Johann Albrecht Korff

Johann Albert Baron von Korff ( Latvian Johans Albrehts fon Korfs; Russian Иоганн - Альбрехт фон Корф; born November 30, 1697 in Courland, † April 7, 1766 in Copenhagen) was a Russian diplomat and president of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Life

Johann Albert Baron von Korff came from the widely branched noble family Korff. In 1730 he came out with Queen Anne I. Kurland to Russia. He served as her squire and chamberlain. In 1734 he was appointed President of the Academy of Sciences. As such, he was the patron of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov. He also sent an expedition to Kamchatka. Because of his unusual knowledge of Latin at the Russian court, he was considered a scholar. Korff built up an extensive library of 36,000 titles. This he later sold to the Empress Catherine II retained until his death, but the right to use before.

In 1740 was appointed in Hamburg von Korff to the Messenger. The following year he went in the same capacity to Copenhagen, Stockholm 1746. At the behest of Pyotr Mikhailovich Bestuzhev he assisted in intra Swedish disputes the party of the caps ( Mössorna ). Because he so obviously this was going on, the Swedish King Frederick demanded his recall. Empress Elisabeth gave the request 1749 and gave Korff again to Copenhagen.