Minikh Christopher Antonovich short biography. Soldier of fortune, or gallant minich

B.Kh. Minich. Engraving of the first half of the 1840s.

Minich Burkhard Christoph (Christopher Antonovich) (1683 - 1767), Russian Field Marshal General (1732). Until 1721 he served as an engineer in the French, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel and Polish-Saxon armies. In 1721 he switched to Russian. service as an engineer-general. Since 1728 - Governor General of Ingermanlandia, Karelia and Finland. Since 1732 - President of the Military Collegium. In 1734 he led the siege of Gdansk. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739. commanded troops in the Crimea and Bessarabia.

Count Burkhard Christopher Minikh, son of Tainago Council, was born in his estate Neyen-Guntorf, near Oldenburg, on May 9, 1683, and received an excellent upbringing under the supervision of his father. The last, in charge of dams in the Counties of Oldenburg and Delmengorst, zealously exercised in Fortifications and Hydraulics, forced his son to copy plans, drawings, read descriptions of dams and locks, prepared him, with the youngest engineers, in In the sixteenth year, he already knew, apart from Mathematicians, the languages \u200b\u200bof Latin, Nometsk and French, went to foreign lands to improve himself in science. Soon a war broke out between France and Germany. Minikh refused the position of engineer in the division of Marshal Villeroi offered to him, not wanting to fight with his compatriots, returned to Germany, entered the service of Hesse-Darmstadt Captain (1701) on the eighteenth year from birth; was at the taking of Landava's strength (1702) Iosifom I-m; received, through the efforts of his father, the seat of the Chief Engineer in the Principality of Ost-Frisland; left this position and a young, beautiful wife (1706), in order to participate in the victories of Prince Eugene in Italy and the Netherlands, in the name of the Hesse-Kassel Major; received, for the courage shown to him, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (1709), was dangerously wounded in Flanders, at Denene (1712), taken in by the French, sent to Paris. There he met the glorious Fenelon, who often visited, drowning himself in his Christian rampage. Returning to Germany, he was granted a Colonel and used by the Hessian Landgrave Karl for the arrangement of the Karlshavensky lock and the canal leading to Grabenstein. In 1716, Minikh entered the service of the Polish King August II, who made him General-Mayors and Inspectors of the Polish troops (1717). He did not stay in Poland for long, where Count Fleming, the king's favorite, proud, ambitious, ruled the state's steward, whose envious disposition forced the glorious Moritz of Saxon to leave his homeland. For some time Minikh hesitated who to devote himself to, Charles XII or Peter the Great: the death of the first and the flattering proposal of our Ambassador, Prince Dolgorukago, finally stopped his eyes on colossal Russia.

In 1721 he saw the new Fatherland and the wise Transformer. Peter wished first to make sure of the experience of a foreigner accepted into His service: he instructed Munnich to draw a new plan for strengthening Kronstadt, to survey the fortress of Riga; I talked to him while watching the troops about military actions and granted him a patent for the rank of General-Major (instead of the common Dolgoruky Lieutenant General), with a seniority of one year. The death of Minich's parent, which sent him that year, forced him to visit Neyen-Guntorf, from where he soon returned to Russia and was received very graciously by the Emperor. It was painful for the old courtiers to see how Peter the Great distinguished before them a young, undeserved - in the words of their foreigner. - "Can't you see - the Prussian Messenger Baron Mardefeld once said to them with a smile -" that he comprehended the spirit of Petrov! "

The first order entrusted by the Tsar to Minich, who was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1722, was to facilitate navigation on the Neva: the rapids made it difficult. It was necessary to destroy these barriers by means of locks and to pave a path between both banks of the river from Lake Ladoga to the Baltic Sea. Then Minikh surveyed, by order of Peter the Great, and Rogervik Bay, drew a plan of the harbor, which afterwards received the name of the Balti Port. Between then, back in 1719, a canal was being built, which was supposed to connect the Volkhov with the Neva, the well-known sub-name of Ladoga. The main supervision over the work was entrusted, on the presentation of Prince Menshikov, to General-Mayor Pisarev. Little Russian Kozaks and Kalmyks dealt with them alternately. Returning from Persia, the Emperor, with great displeasure, was aware (1723) that the canal was only twoteen miles away, removed Pisarev and identified Minikh instead. In vain Menshikov tried later to justify his favorite, speaking about Minikh: that he might be a good warrior, but incapable of such occupations. Peter the Great made sure personally on the spot that the work done by Pisarev had no strength, and approved the plan of his successor. In 1724, the trustee Monarch again examined the Ladoga Canal, which had been taken away by Minikh for four miles, dug, along with it, a mound with shovels and, to extreme pleasure, made sure that it did not leak water. Several times he expressed his favor in writing and in words. - The works of my Minich made me healthy, - said Peter the Great Empress, three months before his death, returning from Staraya Rusa. - I hope one day to go with him with water from St. Petersburg to Moscow and come ashore in Golovinsky Garden. - The next day, the Emperor said in the Senate, in the presence of Minikh: He will soon lead the Ladoga Canal to the end; out of all foreigners who have been in My service, it is better for everyone to undertake and produce great things: help him in everything! - From that time twenty-five thousand people were employed for this work; but Peter the Great soon moved into exile (1725) and the number of hands decreased significantly when the canal was installed.

