Russian diplomat, architect of Russia's alliance with the British Empire.

Izvolsky was appointed Russian Foreign Minister in 1906. Following an approach from the English King Edward VII, he forged the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907. In 1908 he supported a proposal for Austria to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina in return for the opening of the Dardanelles to Russian warships; however, this was forestalled by Austria's annexation of Bosnia. In all of this, he aroused the ire of pan-Slavists such as Nicholas Hartwig, and was eventually dismissed from his post.In 1910, he was appointed Ambassador to France.

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