Baron Nikolai Juvanovich Grushkov, Governor-General of the Finnish Counties - EmperorIke

Early Life
The Grushkov family descends from a Russian merchant and mill owner from Novgorod, Ivan Juvanovich Grusk His son, Augustus Grushk, was raised to the nobility in 1693, when he changed his surname to Grushkov. His son, an artillery colonel and a mill supervisor, Peter Ivanovich Grushkov, was raised to the status of Baron at the same time as his brother in 1768. The Grushkov family came to Finland in the latter part of 18th century.

Grushkov's great-grandfather, Count Ivan Juvanovich Grushkov (1759-1829), had held a number of offices in Finland's civil service during the early years of the semi-autonomous Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, including membership of the Senate. In 1825, he was promoted to the rank of Count. Grushkovs's grandfather, Count Nikolai Grushkov (1797-1830), was a renowned entomologist, and served as President of the Viipuri Court of Appeal.

Grushkovs's father, Count Ivan Juvanovich Grushkov, was a writer of plays, who held liberal and radical political ideas, but was an unfortunate businessman. Grushkovs's mother, Anna Hélène von Tol, was the daughter of the wealthy industrialist Peter Jacob von Tol, who owned the Fiskars ironworks and village.

Nikolai Juvanovich Grushkov was born in the family home of Juva Manor in Tarvasjoki. As the third child of the family he inherited the title of Baron. Despite his father having earlier been a rather successful businessman his businesses became more and more troubled during the late 1810s. His addiction to gambling worsened the situation and eventually made him go bankrupt in 1827. He was forced to sell Juva manor together with other landed estates and his large art collection the same year to cover his debts. He also left his wife and moved to Paris with his mistress to seek livelihood and better fortune, ending up living the life of a bohemian.