Everything about Kurt Von Stedingk totally explained
Kurt Bogislaus Ludvig Kristoffer
von Stedingk (
26 October 1746 –
7 January 1837) was a successful Swedish army officer and diplomat who played a prominent role in Swedish foreign policy during several decades.
Biography
Early life
Von Stedingk was born in
Pomerania. His father was major Kristoffer Adam Stedingk and his mother countess Kristina Charlotta von Schwerin. During the
Seven Years' War, at which time Sweden was at war with
Prussia, then thirteen-year-old Kurt was an ensign in the personal regiment of the Crown Prince of Sweden. After the end of the war, he went to Sweden to claim compensation for damage done to his family's estate in Pomerania. This goal wasn't achieved, but instead, von Stedingk was introduced to the court, and became friends with the crown prince and his brothers.
Career
Military career
In
1763, after completing his studies at
Uppsala, he began his military career, and rose quickly through the ranks in the
Royal Suédois regiment in
France. By
1788, he'd made colonel, and by
1783, he was in charge of a larger army unit in
Finland (which then was an integrated part of Sweden). When France went to the aid of the American colonies seeking independence in the
American Revolutionary War, von Stedingk left for
America in 1779. There, he commanded an infantry unit and was particularly successful during the
Siege of Savannah in October of 1779. For this, he was awarded decorated in France and received a lifetime pension. He was also made a member of the
Society of the Cincinnati, but the king of Sweden forbade him to wear the insignia as they were awarded to him by a revolting people.
During the Swedish war with Russia started by king
Gustav III in
1788, von Stedingk commanded the defence of
Savolax. His forces repeatedly defeated Russian forces which greatly outnumbered the Swedes, and von Stedingk was promoted to major general.
Diplomatic career
When peace negotiations were to commence, the king appointed von Stedingk ambassador to Russia. In
St Petersburg, he befriended empress
Catherine II (called 'the Great') and her successor
Paul I. During his many years as ambassador to Russia, von Stedingk was repeatedly promoted, knighted and awarded Swedish and Russian orders because of his success and close friendship with the Russian imperial family. Von Stedingk tried to prevent king
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden from attacking Russia in 1808, but failed. Sweden was defeated in the
Finnish War, and lost Finland to Russia. Kurt von Stedingk negotiated the peace treaty in
1809.
After the forced abdication of the Swedish king, he returned to Russia as ambassador, but was called back in
1811 and made a field marshal. He was supreme commander of the Swedish army in Germany - then part of the allied forces fighting
Napoleon - from
1813 and commanded it in several large battles (at
Großbeeren,
Dennewitz and
Leipzig). Von Stedingk proceeded through
Holstein and accompanied the crown prince to Paris, where the peace treaty was signed.
Kurt von Stedingk spent the rest of his days without other appointments than as head of the Swedish War Academy at Karlberg from 1818 to 1826. In
1826 he was head of the official Swedish party that visited the funeral of emperor Alexander of Russia and the coronation of emperor
Nicholas I in
Moscow.
Death and afterward
At age 90, von Stedingk finally died in
Stockholm, and is said to have been greatly mourned by both the king of Sweden and the armed forces.
Further Information
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