Christoph von Lieven

Prince Christoph Heinrich von Lieven (, Khristofor Andreyevich Liven; 6 May 1774 – 10 January 1839) was a Baltic German nobleman, Russian general, ambassador to London in 1812–1834, and educator of Tsesarevich Alexander Nikolaevich. Early life Christoph von Lieven was born on May 6, 1774 (Old Style) into the old noble family of Lieven (Livonian-originated medieval Baltic German knights), as the third son of Baroness Charlotte von Gaugreben, afterwards 1st Princess Lieven (1743–1828) and Baron Otto Heinrich Andreas von Lieven of Eksjö (1726–1781) (source: Gustav Elgenstierna, Ättartavlor). Since his youth, his mother served as governess of the younger children of the then Grand Duke Paul Petrovich of Russia, Heir-Apparent to the throne of the then Empress Catherine II. As such, young Baron Christoph's "foster-siblings" were a number of young grand dukes and grand duchesses, including his future liege lord the Emperor Nicholas I (1796-1855). Career Early military Fifteen-year-old Lieven was registered in an artillery regiment, and made a quick military career: in 1791 he was promoted from the rank of warrant officer (Praporshchik) to the rank of second lieutenant (podporuchik) at the Semionovsky regiment; in 1794 to the rank of lieutenant (poruchik), and after a campaign in 1796 to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Vladimir dragoon regiment, later Tula musketeer regiment. Lieven was sent to Caucasus and participated in the Persian Expedition and in the Georgian expedition. In 1797, Emperor Paul I made him his aide-de-camp, and in 1798 he was promoted to the rank of Major-general and assigned to the post of the Director of the Mobile Field Chancellery (военно-походная канцелярия) of His Majesty. Lieven accompanied Alexander I of Russia during the Battle of Vishkovo and Battle of Austerlitz and at the signing of the Peace of Tilsit. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in 1807.