Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
1757 - 1814
Picture: University of Helsinki

Although Gustaf looks a wee bit like Richard Simmons here, he was Swedish and a very skilled diplomat. His king, Gustav III of Sweden, sent him on many diplomatic missions, some of which introduced him to Catherine II of Russia. Gustaf Armfelt became a valued and trusted counselor to the Swedish king.

And he had his hands full because the Swedish nobility hated King Gustav's guts and were always up to no good.

Sweden declared war at Russia in 1788 and Gustaf represented his country at the peace negotiations and the signing of the Treaty of Värälä in 1790.

Gustav the king trusted Gustaf the diplomat immensely. And rightly so because Gustaf Armfelt was a loyal man. When in 1792 Gustav the king got himself shot in the opera house, in took him two weeks to die, in which he arranged his affairs. One of his arrangements was to appoint Gustaf Armfelt to watch over his son, Gustav IV Adolf.

This didn't sit well with the king's brother, Charles, who became later Charles XIII of Sweden. Charles had his own ambitions and wanted Armfelt out of his sight.

And so it happened that Gustaf Armfelt was made Swedish ambassador to Naples. A long long way from home.

Gustaf's righteous soul was troubled. After all, he gave his word to look after the king's son. Thus from Naples, Italy, Gustaf the diplomat made a long-distance call and rang Catherine II in Russia. He asked her to flex some military muscle to scare his people at home back on track, in order to accept the rightful succession to the throne.

This conspiracy was discovered and Gustaf's life was in danger. The queen of Naples, which was Napoleon's baby sister Caroline bless her heart, helped Gustaf to escape. Gustaf then went to Russia.

When the king's son, now king himself, had enough power, he restored Gustaf Armfelt's status. Gustaf was assigned a new post, this time he would be the Swedish ambassador to Vienna.

In Vienna, Gustaf spoke up against Austria's foreign policy toward Napoleon Bonaparte, which got him fired.

His next job was commander in chief of all Swedish forces in Pomerania. And here's a map of Pomerania in 1806:

MAP OF POMERANIA IN 1806
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Later, Gustaf had had it with his fellow countrymen. He went back to Russia, mingled with Russian Emperor Alexander I, helped the Russians to take Finland away from Sweden so it could become a Russian grand duchy, and aided the Russians in their fight against Napoleon I.

GUSTAF ARMFELT BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
1757, March 31 - Birth in St. Mårtens, Finland
1781 Appointed diplomat to the king
1788 - 1790 Russo-Swedish War
1790 Peace of Värälä
1792 Ambassador to Naples
1794 Escapes from Naples to Russia
1802 - 1804 Ambassador to Vienna
1805 - 1807 Commander in chief of the Swedish forces in Pomerania
1811 Back to Russia
1813 Governor-general of Finland
1814, Aug. 19 - Death in Pushkin, Russia