Sergey Lazarevich Lashkarev (23 February 1739 — 6 October 1814) (, derived from ), was a Russian Imperial Major-General of Georgian origin. A cunning diplomat and polyglot,Русский биографический словарь Т. XII, Спб., 1914, pages 96-98. he was described by his contemporaries as one of the "remarkable phenomena of Catherine the Great's century".Справочный энциклопедический словарь, издающийся под редакцией А. Старчевского Т. VII, Спб., 1853, pages 97-98. Lashkarev was reportedly fluent in ten languages. Besides Russian and Georgian, he spoke French, Italian, Turkish, Persian, Greek, Armenian, Arabic, and Latin.Valentin Lavrentievich Yanin. Отечественная история: К-М. Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2000, p. 290 In 1800, Lashkarev was actively involved in diplomatic exchanges with the Ottoman Empire in connection with the impending Russian annexation of various Georgian kingdoms and principalities, and remained in charge of Georgian affairs at the Imperial court under Alexander I of Russia.Kesselbrenner, G. L. Кессельбреннер Г. Л. Хроника одной дипломатической карьеры (Дипломат-востоковед С. Л. Лашкарев и его время). М., Главная редакция восточной литературы издательства Наука, 1987.
Personal life Lashkarev was the son of a Georgian nobleman Lazare Grigoris dze Lashkarashvili-Bibiluri (later known as Lashkarev-Bibilurov) who moved to Russia from Georgia as part of a royal entourage accompanying the exiled Georgian monarch Vakhtang VI.Rummel, V.V. Лашкаревы - Энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона : в 86 т. (82 т. и 4 доп.). — СПб., 1890—1907.
Lashkarev had four children:
Pavel Sergeevich Lashkarev (1776—1857) — Major-General, hero of the Napoleonic Wars Aleksandr Sergeevich Lashkarev (1779—1849) — General-Lieutenant, recipient of the Order of St. George Sergey Sergeevich Lashkarev (1783—1858) — Privy Councillor of the Russian Empire, Diplomat Grigory Sergeevich Lashkarev (1788—1849) — General-Lieutenant, Governor of Volhynian Governorate, as well as that of Podolia Governorate and Kiev Governorates.
See also Georgians in Russia Pavel Tsitsianov Vakhtang VI
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