SPERANSKI, COUNT MIKHAIL MIKHAILOVICH (1772-1839), Russian statesman, the son of a village priest, spent his early days at the ecclesiastical seminary in St. Peters burg (Leningrad), where he rose to be professor of mathematics and physics. His brilliant intellectual qualities attracted the atten tion of the government, and he became secretary to Prince Kurakin. In 1806, the emperor Alexander I. took him to the conference of Erfurt and put him into direct communication with Napoleon, who described him as "the only clear head in Russia." They discussed Russian reforms.
From 1809 to 1812 Speranski was all-powerful; he replaced the earlier favourites, becoming practically sole minister. In 1810 and the first half of 18ii Speranski was still in high favour, and was the confidant of the emperor in that secret diplomacy which preceded the breach of Russia with Napoleon.
On the eve of the struggle with Napoleon, Alexander, conscious of his unpopularity, conceived the idea of making Speranski his scapegoat, and so mobilising Old Russian sentiment against revo lutionary France. The grand-duchess Catherine, Karamzin, Ro stopchin and the Swedish general Baron Armfield, intrigued to involve him in a charge of treason. Alexander did not credit the charge, but on March 29,181 2 he dismissed him from office. Rein stated in the public service in 1816, he was appointed governor general of Siberia, for which he drew up a new scheme of govern ment, and in 1821 entered the council of state. He died on Feb. II, 5839, at St. Petersburg.
See the biography (in Russian) by M. Korff (St. Petersburg, 1860 and the works of V. Vagin (St. Petersburg, 2872, Moscow, 2905).