IGNATIEFF, NIKOI.AI Count (1532—). A Russian general and diplo mat, born in Saint Petersburg, January 29. 1532. lie was the son of a favorite officer of the Em peror Nicholas, and was eommissioned in the Guards in 1849; he served in the Crimean War, and was made a eolonel in 1556, and a major general in 1855. In the latter year he was made diplomatic attach• to General Murayieff, Gov ernor of East Siberia. and in this capacity negotiated with China the Treaty of Aigun (May 25, 1S5S), by which Russia Pante into pos session of the region of the Amur. Re was subsequently sent on a special mission to Khiva and Bokhara, and as Plenipotentiary to Peking in 1SGO. lie was made Adjutant-General of the Czar in 1863, and was placed at the head of the Asiatic department of the Ministry of Foreign Af fairs. in the following year he was sent to Con stantinople to represent the Czar at the Court of the Sultan, and lie remained in this important post until the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish war in 1877. He was an active agent in the events of this exciting and critical period, en couraging the restlessness of the Christian peo ples of the Balkans, while endeavoring to main tain the Russian influence over the Sultan. In the pursuit of his ends Ignatieff did not hesitate to resort to duplicity and the basest kind of in trigue, and succeeded in gaining the sobriquet of `Liar Pasha.' 11rough such means he was quite
successful in maintaining the Russian influence during the life of Abdul Aziz, but after the lat ter's violent death and the deposition of Amurath V. (1876). the anti-Russian influence became predominant with Abdul Hamid, and events moved rapidly toward war. After the conference at Constantinople during the winter of 1876-77, Ignatieff hastened to Berlin, Vienna, and London on diplomatic business. At the close of the war he participated in the negotiations of Adrianople, and was mainly responsible for the Treaty of San Stefano. On account of disagreements with Gort chakoff, he retired from office, but on the accession of Alexander III. (ISSI ) he was recalled and made :Minister of the Imperial Domains, and then of the Interior. While holding this office he at tained prominence as a persecutor of the Jews. This. as well as his opposition to :M. de Giers. led to his retirement a second time. June 21, 1882. He subsequently participated in public affairs only as member of the Cotmcil of the Empire and of the Senate. He is a prominent figure in the Pan-Slavic or Nationalist Party.