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Nikolay de Girs or Giers (Russian: Никола́й Ка́рлович Гирс; 21 May [O.S. 9 May] 1820 – 26 January [O.S. 14 January] 1895) was a Russian statesman and diplomat who served as the foreign minister from 1882 to 1895, during the reign of Alexander III. He was one of the architects of the Franco-Russian Alliance, which was later transformed into the Triple Entente, He promoted an image of Russia as a peaceful partner in dealing with complex and dangerous diplomatic situations, but most of the public credit went to Tsar Alexander.

Biography

Nikolay Girs was born in Ukraine. Like his predecessor, Prince Gorchakov, he was educated at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, near St Petersburg, but his career was much less rapid, because he had no influential protectors, and was handicapped by being a Protestant of Teutonic origin. At the age of eighteen, he entered the service of the Eastern department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, and spent more than twenty years in subordinate posts, chiefly in south-eastern Europe, until he was promoted in 1863 to the post of minister plenipotentiary in Persia. Here he remained for six years, and, after serving as a minister in Switzerland and Sweden, he was appointed in 1875 director of the Eastern department and assistant minister for foreign affairs under Prince Gorchakov, whose niece he had married.^[1]

On the Assassination of Alexander II of Russia in 1881, it was generally expected that Girs would be dismissed as deficient in Russian nationalist feeling, for Alexander III was credited with strong anti-German Slavophile tendencies. In reality, the young tsar did not intend to embark on wild political adventures, and was fully determined not to let his hand be forced by men less cautious than himself. What he wanted was a minister of foreign affairs who would be at once vigilant and prudent, active and obedient, and who would relieve him from the trouble and worry of routine work while allowing him to control the main lines, and occasionally the details, of the national policy. Girs was exactly what he wanted, and accordingly the tsar not only appointed him minister of foreign affairs on the retirement of Prince Gorchakov in 1882, but retained him to the end of his reign in 1894.^[1]

Girs systematically followed a pacific policy. Accepting as a fait accompli the existence of the Triple Alliance, created by Bismarck for the purpose of resisting any aggressive action on the part of Russia and France, he sought to establish more friendly relations with the cabinets of Berlin, Vienna, and Rome. To the advances of the French government, he at first turned a deaf ear, but when the rapprochement between the two countries was effected with little or no co-operation on his part, he utilized it for restraining France and promoting Russian interests.^[1]

Rivalry between Britain and Russia grew steadily over Central Asia in the Great Game of the late 19th century. Russia desired warm-water ports on the Indian Ocean while Britain wanted to prevent Russian troops from gaining a potential invasion route to India.^[2] In 1885, Russia annexed part of Afghanistan in the Panjdeh incident, which caused a war scare. However Girs and the Russian ambassador to London Baron de Staal set up an agreement in 1887, which established a buffer zone in Central Asia. Russian diplomacy won grudging British acceptance of its expansionism. Persia was also an arena of tension, but without warfare.^[3]

He died on 26 January 1895, soon after the accession of Nicholas II.^[1] His son Mikhail Nikolayevich von Giers acted as last Imperial Russian Ambassador in Constantinople until the beginning of World War I in 1914. There were many high ranked 'von Giers' in Russian government, among them President in Podolien and minister Fredrik von Giers (1776 in St. Petersburg, 1842), minister Karl Ferdinand von Giers (1777, 1835), minister Konstatin von Giers (1777, 1835), Ambassador Nikolaus von Giers (1853, 1924), Ambassador Mikail von Giers (1856, 1932), Admiral Theodor von Giers (1835, 1905) etc. And some of these Giers relatives were married to other high ranked Russian families, among them General Komaroff, Princess Olga Cantacuzene and General Karl de Meyer.