The main ill-wisher of Minich was Prince Menshikov; in Osterman, it is a friend. The latter held at that time the important positions of Vice-Chancellor, Member of the Supreme Secret Council, Ober-Hofmeister during the upbringing of the Grand Duke Peter Aleksevich: he was loaned the Minikh received from the Empress Catherine I-st \u200b\u200bAlexander by the Order of St. Anshefa. Emperor Peter II bestowed on Minich the Count's dignity of the Russian Empire, several villages in Livonia (1728), appointed him Governor-General S. Petersburg, Ingermanland, Karelian and Finnish. Then Menshikov was cast down into his former insignificance. The cautious Minikh did not participate in the limitation of the Autocratic power, with the proposal of the Scepter of the Empress Anna Ioannovna (1730): he foresaw, together with Osterman, that the audacious undertaking would serve to destroy the ambitious. The Empress, with excellent goodwill, accepted the congratulations of Count Minich, granted him General Feldseichmeister, President of the Military Collegium and, soon, Knight of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1731), Member of the Cabinet, General-Policeman, 32 g.). The glorious Prince Evgeniy, Mentor Minikh on the military floor, responded to the Empress's volume that She had injected the military force to a man who combined in herself, with noble merits, close zeal for services. - Minikh, justified the well-known Commander for a flattering response: he drew a new institution for the guards, field, garrison and Little Russian regiments; equalized the salary of natural Russian officers with foreign ones who were in our services, and who had received more than the first; founded in St. Petersburg (1731) the Cadet Corps for 150 Russian nobles and 50 Estland and Livonia, on Vasilievsky Island, in a house belonging to Menshikov; granted by the Chief of the Corps; petitioned the Empress (1732) for a decree to increase the set of cadets to 360 people; vigilantly cared about the benefits of the institution introduced to him; completed the construction of the Ladoga Canal, along which navigation began on May 1, 1731; He brought in the army of our corps of heavy cavalry (cuirassiers), previously unknown in Russia, but at significant costs, registering horses from foreign lands, for lack of good ones. He - as they say - advised the Empress Anna Ioannovna to move the capital from Moscow, where Her Parent's ashes rest, in S. Petersburg, according to the will of the Founder.

Between you, Count Minikh, using the trust of the Monarchine, the love of Biron, opposed himself to the envious Osterman and Karl Gustav Levenwold, not less loving, annoyed by the Field Marshal, due to the title of Colonel Izmailovsky, for the absence of the Transformed They instilled in Biron: that Minikh interferes with everything, responds to volume with disrespect, intend to surrender to the first human in the State. Then, under the pretext of the placement of Princess Anne of Mecklenburg, he was ordered to clear the rooms he occupied in the state house, which had direct communication with the Palace; donated to Minich a house bought from Count Osterman (1733); the signing of an alliance treaty with the Vnsky Court, secretly from the Field Marshal; entrusted with the command of the troops assigned to Poland, General-Anshef Lassiy. Minikh voluntarily ceased to go to the meeting of the Cabinet, he left the State for the purpose. The occupation of Warsaw and the proclamation of August III as King of Poland did not diminish the eagerness of Stanislav Leshchinsky's adherents: Lassi tried in vain to seize Danzig (1734). Dissatisfied with his orders, Biron was forced to turn to Count Munnich, and offered him the main command over the army. The hero, with admiration, drew his sword, for twenty-two years he remained forgotten, set off from St. Petersburg hastily, at night and very secretly; arrived, on February 25, to Danzig under the cover of the Prussian detachment. The garrison of this city consisted of ten thousand regular troops; there was no shortage of shells and food supplies.

