Vincent von Rumpff | |
|---|---|
| Ambassador of the Hanseatic cities in Paris | |
| In office 1824–1864 | |
| Preceded by | Konradin Christoph Abel |
| Succeeded by | Hermann von Heeren |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1789-01-10)10 January 1789 |
| Died | 13 February 1867(1867-02-13) (aged 78) Paris, France |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | University of Heidelberg University of Göttingen |
Vincent II, Count von Rumpff (10 January 1789 – 13 February 1867) was a German diplomat who served asMinister of the Hanseatic cities to the United States[1] andParis.
Count von Rumpff was born on 10 January 1789 inHamburg, Germany, then a part of theHoly Roman Empire. His paternal grandfather was Vincent Rumpff (1701–1781), a Senator who served asMayor of Hamburg in 1765.[2]
Rumpff studied at theUniversity of Heidelberg and theUniversity of Göttingen, receiving a law degree.
Upon the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, theFree Imperial City of Hamburg became asovereign state with the official title of theFree and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Hamburg was briefly annexed byNapoleon I to theFirst French Empire, but Russian forces underGeneral Bennigsen freed the city in 1814. Hamburg re-assumed its pre-1811 status as a city-state in 1814 when Rumpff returned to his hometown. He joined the diplomatic service and served asattaché at theCongress of Vienna which confirmed Hamburg's independence and it became one of 39 sovereign states of theGerman Confederation.
In 1815, he was sent toFrankfurt as legation secretary of the Hamburg embassy to theBundestag. In 1819, he acquired Hamburg citizenship. Hamburg entrusted him with the newly founded Hanseatic embassy at theImperial Court in Vienna, and appointed him Minister.
In 1824, he took over the post of Minister at the French court in Paris and was a representative of theHanseatic merchants in Paris.[3] The other three free cities ofBremen, Frankfurt andLübeck also delegated their diplomatic representation to him. From 1827 to 1828, Rumpff served asMinister of the Hanseatic cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck to the United States. While Minister, Rumpff and his colleagueJames Colquhoun in London, signed a series of commercial treaties and trade agreements, including with the United States of America in 1827 and 1828,[4] France in 1843,[5] Sardinia in 1844,[6] Monaco in 1846,[7] New Granada in 1854,[8] and Persia in 1857.[9][10]
Rumpff retired in 1864 and was succeeded as Ambassador of the Hanseatic cities in Paris byHermann von Heeren.[11]
On 25 October 1825, he was married to the American heiress ElizaAstor (1801–1838), a daughter of Sarah Cox (née Todd) Astor andJohn Jacob Astor.[12] Eliza's father was born in theElectoral Palatinate before moving to America just after the end of theAmerican Revolution, where he prospered as a merchant and investor, becoming the wealthiest person in the country.[12] Upon their marriage, Astor settled $300,000 on her,[13] and gave her theVilla Le Saugy atGenthod, where they spent their summers.[3][a] Later, the Rumpffs lived inRolle in thecanton ofVaud on the northwestern shore ofLake Geneva inSwitzerland. They did not have any children.[13]
In light of riots in Paris which led to theJuly Revolution of 1830, and the abdication of French KingCharles X, Rumpff sent his wife back to America. She arrived in New York afterKing Louis-Philippe was restored to the throne. His wife returned to Paris with her sister Dorothea who lived in Paris for several years. Although they were welcome at the court of King Louis-Philippe andQueen Marie Amelie, his wife gave up court appearances, balls, going to the theater, and "other worldly leisure" to focus on charities.[13] In Paris, she created a library of inspirational books for children of the English-speaking residents of Paris. She also opened a school at her villa atGenthod.[13]
His wife died in Rolle on 11 April 1838 and was buried at the Cimetière deBursins. After her death, in 1839, her memoirs were published together with the memoirs ofAlbertine, Baroness Staël von Holstein, under the title:Transplanted Flowers: Or, Memoirs of Mrs. Rumpff, Daughter of John Jacob Astor, Esq., and the Duchess De Broglie, Daughter of Madame De Stael. They were referred to as "models of peacetime progress and religious purity".[21]
Rumpff died on 13 February 1867 in Paris and was buried at his property, Saint-Vincent, nearGilly.
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