Alexander Izvolsky | |
---|---|
Александр Извольский | |
Foreign Minister of the Russian Empire | |
In office 11 May 1906 – 11 October 1910 | |
Preceded by | Vladimir Lambsdorff |
Succeeded by | Sergey Sazonov |
Ambassador of the Russian Empire to France | |
In office 1910 – 3 March 1917 | |
Preceded by | Aleksandr Nelidov |
Succeeded by | Vasily Maklakov |
Ambassador of the Russian Empire to Denmark | |
In office 24 October 1902 – 20 April 1906 | |
Preceded by | Alexander von Benckendorff |
Succeeded by | Ivan Kudashev |
Ambassador of the Russian Empire to Japan | |
In office 18 November 1899 – 12 October 1902 | |
Preceded by | Roman Rozen |
Succeeded by | Roman Rozen |
Personal details | |
Born | 18 March [O.S. 6 March] 1856 Moscow, Moscow Governorate, Russian Empire |
Died | 16 August 1919 Biarritz, France | (aged 63)
Nationality | Russian |
Alma mater | Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum |
Occupation | Diplomat, Foreign Minister |
Awards | see awards |
Count Alexander Petrovich Izvolsky or Iswolsky (Russian: Алекса́ндр Петро́вич Изво́льский, 18 March [O.S. 6 March] 1856 in Moscow – 16 August 1919 in Paris) was a Russian diplomat remembered as a major architect of Russia's alliance with Great Britain during the years leading to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.[1] As Foreign Minister, he assented to Austria-Hungary's annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908 in exchange for Austrian support for the opening of the Turkish Straits to Russian warships. In the resultant Bosnian Crisis of 1908–1909 the Powers did not accept the opening of the Straits. Izvolsky, publicly humiliated and destroyed by the debacle, resigned as Foreign Minister[2] in 1910.
Following the resignation of Aleksandr Izvolsky, Sazonov became foreign minister in 1910.