Minich, first of all, considered it necessary to reinforce his troops with several regiments that remained in Poland; I sent an appeal to the inhabitants of Danzig, where Leshchinsky was hiding, about the recognition of August III as King; opened a trench. On March 21, the first shots were fired from our batteries. Between the other, one detachment of Minikhov took possession of Elbingen; another under the command of General Lassi, dispersed the ten thousandth Corps of Polyakov, who intended to march to Danzig. On April 17, several mortars were brought into our army from Saxony and the next day the bombardment of the city began. The assault carried out on the 27th did not lead to the desired success: the besiegers lost more than two thousand people. On May 24, the French flotilla arrived, landed three battalions, in the number of 2,400 men, under the command of Brigadier la Mot Perouz and voluntarily captured the Russian frigate Mitava. At this time, the Russian troops approached from Warsaw, as well as eight battalions and twenty-two Saxon squadrons, under the command of the Duke of Weissenfeld. The French flotilla, having learned about the approach of the Russian fleet, consisting of sixteen ships, withdrew, leaving the landing troops for the sacrifice: after vain efforts to seize our retransmission, they entered into negotiations with the Field Marshal, departed from their camp by the Rus , where they pledged to lay down their weapons and were sent to Kronstadt. Brought, on May 31, by our fleet, siege artillery forced them to agree to these conditions. On June 12, an important strengthening of Veikhselmünd surrendered; On the 16th, the Magistrate of Danzig sent Deputies to Count Minich for negotiations. The field marshal demanded that King Stanislav be extradited to him: seeing the danger that threatened him, Ludovik XV's father-in-law changed into a peasant's dress and went out of the city with the escort of General Steinflicht. On June 17, the Magistrate informed about Count Minich: enraged by the unexpected news, the Field Marshal ordered to resume the bombardment, which had already been stopped two days ago. Finally, on June 18, Danzig surrendered on the condition: to swear allegiance to August Sh-mu, to send the Deputy to the Empress of Russia from the first Members of the Council and pay for the losses two million Efimkov, of which one was later forgiven to the city. For a while half of Poland recognized Augustus; our troops were forced to stay there for another year to pacify the party hostile to this sovereign. Count Minich received from him a sword and a cane strewn with precious stones. But the envious people did not leave Minich alone; accused him of an unsuccessful attack, in the escape of Stanislav, claiming that the last one had bribed the Field Marshal. The winner appeared at the Court and with his presence disarmed the slanderers (1735).

A new field opened up for Minikh: it was decided to declare war on the Turkam and take revenge on the Crimean and Kuban Tatars for nabugi in the Russian region. He again went to Warsaw for the perfect establishment of peace in Poland; from there he went to Ukraine; inspection of the twenty thousandth corps, appointed in Crimea under the command of Lieutenant General Leontiev; Voronezh shipyard, where ships were built for sailing along the Dnipro, Don and the Black Sea; Ukrainian line and all border consolidated places. Having overlaid Azov (1736) and entrusting the siege of this fortune to General Levashov before the arrival of the newly-complained Field Marshal Count Lassia, Minikh gathered the fifty-four thousandth army entrusted to him at Tsaritsynka, near the Dnipro, and moved to Perekulsya. On the 1st of July, one approached the line, made up of a ditch, crossing the Crimean Isthmus from the Black Sea to the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov and having seven miles in length: behind it stood the entire Tatar army, numbering 80,000 people, led by Khan. Minikh drew the adversary's attention to his right flank, swooped down on this false attack, and directed his main forces to the left; Russian soldiers, with their characteristic courage, rushed into the deep ditch and with the help of lances and bayonets climbed to the other side of it, while our artillery was continuously firing at the parapet. Frightened Tatars turned to God. Perekop gave up on conditions; in the number of taken sixty guns, some of which were with Russian stamps, were taken by the Tatars from Prince Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn in the 17th century. Kozlov, Bakchisarai, Akhmechet, turned into ashes, and Kinburn were also occupied by our troops, but illness, lack of water and extreme heat forced Minikh to return to Perekop. He left this city on August 16, blowing up the walls, some of the houses and destroying the towers that were on the line. Thus, this company ended, during which more than half of our army perished, without any significant benefit for Russia; for the devastation did not stop nabogov Tatars. The Empress awarded the Field Marshal with rich estates in Ukraine and Livonia.