Legacy

According to Margaret Maxwell, historians have underrated his success in a diplomacy that featured numerous negotiated settlements, treaties and conventions. These agreements defined Russian boundaries and restored equilibrium to dangerously unstable situations. He supported numerous international commissions and made many goodwill missions, during which he repeatedly stressed Russia's peaceful intentions. His most dramatic success came in 1885, settling long-standing tensions with Great Britain, which was fearful that Russian expansion to the South would be a threat to India.^[4] Girs was usually successful in restraining the aggressive inclinations of Tsar Alexander III, convincing him that the very survival of the tsarist system depended on avoiding major wars. With a deep insight into the tsar's moods and views, Girs was usually able to shape the final decisions by outmaneuvering hostile journalists, ministers, and even the tsarina, as well as his own ambassadors. Under his leadership, Russia fought no foreign wars.^[5]

Orders and decorations

Austria-Hungary: Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, 1884^[6]
Dänemark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant, 25 October 1888^[7]
Monaco: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles, 21 August 1883^[8]
Kingdom of Prussia:^[9]
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle, 4 September 1879; in Diamonds, 1881
- Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, 22 March 1884
Sweden-Norway: Knight of the Royal Order of Seraphim, 15 February 1892^[10]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wallace, Donald Mackenzie (1911). "Giers, Nicholas Karlovich de". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 2–3.
^ David Fromkin, "The Great Game in Asia," Foreign Affairs(1980) 58#4 pp. 936-951 in JSTOR
^ Firuz Kazemzadeh, Russia and Britain in Persia, 1864-1914: A Study in Imperialism (Yale UP, 1968).
^ Raymond A. Mohl, "Confrontation in Central Asia, 1885," History Today (1969) 119#3 pp 176-183.
^ Margaret Maxwell, "A Re-examination of the Rôle of N.K. Giers as Russian Foreign Minister under Alexander III." European Studies Review 1.4 (1971): 351-376.
^ "A Szent István Rend tagjai" (in Hungarian), Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
^ Jørgen Pedersen (2009). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009 (in Danish). Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 468. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2.
^ Sovereign Ordonnance of 21 August 1883
^ Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1886, pp. 9, 25{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Sveriges statskalender (PDF) (in Swedish), Stockholm, 1894, p. 400 – via gupea.ub.gu.se{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links

[EB1911-1] One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wallace, Donald Mackenzie (1911). "Giers, Nicholas Karlovich de". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 2–3.

[2] David Fromkin, "The Great Game in Asia," Foreign Affairs(1980) 58#4 pp. 936-951 in JSTOR

[3] Firuz Kazemzadeh, Russia and Britain in Persia, 1864-1914: A Study in Imperialism (Yale UP, 1968).

[4] Raymond A. Mohl, "Confrontation in Central Asia, 1885," History Today (1969) 119#3 pp 176-183.

[5] Margaret Maxwell, "A Re-examination of the Rôle of N.K. Giers as Russian Foreign Minister under Alexander III." European Studies Review 1.4 (1971): 351-376.

[6] "A Szent István Rend tagjai" (in Hungarian), Archived 22 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine

[7] Jørgen Pedersen (2009). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009 (in Danish). Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 468. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2.

