Gustaf Mannerheim was born on 4 June 1867 in Askainen, Finland. He was married to Anastasia Arapova. He died on 27 January 1951 in Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland.
Mannerheim was born in the Duchy of Finland, then a part of Russia. His native language was Swedish. In 1896 Mannerheim was appointed official personal guard to Tsar Nicholas II at his coronation. At that time he married a Russian princess and had two daughters.