appointed consul general on the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), but was called back to Washington in early 1854, as he had been appointed legation councilor here during the Crimean War (1853-1856) . Bodisko died while Stoeckl was on his way back to Washington. Stoeckl was then again appointed Chargé d'Affaires and learned in early 1857 that the already deceased old Tsar Nicholas I (1796–1855) made him envoy (head of mission of the embassy in Washington, DC and a diplomatic rank, just below one Ambassador).

Stoeckl built close friendly relationships with many American dignitaries and politicians, including the Senator and later US Secretary of State William H. Seward , with whom he later led the negotiations on the Alaska Purchase . Despite everything, Stoeckl was a staunch monarchist throughout his life and viewed democracy with suspicion.

Stoeckl justified the sale of Russian America to the USA in such a way that he claimed that the Russian government could better bundle its resources in Siberia , especially in the area around the Amur River . Strategically, he argued that this would enable Russia to avoid later conflicts with the US, because he saw US expansion in North America as inevitable.

Late years

Stoeckl signed the sale of Alaska on March 30, 1867. Tsar Alexander II rewarded him with 25,000 rubles (about 19,000 US dollars in gold) and an annual pension of 6,000 rubles, beginning April 20, 1869 , for the successful negotiations . It is highly likely, but has never been proven beyond doubt, that Stoeckl bribed American politicians so that Russia would receive the long overdue purchase price payment for Alaska from the USA.

On January 2, 1856, Stoeckl married the American pastor's daughter, Eliza W. Howard, of Springfield, Massachusetts. This marriage resulted in a son, Vladimir, who, when Tsar Alexander II agreed to be his godfather, was baptized Alexander.

Because of his deteriorating health, Stoeckl resigned from his position in 1869 and moved with his family to Paris , where they lived in an apartment at 59, Boulevard Malesherbes. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 the family lived in London for a short time. Stoeckl died in Paris on January 26, 1892 at the age of 89. His grave is in the Saint-Germain-en-Laye cemetery . His wife Eliza died on December 20, 1913, also in Paris. His son Alexander became a Russian diplomat, as did his father and grandfather. He married Agnes Barron from Ireland in 1892. The daughter Zoia (1893–1974) emerged from the marriage.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ in some cases 1804 and 1805 are given as the year of birth and Constantinople as the place of birth in the literature. However, this data is not secure.
  2. ↑ Erik Amburger , History of the organization of authorities in Russia from Peter the Great up to 1917 , EJ Brill publishing house, 1966, p. 464.
  3. ↑ It acted as Charge d'Affaires ad interim from June 20, 1849 to May 4, 1850, p. Charles Lanman, Biographical annals of the civil government of the United States: during its first century. From original and official sources , Verlag J. Anglim, 1876, p. 621.
  4. ↑ Eliza Wetmore was born on May 3 or 6, 1826.
  5. ↑ born in January 1862, probably in Washington DC.
  6. ↑ She lived at 3, Rue de Logelbach with her sister, Frances Ames, who was one year older .
  7. ↑ he entered the diplomatic service in 1879 and was a. a. Attache of the embassy in London and from 1897 personal servant of the grandson Tsar Nicholas I, Grand Duke Georgi Michailowitsch Romanow (1863-1919)
  8. ↑ Agnes de Stoeckl (1874–1968) later made a name for herself as an author of books on historical subjects.

literature

  • Marie de Testa, Antoine Gautier: Le diplomate russe Edouard de Stoeckl (ca 1805–1892) et la cession de l'Alaska aux Etats-Unis. In: Drogmans et diplomates européens auprès de la Porte ottomane. ISIS, Istanbul, 2003, pp. 463-469.
  • Richard A. Pierce (Ed.): Russian America: A Biographical Dictionary. Kingston, Ontario 1990, pp. 486-489.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Stoeckl, Eduard von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Stoeckl, Eduard Andrejewitsch
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Russian diplomat
DATE OF BIRTH uncertain: 1803
DATE OF DEATH January 26, 1892
Place of death Paris