[8] Sovereign Ordonnance of 21 August 1883

[prus-9] Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1886, pp. 9, 25{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[10] Sveriges statskalender (PDF) (in Swedish), Stockholm, 1894, p. 400 – via gupea.ub.gu.se{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Russian statesman (1820–1895)}}
-[[File:Girs Nikolai (1820-1895).jpg|230px|thumb|right|Nikolay Girs]]
+[[File:Girs Nikolai (1820-1895).jpg|230px|thumb|right|Nikolay Girs {{circa|1885–1890}}]]
-'''Nicholas de Giers''' or '''Girs''' ({{lang-ru|Никола́й Ка́рлович Гирс}} ''Nikolay Karlovich Girs'')
-({{OldStyleDate|21 May|1820|9 May}} – {{OldStyleDate|26 January|1895|14 January}}) was a [[Russia]]n Foreign Minister during the reign of [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]]. He was one of the architects of the [[Franco-Russian Alliance]], which was later transformed into the [[Triple Entente]].
+'''Nikolay de Girs''' or '''Giers''' ({{lang-ru|Никола́й Ка́рлович Гирс}}; {{OldStyleDate|21 May|1820|9 May}} &ndash; {{OldStyleDate|26 January|1895|14 January}}) was a Russian statesman and diplomat who served as the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|foreign minister]] from 1882 to 1895, during the reign of [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]]. He was one of the architects of the [[Franco-Russian Alliance]], which was later transformed into the [[Triple Entente]], He promoted an image of Russia as a peaceful partner in dealing with complex and dangerous diplomatic situations, but most of the public credit went to Tsar Alexander.
 == Biography ==
-Girs's family was of Scandinavian ancestry. Like his predecessor, [[Alexander Gorchakov|Prince Gorchakov]], he was educated at the [[Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum]], near [[St Petersburg]], but his career was much less rapid, because he had no influential protectors, and was handicapped by being a Protestant of Teutonic origin. At the age of eighteen, he entered the service of the Eastern department of the ministry of foreign affairs, and spent more than twenty years in subordinate posts, chiefly in south-eastern Europe, until he was promoted in 1863 to the post of minister plenipotentiary in [[Persian Empire|Persia]]. Here he remained for six years, and, after serving as a minister in [[Switzerland]] and [[Sweden]], he was appointed in 1875 director of the Eastern department and assistant minister for foreign affairs under [[Alexander Gorchakov|Prince Gorchakov]], whose niece he had married.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Giers, Nicholas Karlovich de |volume=12 |pages=2–3 |first=Donald Mackenzie |last=Wallace |inline=1}}</ref>
+Nikolay Girs was born in Ukraine. Like his predecessor, [[Alexander Gorchakov|Prince Gorchakov]], he was educated at the [[Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum]], near [[St Petersburg]], but his career was much less rapid, because he had no influential protectors, and was handicapped by being a Protestant of Teutonic origin. At the age of eighteen, he entered the service of the Eastern department of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire]], and spent more than twenty years in subordinate posts, chiefly in south-eastern Europe, until he was promoted in 1863 to the post of [[List of ambassadors of Russia to Iran|minister plenipotentiary]] in [[Qajar Iran|Persia]]. Here he remained for six years, and, after serving as a minister in [[Switzerland]] and [[Sweden]], he was appointed in 1875 director of the Eastern department and assistant minister for foreign affairs under Prince [[Alexander Gorchakov|Gorchakov]], whose niece he had married.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Giers, Nicholas Karlovich de |volume=12 |pages=2–3 |first=Donald Mackenzie |last=Wallace |inline=1}}</ref>
-On the death of [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]] in 1881 it was generally expected that Girs would be dismissed as deficient in Russian nationalist feeling, for [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] was credited with strong anti-German [[Slavophile]] tendencies. In reality, the young tsar did not intend to embark on wild political adventures, and was fully determined not to let his hand be forced by men less cautious than himself. What he wanted was a minister of foreign affairs who would be at once vigilant and prudent, active and obedient, and who would relieve him from the trouble and worry of routine work while allowing him to control the main lines, and occasionally the details, of the national policy. Girs was exactly what he wanted, and accordingly the tsar not only appointed him minister of foreign affairs on the retirement of Prince Gorchakov in 1882, but retained him to the end of his reign in 1894.<ref name=EB1911/>
