Dmitry Tatishchev

Of Rurikid stock, Tatishchev owed his elevation in no small degree to the influence of his aunt, Princess Dashkov.

In September 1815 he was appointed as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Spain, with concurrent accreditation to the Dutch royal court, holding these positions until January 1821.

General Tatistcheff, who was appointed to this post in 1814, became the terror of all his colleagues and of the Cabinet of London from his extraordinary activity in intrigue; but in relation to the internal affairs of Spain his influence was beneficial; and it was frequently directed towards the support of reforming Ministers, whom King Ferdinand, if free from foreign pressure, would speedily have sacrificed to the pleasure of his favourites and confessors.

[2]Tatishchev was a connoisseur of and collector of art, and held in his collection 200 paintings and 160 rare gems, which were bequeathed to Tsar Nicholas I.

He had two sons Pavel and Vladimir from the extramarital affair with Natalya Koltovskaya (née Turchaninova), a daughter of Alexei Turchaninov.