Kurakin, Alexey Borisovich

The younger brother of Alexander Borisovich Kurakin , who was raised together with Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich (future Emperor Paul I ) and this relationship is obliged to take off his career in senior government positions, which began in the early days of Paul's reign. In 1775-1776 he studied at the University of Leiden . In 1777 he received the title of junker chamber.

In 1793 he was granted chamberlain, in 1795 promoted to Privy Councilor; On December 4, 1796 he was appointed prosecutor general ; a few days later, on December 19, he received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and took the post of chief director of the Assignation Bank . As a prosecutor general, he gathered a “laid commission” - three books of laws on criminal, civil and state affairs, and restored a school of cadets from the noblemen under the Senate to teach them jurisprudence. In 1797, on April 5, he was awarded the rank of Actual Privy Councilor , and on December 19 he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called . Nevertheless, he fell into disfavor of the emperor: on August 8, 1798 he was dismissed from the post of prosecutor general; appointed senator, which meant an unconditional demotion, and soon completely removed from public affairs. His brother Alexander also fell into disgrace.

Again called up for public service by Alexander I ; On February 4, 1802 he was appointed Little Russian Governor-General . He was in office for about six years; during this time he spent a canal on the Ostre River, took care of public education and public health ^[1] . At Alexey Borisovich, M. M. Speransky began his career; first as the personal secretary of Kurakin, subsequently, after patronage of the cartridge, he was accepted into the Senate Chancellery.

Since 1804, A. B. Kurakin - Member of the Permanent Council ; often served as chairman. After the Peace of Tilsit, he received from Napoleon a large cross of the Legion of Honor .

In 1807-10, the Minister of the Interior. While in this position, he set up the Main Board of Manufactories and founded Severnaya Pochta (New Saint-Petersburg Newspaper). In 1808 he was awarded the highest award of Denmark - the Order of the Elephant .

After leaving office - again in the State Council. Since 1821, Chairman of the Department of State Economy of the State Council. Since 1826, Chancellor of Russian Orders . Member of the Supreme Criminal Court of the Decembrists .

According to Baron Heyking , Prince Kurakin was “a very handsome man, with brilliant eyes and thick, black, beautifully cut eyebrows, would give his appearance a stern expression if it were not softened by his friendly manners and polite tone of speech ” ^[2] .

Before marriage, Kurakin was in love with Countess Ekaterina Ivanovna Chernyshev (1766-1830), but the matchmaking ended in failure, her father, Count I.G. Chernyshev, considered it unprofitable to relate to the princes Kurakin, displeased with Catherine II for his friendship with Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. Later Chernysheva married the handsome colonel Fyodor Fyodorovich Vadkovsky (1756-1806).

On February 15, 1783, Prince Kurakin married Natalya Ivanovna Golovina (1766-1831), a talented musician and composer, and later a lady of state. In their marriage there were children ^[3] :

• Boris Alekseevich (1783-1850), the godson of Empress Catherine II; chamberlain and senator, from 1808 he was married to Princess Elizabeth Borisovna Golitsyna (1790-1871), daughter of Lieutenant General B. A. Golitsyn .
• Konstantin Alekseevich (03/20/1786—?), Baptized in St. Isaac's Cathedral, the godson of Prince N. V. Repnin and Princess A. N. Golitsyna ^[4] .
• Elena Alekseevna (1787-1869), as well as her mother, musician and singer; was first the bride of Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Volkonsky (1770-1835), later the senator, but the marriage did not take place, and she married Count Nikolai Ivanovich Zotov (1782-1849). Their youngest daughter Elizabeth (1808–1872), a maid of honor and a lady of state, was married to Prince A. I. Chernyshev .
• Alexandra Alekseevna (1788-1819), from 1807 she was married to Nikolai Sergeyevich Saltykov (1786-1849), but two years later left him for Colonel Peter Alexandrovich Chicherin (1778-1848). He took her away from her husband and without receiving a divorce, married her. This story made a lot of noise in the world. Prince A. B. Kurakin , until his death, never again mentioned the name of his niece. The children of the Chicherins, 4 sons and 2 daughters, received the rights of legitimate children by the Highest Decree in December 1819, after the death of their mother. She died in May 1819 and was buried in the Sergius desert , near St. Petersburg.

•  

  Boris Alekseevich,
  a son
•  

  Elizaveta Borisovna, daughter-in-law
•  

  Elena Alekseevna, daughter
•  

  Elena and Alexandra, daughters
•  

  Peter Chicherin,
  son-in-law

• Kurakin, Prince Aleksey Borisovich // Russian Biographical Dictionary : At 25 tons / under the supervision of A. A. Polovtsov. 1896-1918.
• Kurakins // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Kolpakidi A., North A. Special Services of the Russian Empire. - M .: Yauza Eksmo, 2010 .-- S. 72 - 74. - 768 p. - (Encyclopedia of special services). - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-699-43615-6 .