 |
Gavriil GolovkinStatesman
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Early Life and Service to Peter the Great
- Loyalty to Peter and Rise to Power
- Diplomatic Career and Influence
- Rise under Catherine I and the Succession Crisis
- Later Years and Legacy
Early Life and Service to Peter the Great
Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin, a prominent statesman and relative of Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna, was born in 1660. In 1676, he became a stolnic (attendant) to Tsarevich Peter and later rose to the position of supreme bedchamberlain.
Loyalty to Peter and Rise to Power
During the reign of Tsarevna Sophia, Golovkin demonstrated unwavering loyalty to Peter. He accompanied the tsarevich during his flight to the Trinity Lavra in 1689, escaping a plot by the streltsi (musketeers). From this point forward, Golovkin enjoyed Peter's unwavering trust.
As Peter embarked on his first journey abroad, Golovkin joined him and worked alongside him in the shipyards of Saardam. In 1706, Golovkin assumed the role of head of the Posolsky Prikaz (Foreign Affairs Office). Three years later, on the battlefield of Poltava, Peter bestowed the title of state chancellor on Golovkin.
Diplomatic Career and Influence
In his capacity as chancellor, Golovkin played a pivotal role in foreign relations, accompanying Peter on his travels and military campaigns, including the disastrous Prut campaign. With the establishment of the collegiums in 1717, Golovkin became the president of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs.
Rise under Catherine I and the Succession Crisis
During the reign of Catherine I, Golovkin was appointed a member of the Supreme Privy Council in 1726. The empress entrusted him with her will, which designated Peter II as her successor and Golovkin as one of the young emperor's guardians.
However, upon Peter II's death, Golovkin incinerated this document, which ensured the succession for Peter I's descendants. Instead, he rallied support for Anna Ivanovna, much to the chagrin of the Dolgoruky princes.
Later Years and Legacy
Under Anna Ivanovna, Golovkin held positions in the Senate and the cabinet of ministers. He was granted the title of count of the Roman Empire in 1707 and the Russian countship in 1710.
Golovkin was renowned as a skillful courtier who maintained his influence throughout four reigns. He amassed a vast fortune, owning Kamennoostrovsky Island in St. Petersburg, numerous houses, and estates. Despite his wealth, contemporary accounts describe him as extremely frugal.
