 |
Petr ShafirovBaron, diplomat of Peter the Great's time.
Date of Birth: .
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Baron Pyotr Pavlovich Shafirov: A Diplomat of the Petrine Era
- Diplomatic Accomplishments
- Literary Contributions
- Favor and Disgrace
- Rehabilitation and Later Career
- Legacy
Baron Pyotr Pavlovich Shafirov: A Diplomat of the Petrine Era
Early Life and CareerPyotr Pavlovich Shafirov (1669-1739), a baron and diplomat, was born into a Portuguese Jewish family. He began his service in 1691 at the Embassy Chancery, where his father also worked as a translator. His career was propelled by his appointment as Private Secretary in 1704 under F.A. Golovin. Later, Golovin's successor, G.I. Golovkin, elevated him to the position of Vice-Chancellor. From this post, Shafirov oversaw the Embassy Chancery.
Diplomatic Accomplishments
Accompanying Peter the Great on his travels and campaigns, Shafirov played a vital role in diplomatic negotiations. He secured a treaty with the Polish King August II (1701) and with envoys of the Transylvanian prince Rakoczi. In 1711, he brokered the Prut Peace Accord with the Turks, after which he and Count M.P. Sheremetev remained with them as hostages.
Upon his return to Russia in 1714, Shafirov concluded several treaties: with Denmark (1715) for mutual support against the Swedes; with Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1716) regarding the marriage of Princess Ekaterina Ioannovna; and with Prussia and France (1717) to maintain peace in Europe.
Literary Contributions
Around 1716, at Peter the Great's behest, Shafirov penned the renowned "Discourse on the Reasons for the War," which emphasized the necessity of the war against Sweden to secure Russia's vital interests. He also wrote the "Dedication to Tsarevich Pyotr Petrovich on the Wise, Brave, and Magnanimous Deeds of His Majesty Peter I."
Favor and Disgrace
In 1719, Shafirov was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. However, in 1723, he was implicated in the "Shafirov Affair" and stripped of his ranks, title, and estate by a special commission. Sentenced to death, Shafirov's punishment was commuted to exile in Siberia. He was allowed to settle in Nizhny Novgorod under strict guard, receiving a meager allowance for his sustenance.
Rehabilitation and Later Career
With the accession of Catherine I, Shafirov was recalled from exile and reinstated. He was made President of the Commerce Collegium and tasked with writing the history of Peter the Great. In 1730, he negotiated a trade and peace treaty with the Persian Shah in Gilan. Reappointed as a senator in 1733, he participated in trade treaty negotiations with England in 1734 and the Nemirov Treaty in 1737.
Legacy
Shafirov's son, Isai Petrovich Shafirov (1699-1756), served as a translator and later in the Senate. However, he fell into disfavor due to his addiction to alcohol and gambling and died in the Donskoy Monastery, where he was likely incarcerated.