+On the [[Assassination of Alexander II of Russia]] in 1881, it was generally expected that Girs would be dismissed as deficient in Russian nationalist feeling, for [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] was credited with strong anti-German [[Slavophilia|Slavophile]] tendencies. In reality, the young tsar did not intend to embark on wild political adventures, and was fully determined not to let his hand be forced by men less cautious than himself. What he wanted was a minister of foreign affairs who would be at once vigilant and prudent, active and obedient, and who would relieve him from the trouble and worry of routine work while allowing him to control the main lines, and occasionally the details, of the national policy. Girs was exactly what he wanted, and accordingly the tsar not only appointed him minister of foreign affairs on the retirement of Prince Gorchakov in 1882, but retained him to the end of his reign in 1894.<ref name=EB1911/>
-In accordance with the desire of the tsar Girs followed systematically a pacific policy. Accepting as a fait accompli the existence of the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]], created by [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]] for the purpose of resisting any aggressive action on the part of Russia and [[France]], he sought to establish more friendly relations with the cabinets of Berlin, Vienna and Rome. To the advances of the French government, he at first turned a deaf ear, but when the rapprochement between the two countries was effected with little or no co-operation on his part, he utilized it for restraining France and promoting Russian interests.<ref name=EB1911/>
+Girs systematically followed a pacific policy. Accepting as a fait accompli the existence of the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]], created by [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]] for the purpose of resisting any aggressive action on the part of Russia and [[French Third Republic|France]], he sought to establish more friendly relations with the cabinets of Berlin, Vienna, and Rome. To the advances of the French government, he at first turned a deaf ear, but when the rapprochement between the two countries was effected with little or no co-operation on his part, he utilized it for restraining France and promoting Russian interests.<ref name=EB1911/>
-Rivalry between Britain and Russia grew steadily over [[Central Asia]] in the [[Great Game]] of the late 19th century. Russia desired warm-water ports on the Indian Ocean while Britain wanted to prevent Russian troops from gaining a potential invasion route to India. <ref>David Fromkin, "The Great Game in Asia," ''Foreign Affairs''(1980) 58#4  pp. 936-951 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20040512 in JSTOR]</ref> In 1885 Russia annexed part of Afghanistan in the [[Pandjeh Incident]], which caused a war scare. However Girs and the Russian ambassador to London [[Egor Egorovich Staal|Baron de Staal]] set up an agreement in 1887 which established a buffer zone in Central Asia. Russian diplomacy won grudging British acceptance of its expansionism.<ref>Raymond Mohl, "Confrontation in Central Asia" ''History Today'' 19 (1969) 176-183 </ref>   Persia was also an arena of tension, but without warfare. <ref>[[Firuz Kazemzadeh]], ''Russia and Britain in Persia, 1864-1914: A Study in Imperialism'' (Yale UP, 1968).</ref>
+Rivalry between [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain]] and Russia grew steadily over [[Central Asia]] in the [[Great Game]] of the late 19th century. Russia desired warm-water ports on the Indian Ocean while Britain wanted to prevent Russian troops from gaining a potential invasion route to India.<ref>David Fromkin, "The Great Game in Asia," ''Foreign Affairs''(1980) 58#4  pp. 936-951 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20040512 in JSTOR]</ref> In 1885, Russia annexed part of [[Emirate of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] in the [[Panjdeh incident]], which caused a war scare. However Girs and the Russian ambassador to London [[Egor Egorovich Staal|Baron de Staal]] set up an agreement in 1887, which established a buffer zone in Central Asia. Russian diplomacy won grudging British acceptance of its expansionism. Persia was also an arena of tension, but without warfare.<ref>[[Firuz Kazemzadeh]], ''Russia and Britain in Persia, 1864-1914: A Study in Imperialism'' (Yale UP, 1968).</ref>
