BERNSTORFF

bernstorff, johann hartwig ernst, count von (1712-1772), danish statesman, who came of a very ancient mecklenburg family, was the son of joachim engelke, freiherr von bernstorff, chamberlain to the elector of hanover, and was born on the 13th of may 1712. his maternal grandfather, andreas gottlieb bernstorff (1640-1726), had been one of the ablest ministers of george i., and under his guidance johann was very carefully educated, acquiring amongst other things that intimate knowledge of the leading european languages, especially french, which ever afterwards distinguished him. he was introduced into the danish service by his relations, the brothers plessen, who were ministers of state under christian vi. in 1732 he was sent on a diplomatic mission to the court of dresden; and from 1738 he represented holstein at the diet of regensburg, from 1744 to 1750 he represented denmark at paris, whence he returned in 1754 to denmark as minister of foreign affairs. supported by the powerful favourite a.g. moltke, and highly respected by frederick