Count I. M. Tolstoy worked in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs until 1860. For a brief interval, he served as Chief Steward of the Imperial Household and was grand master of court ceremonies. In 1863, he became
Feodor Pryanishnikov's immediate successor as Head of the Postal Department. In 1865, he was appointed to the first Minister of Posts and
Telegraphs. An attempt to merge the postal and telegraph services was not successful. Only in 1884, during the reign of
Alexander III, were the two services amalgamated. This resulted in the depiction of
thunderbolts and
post horns on
Russian postage stamps. Tolstoy died in 1867. He was replaced by General (1818–1893) as the Minister of Posts and Telegraphs. == See also ==