The ancient Egyptian priest Ey, the famous Capuchin monk Joseph du Tremblay, Count Heinrich Johann Ostermann, Mrs. Kasuga no-tsubone, banker Bleichroeder, eunuch La Lianyin - the names of these people were not very well known to their contemporaries. But today we call them - the behind-the-scenes rulers who preferred to act while remaining in the shadow of the official rulers - “gray eminences.” What attracted them to such power? Opportunity for enrichment, honors? Or were they most intoxicated by the knowledge that the destinies (and sometimes lives!) of other people depended on them? Or maybe they were satisfied that all responsibility fell on the shoulders of those who stood in front, so to speak, in the light, allowing them to remain in the shadows and making them practically invulnerable. Now we will try to bring our heroes out of the shadows...