-He died on 26 January 1895, soon after the accession of [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]].<ref name=EB1911/>  His son [[Mikhail Nikolayevich von Giers]] acted as last Imperial Russian Ambassador in Constantinople until the beginning of World War I in 1914.
-== Family history ==
 [[File:Nikolai de Giers.jpg|frame|left]]
+He died on 26 January 1895, soon after the accession of [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]].<ref name=EB1911/>  His son [[Mikhail Nikolayevich von Giers]] acted as last Imperial Russian Ambassador in [[Constantinople]] until the beginning of [[World War I]] in 1914.  There were many high ranked 'von Giers' in Russian government, among them President in Podolien and minister Fredrik von Giers (1776 in St. Petersburg, 1842), minister Karl Ferdinand von Giers (1777, 1835), minister Konstatin von Giers (1777, 1835), Ambassador Nikolaus von Giers (1853, 1924), Ambassador Mikail von Giers (1856, 1932), Admiral Theodor von Giers (1835, 1905) etc. And some of these Giers relatives were married to other high ranked Russian families, among them General Komaroff, Princess Olga Cantacuzene and General Karl de Meyer.
-Karl Joakim von Beetzen (1 November 1698 in Stralsund, [[Swedish Pomerania|Swedish Pommern]], 12 July 1772 in Lanehed, Bokenes, Sweden). He was married to Anna Helena Giers about 1725. They had 14 children. The first one was Johan Kristoffer von Beetzen (November 1725 in Ballabo, Vesterlanda, Sweden, 19 May 1795 in Mariefred, Sweden)
+==Legacy==
-Anna Helena Giers was born on 12 January 1707 and died on 7 April 1779 in Lanehed, Bokenes, Sweden. She was buried at the Bokenes Church on 27 April 1779. She was one of four children, and her father was the famous Ambjørn Giers who was born 1670 in Gøteborg, Sweden, and died 1745. Ambjørn Giers was buried at the Domkyrkans kyrkogård on 7 May 1745. He was in 1738 the head of the military leaders in Gøteborg, Sweden, and also the periodically Landshøvding in Gøteborg and Bohuslen. He was married to Britta Larsdotter 17 September 1701. She was born 1674 and died 1744 in Gøteborg (buried on the 17 February 1744 at the 'Domkyrkans kyrkogård'). Ambjørn Giers father is called Major A. Giers in the books since there is not so much information about him. Anyhow, Major A. Giers was married to Brita Ambjørnsdotter Syvia (born about 1637, died 19 April 1721 in Gøteborg, Sweden). He had four sons, Ambjørn Giers (1670, 1745), Nils Giers (1674, 1725), Eric Giers (1678, 1737) and he who is one of the fathers of the Russian branch Lorentz Giers (1680, 1733).
+According to Margaret Maxwell, historians have underrated his success in a diplomacy that featured numerous negotiated settlements, treaties and conventions. These agreements defined Russian boundaries and restored equilibrium to dangerously unstable situations. He supported numerous international commissions and made many goodwill missions, during which he repeatedly stressed Russia's peaceful intentions. His most dramatic success came in 1885, settling long-standing tensions with Great Britain, which was fearful that Russian expansion to the South would be a threat to India.<ref>Raymond A. Mohl, "Confrontation in Central Asia, 1885," ''History Today'' (1969) 119#3 pp 176-183.</ref> Girs was usually successful in restraining the aggressive inclinations of Tsar Alexander III, convincing him that the very survival of the tsarist system depended on avoiding major wars.  With a deep insight into the tsar's moods and views, Girs was usually able to shape the final decisions by outmaneuvering hostile journalists, ministers, and even the tsarina, as well as his own ambassadors. Under his leadership, Russia fought no foreign wars.<ref>Margaret Maxwell,  "A Re-examination of the Rôle of N.K. Giers as Russian Foreign Minister under Alexander III." ''European Studies Review'' 1.4 (1971): 351-376.</ref>
+==Orders and decorations==
-Foreign Minister Nikolaus von Giers (born 19 May 1820 probably in Finland, died 26 January 1895 in St. Petersburg, Russia). He was a Russian foreign minister for 13 years and received the highest Order of the Russian state, that is RS:tAndrO. His father was Karl Ferdinand von Giers (born 16 September 1777 in St. Petersburg, 20 April 1835 in Radzivilow). His father was Karl Cornelius Giers (born about 1748, died 1818 in Grodno), and his children started to use the name 'de Giers' or 'von Giers'. His father was Lorentz Giers (born 1718, died 2 August 1763 in St. Petersburg). He was raised in Denmark in childhood and named like the father to the Giers-family's Russian branch. And his father was Lorentz Giers (born 1680, died 22 January 1733 in Karlskrona, Sweden). And his father was Major A. Giers from Sweden.
