Alexander Shuvalov

Who was Alexander Shuvalov?

Count Aleksandr Ivanovich Shuvalov was a Russian statesman from the Shuvalov family. His career was dependent on and overshadowed by that of his more brilliant brother, Pyotr Ivanovich Shuvalov.

The Shuvalov brothers were two sons of a general who commanded the castle of Vyborg and governed Arkhangelsk during the reign of Empress Anna. They were the closest aides to Elizabeth Petrovna during the 1741 coup d'etat that brought her to the throne. Alexander, in particular, persuaded many of his fellow imperial guards to join Elizabeth's cause. He was rewarded for his allegiance with the rank of Chamberlain in 1741 and the title of count in 1746.

For many years Shuvalov presided over the Secret Chancellory, a sort of political police whose victims included his personal enemies, Field-Marshals Bestuzhev and Apraksin. By the end of Elizabeth's reign, the Shuvalovs successfully eliminated all their political rivals and virtually monopolized state power. They also flirted with the future Peter III of Russia, hoping to retain their positions after his eventual accession to the throne.