Ivan Osterman

He held diplomatic posts in Paris and Stockholm, where he would exercise considerable influence on Gustav III of Sweden.

In 1783, Osterman was appointed Minister of foreign affairs of Imperial Russia, but would play only a secondary role in this post.

His closest associates - Count Bezborodko, Prince Zubov, Fyodor Rostopchin - were the ones with real power, but they lacked the fluency in languages and oleaginous manner of address which Osterman was famed for.

In 1796, Osterman was appointed the Chancellor of the Russian Empire, again as a puppet of real policy-makers.

As he had no children of his own, his title and last name were inherited by a nephew, the celebrated General Tolstoy.