Spiridion from Lusi

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Spiridion from Lusi

Spiridion Graf von Lusi ( Greek Σπυρίδων Λούζης Spyridon Louzis , Italian Spiridione Lusi ; * 1741 or 1742 in Kefalonia ; † September 1, 1815 in Potsdam ) was a Greek scholar and Prussian diplomat and general.

Life

Career

The Greek noble family Lusi dates back to the 13th century, a branch later settled on the island of Kefalonia , which at that time belonged to the Republic of Venice . Spiridion Graf von Lusi studied at the Greek College in Venice , then at the University of Padua , where he translated Lucian's four works from 1763 to 1765 . After graduation he went to Vienna and later to Breslau , where the imperial envoy King Friedrich II introduced him.

Spiridion von Lusi wrote an article in the Venetian newspaper about the secret plans of Prussia. The extensive background information prompted the Prussian envoy to send the article to Potsdam. In 1777, King Friedrich II invited Lusi to Sanssouci under a pretext to find out about a betrayal. When asked about the article, Spiridion von Lusi demonstrated how he reconstructed secret plans from official notices. King Friedrich II. Was impressed by the 42-year-old's abilities and offered him a position as chamberlain, in order to later send him to the diplomatic service. In 1777 he was recognized as a count in Prussia . Because of his origins, he was nicknamed "Chamberlain of Ulysses" (Odysseus).

From 1780 he became the Prussian ambassador in London ; the budget of the embassy was very modest at 6,000 thalers. Repeatedly he tried unsuccessfully to raise the king. As a last resort, he asked for permission to trade in olive oil through the embassy. Von Lusi managed to cover the expenses of the embassies from the trade and, moreover, to earn well himself. At the same time he also promoted Prussian foreign trade. In 1788 he was recalled from London. Then, in 1800, he was ordered to St. Petersburg to also promote trade there. In the same year he received the Great Red Eagle Order . He remained in the position of envoy in St. Petersburg until 1802.

As early as 1778 he was captain of the free battalion " von Steinmetz ", advanced to major and took part with the Zaremba Brigade in the War of the Bavarian Succession , in particular in the battles at Komeise and Jägerndorf . In 1780 he was an army officer and rose to colonel in 1784 . In 1789 he received the order Pour le Mérite for his work in front of Komeise . He is also said to have brokered peace between the emperor and the Ottoman Empire . In 1792 he was promoted to major general of the army and in 1798 to lieutenant general.

family

Lusi married Margarethe Aurora, née Galeotti, widowed Privy Councilor Septe (* 1755) in Potsdam in 1790. On January 7, 1792, his son Friedrich Wilhelm August was born in Berlin. After a career in the military, he became the Prussian ambassador to the Greek court in 1833 at his request. A descendant was the Irish physicist John Joly (1857–1933).

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Leopold von Zedlitz-Neukirch : New Prussian Adels Lexicon . tape 3 . Leipzig 1837, p. 323 ( preview in Google Book search).
  2. ↑ Maximilian Gritzner : Chronological register of the Brandenburg-Prussian class elevations and acts of grace from 1600–1873. Berlin 1874, p. 36.
  3. ^ A b Carl Eduard Vehse : History of the German courts since the Reformation. 1st division: Prussia. 4th part: history of the Prussian court and nobility and of Prussian diplomacy. Hoffmann and Campe, Hamburg 1851, pp. 270-272 ( books.google.de ).
  4. ↑ Gustaf Lehmann: The knights of the order Pour le Mérite. Edited in the Royal War Ministry by Gustaf Lehmann. 2 volumes. Mittler , Berlin 1913, (complete list of names with files on the circumstances of the award) 1st volume 1740-1811. P. 199 ( digitized version of the Goettingen State and University Library ).
personal data
SURNAME Lusi, Spiridion of
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lusi, Spiridion Count of (full name); Louzis, Spyridon; Lusi, Spiridione; Λούζης, Σπυρίδων (elS)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek scholar and Prussian diplomat and general
DATE OF BIRTH 1741 or 1742
PLACE OF BIRTH on Kefalonia
DATE OF DEATH September 1, 1815
Place of death Potsdam