+* {{flagicon|Austrian Empire}} {{flagicon|Kingdom of Hungary|1884}} [[Austria-Hungary]]: Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian [[Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary|Order of Saint Stephen]], ''1884''<ref>[http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm "A Szent István Rend tagjai"] (in Hungarian), {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222022855/http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm|date=22 December 2010}}</ref>
+* {{flag|Denmark}}: Knight of the [[Order of the Elephant]], ''25 October 1888''<ref>{{cite book|author=Jørgen Pedersen|title=Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=glw-AQAAIAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Syddansk Universitetsforlag|language=da|isbn=978-87-7674-434-2|page=468|location=Odense}}</ref>
-General Admiral Alexander von Giers (born 1860, died 1917). His father was Konstatin von Giers (1829, 21 February 1888 in Helsingfors and buried in Metrefaneskyrkogården in St. Petersburg). His father was major-general Alexander von Giers (7 March 1785 in Radzivilow, 29 November 1859 in St. Petersburg). His father was Karl Cornelius von Giers (1748, 1818) mentioned in 2-2 above.
+* {{flag|Monaco}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint-Charles]], ''21 August 1883''<ref>[https://journaldemonaco.gouv.mc/var/jdm/storage/original/application/81648de310a7e5fbc606fc1026114f0f.pdf Sovereign Ordonnance of 21 August 1883]</ref>
+* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg}} [[Kingdom of Prussia]]:<ref name="prus">{{citation|title=Königlich Preussische Ordensliste|volume=1|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021|pages=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=17&skin=2021 9], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=33&skin=2021 25]|language=German|location=Berlin|year=1886}}</ref>
-There were many high ranked 'von Giers' in Russian government, among them President in Podolien and minister Fredrik von Giers (1776 in St. Petersburg, 1842), minister Karl Ferdinand von Giers (1777, 1835), minister Konstatin von Giers (1777, 1835), Ambassador Nikolaus von Giers (1853, 1924), Ambassador Mikail von Giers (1856, 1932), Admiral Theodor von Giers (1835, 1905) etc. And some of these Giers relatives were married to other high ranked Russian families, among them general Komaroff, the Princess Olga Cantacuszene and general Karl de Meyer.
+** Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Red Eagle]], ''4 September 1879''; in Diamonds, ''1881''
+** Knight of the [[Order of the Black Eagle]], ''22 March 1884''
+* {{flagicon|Sweden|1844}} {{flagicon|Norway|1844}} [[Sweden-Norway]]: Knight of the Royal [[Order of Seraphim]], ''15 February 1892''<ref>{{citation|title=Sveriges statskalender|year=1894|url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/handle/2077/61874/gupea_2077_61874_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|location=Stockholm|page=400|language=sv|via=gupea.ub.gu.se}}</ref>
 ==Notes==
 <References/>
+==Further reading==
+* Florinsky, Michael T. ''Russia - A History and An Interpretation - Volume II'' (1958), passim.  [https://archive.org/details/russiahistoryand00flor online]
+* Maxwell, Margaret. "A Re-examination of the Rôle of N.K. Giers as Russian Foreign Minister under Alexander III." ''European Studies Review'' 1.4 (1971): 351-376.  [http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/026569147100100403?journalCode=ehqa excerpt]
+Kennan, George F. "The Decline of Bismarck's European Order" Princeton U.P., 1979. This magisterial volume offers, among other things, a fine description of N.K. Giers and his wise diplomacy.
 ==External links==
-{{Commons category|Girs Nikolay}}
+{{Commons category|Nikolay Girs}}
 {{Foreign ministers of Russia and the Soviet Union}}
@@ Line 41: / Line 46: @@
 [[Category:1820 births]]
 [[Category:1895 deaths]]
-[[Category:People from Radyvyliv Raion]]
+[[Category:People from Rivne Oblast]]
 [[Category:People from Volhynian Governorate]]
 [[Category:Foreign ministers of the Russian Empire]]
-[[Category:Members of the State Council of the Russian Empire]]
+[[Category:Members of the State Council (Russian Empire)]]
-[[Category:Russian nobility]]
+[[Category:Nobility from the Russian Empire]]
-[[Category:Imperial Russian people of Swedish descent]]
+[[Category:People from the Russian Empire of Swedish descent]]
 [[Category:Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum alumni]]
+[[Category:Ambassadors of the Russian Empire to Iran]]
+[[Category:Russian consuls]]
+[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary]]
+[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint-Charles]]

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