Christoph Johann von Medem
{{Expand German|topic=bio}}
{{Infobox royalty
|issue=
|image=Graf-Medem.jpg
|caption=Christoph Johann Friedrich Graf von Medem portrait by Anton Graff (1796)
|birth_date={{birth date|1763|8|13|df=y}}
|birth_place=Mežotne, Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
|death_date={{death date and age|1838|2|24|1763|8|13|df=y}}
|death_place=Mitau, Russian Empire
|father=Johann Friedrich von Medem
|mother=Luise Charlotte von Manteuffel
}}
Count Christoph Johann Friedrich von Medem (Jeannot Medem; 1763–1838) was a nobleman from Courland and courtier in the courts of Prussian kings Frederick the Great, Frederick William II and Emperor of Russia Paul I.{{Cite book |last1=Karsch |first1=Anna Luise |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JYcHve_IodwC&dq=Christoph+Johann+von+Medem&pg=PA631 |title=Mein Bruder in Apoll: Briefwechsel 1761-1768 |last2=Nörtemann |first2=Regina |date=1996 |publisher=Wallstein Verlag |isbn=978-3-89244-018-5 |language=de}} His sisters were poet Elisa von der Recke and last Duchess of Courland, Dorothea von Medem.
Early life
Christoph Johan von Medem was born in the Mežotne manor, Semigallia on 13 August 1763.{{cite web |title=BBLD: Medem, Christoph Johann* (Jeannot*) Friedrich Gf. v. (1763-1838) |url=https://bbld.de/GND1168875072 |website=bbld.de |access-date=24 October 2024}} He was the son of a well known landlord and Reichsgraf Johann Friedrich von Medem and his second wife Luise Charlotte von Manteuffel.{{cite book |last1=Dorota |first1=Anna |title=Briefe der Herzogin Dorothea von Kurland |date=1999 |publisher=Latvijas valsts arhīvu g̓enerāldirekcija |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C5siAQAAIAAJ&q=Christoph+Johann+von+Medem+Luise+Charlotte+von+Manteuffel |access-date=24 October 2024 |language=lv}} He had a good education and with help from his father he became a courtier in the court of the Friedrich the Great.
Career
Christoph Johann von Medem also served in Prussian army. After Frederick the Great death in 1786 he became aide of his son Frederick William II of Prussia. Later after his patron's death in 1797 he moved to St. Petersburg in the service of Paul I of Russia. He was his chamberlain and also served as ambassador in Washington in 1796–1808.
As Captain and Adjutant of the General Nikolay Raevsky Medem acquired on September 6, 1813, during the German Campaign of 1813 the Order Pour le Mérite.
Later life
After retirement he returned to Semigallia (where he owned several manors) and turned to agriculture. He married Mary Luise, a daughter of Count Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen. Their residences included :lv:Villa Medem in Mitau and the Durbe Manor near Tukums. Christoph Johann von Medem died in Mitau on 24 February 1838.
References
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Category:People from the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Category:Russian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
Category:Baltic-German nobility
Category:Ambassadors of the Russian Empire to the United States