Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt

Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (; 31 March 1757 – 19 August 1814) was a Finnish-Swedish count, baron, courtier, general and diplomat who was later in Russian service.

In Finland, he is considered one of the greatest Finnish statesmen. His advice to Alexander I of Russia was of utmost importance for securing the autonomy of the Grand Duchy of Finland.

Early ife Armfelt was born in Tarvasjoki, Finland, into the noble Armfelt family on 31 March 1757. His father was major general, baron Magnus Vilhelm Armfelt and his mother was baroness Maria Catharina Wennerstedt. His brother was baron August Philip Armfelt. He was the great grandson of Charles XII of Sweden's general, Carl Gustaf Armfeldt.

Armfelt, who had been Chancellor of the Royal Academy of Turku from 1791 to 1792, was again made the chancellor of institution, which had been renamed Imperial Academy, in 1812. He held the position for two years. In 1812, the grateful Emperor raised him to the rank of Count.

He died at Tsarskoe Selo near Saint Petersburg on 19 August 1814.

Because Armfelt chose to remain loyal to Finland and its people, rather than its former ruler, he was labeled as a traitor in Sweden and sentenced to death for treason. The Swedish people could not accept at the time the loss of Finland, which had been part of the realm for over 600 years. Their anguish was exacerbated by the fact that the province had been lost to Sweden's archenemy, Russia. Armfelt's death sentence, however, had no actual meaning outside of Sweden as there was never a realistic Swedish attempt to recapture Finland. Politicians threatened action mainly to gain favour among the nobles and populace. In 1812, Sweden allied with Russia, and the sentence was annulled.

Family In 1785, Armfelt married Countess Hedvig Ulrika De la Gardie (1761–1832), daughter of Count Carl Julius De la Gardie and his wife, Countess Magdalena Christina Stenbock.

They had the following eight children: Countess Maria Magdalena Catharina Augusta Armfelt, (1786–1845), married Count Axel Adolf Piper-Ängsö (1778–1827) and had issue; Baron Gustaf Fredrik Armfelt (1788–1789); Baron Carl Armfelt, born and died 1788; Baron Magnus Armfelt, born and died 1788; Count Gustaf Magnus Armfelt, (1792–1856), major-general, married Louise Cuthbert-Brook, Lady of Joensuu (1801–1865); Count Alexander Armfelt, (1794–1876), captain, Finnish minister secretary of state, privy councillor, married firstly Baroness Siri Oxenstierna (1801-1841); married secondly Aline Demidov (1808-1898) and had issue from both marriages; Baron Constantin Armfelt, (1796–1797); Count Carl Magnus Wilhelm Armfelt, (1797–1878), married Baroness Adelaide Sohvia Vlhelmiina Karoliina von Stedingk (1802–1863; div. 1834); married secondly Ulrika Christina Vilhelmina Bohman (1818–1892), and had issue from both marriages.

From the affair with the actress Mademoiselle L'Eclair in Paris, Armfelt had an illegitimate son, Maurice L'Eclair (1780–1841). From the affair with Princess Wilhelmine, Duchess of Sagan, Armfelt had an illegitimate daughter, Countess Adelaide Gustava Aspasie (Vava) Armfelt (1801–1881). Maurice was knighted in 1816 in Sweden as Mauritz Clairfelt and became a general; Vava was adopted in 1812 into the Armfelt family. He also had an out of wedlock daughter with Princess Ekaterina Nikolaevna Galitzina (1764–1832), Princess Ekaterina Gagarina (1794–1835).