In the next year (1737) Minikh covered the Russian conquest of Ochakov with new glory: giving himself an example of courage, the man in command of the battalion of the Izmailovsky regiment and with his own hands hoisted the banner on the glasis. - The campaign undertaken by Minikh to the Dnipru in 1738 was not marked by any important feat: the Field Marshal had only an opportunity to show his personal courage, helping out with a detachment of cuirassiers surrounded by numerous adversaries of Brigadier Shipov. Then, due to the intensified pestilence, the fortresses of Kinburn and Ochakov were torn down. But, to the immortal glory of Minich, his prudent orders did not spread to Malorossiya by his prudent orders. He acted successfully in the year 739: he crossed the Dnestr in view of the retreating adversary, followed on his heels to the place of Stavuchan. Here Seraskir Veliy Pasha deployed his batteries on a hill, threatening the middle of our troops; standing against the left wing, the chief of the Khotyn fortress, Kalchak Pasha, joined a strong detachment to the impenetrable mountains and lusam. Another large Turkish detachment was set up against our right wing, up the mountains stretching to the Prut River. From the rear, the Tatars reassured us. Minikh was in a difficult position: he surveyed the fast falcon eye to become an adversary, he noticed that the swampy brook on the left flank of the Turkish was not deep, ordered to throw firewood at him and cross the armies with the help of the other side, under the terrible cannon fire, he approached the foot of the mountain, on which the camp of Seraskir was located. The repeated and brutal attacks of the Turkish cavalry did not stop the brave warriors moving forward under the cover of the strong fire of their artillery. The Turks, seeing that they had no salvation and in the trenches, turned to God. On the occupation of the heights, light, our troops rushed to persecute the enemy. The whole camp, forty two cannons and six mortars, went to the victors. More than a thousand people were killed by the Turok, and with ours only seventy. On the next day of this famous victory, the Field Marshal went to Khotin, who, due to the small number of the garrison, immediately surrendered. One hundred fifty-seven cannons and twenty-two mortars increased the number of his trophies. The famous battle of Stavuchanskaya took place on 28 August. Having occupied Hotin, on the 31st, without a cannon shot, Count Minikh chased the enemy to the Prut; crossed this river; built kr кpostsy on its banks; expelled the Lord of Moldavia from his possessions across the Danube; collected contributions and foodstuffs in non-proprietary land; intended to take Bender - when suddenly his assumptions were destroyed by the prisoners in Bulgrad between Austria and Turkey, behind which, through the French Court, and Russia entered into an alliance with the Port of Ottoman, on September 7, 1739. In December, our troops left Moldova, and the Field Marshal, invited to St. Petersburg, received on the day of the peaceful celebration (1740) the title of Lieutenant Colonel of the Life Guards of the Transfiguration Regiment, a sword and five insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Banned thousand rubles. He then extended views on the dignity of the Duke of Ukraine, but the Empress said to Biron: The Field Marshal is too modest: why does he not want to be better than the Moscow Grand Duchy? Soon Empress Anna Ioannovna died (October 17), having appointed her grandson, baby Ioann, the Regent Biron as her successor. Count Minikh was compelled to approve this choice, but the Ruler's cruelty, his rude treatment of the Emperor's parent, general hatred for him and Minich's desire to represent the first person in the State, accelerated the fall of the Duke of Courland. For the execution of the brave enterprise, the Field Marshal appointed the night of November 8, on which the guard at

Dvortsakh was occupied by the Preobrazhensky regiment, which was introduced to him; persuaded Princess Anna Leopoldovna to accept the title of the Ruler until the full age of John. On the eve of that day, Minikh drank and spent the evening with Biron. The restlessness and thoughtfulness were subtle on the faces of the last day; in his own way, he incessantly changed the conversation and, suddenly, turned to the question: Mister Field Marshal! In your military campaigns, did you not undertake anything important at night? Surprised by the unexpected words, Minikh did not find, however, the slightest embarrassment and answered in a firm voice: "I can't remember if I did anything extraordinary at night, but I always adhered to the rule to use favorable cases." They parted at eleven o'clock in the evening; at three o'clock at midnight, the tyrant, with his hands tied, covered with a soldier's cloak, from the height of greatness, was taken to the Shlisselburg fortress, removed from it to Pelym, the out-of-town town of the Tobolsk province.

Minikh has never been in such a force! The next day, after the overthrow of Biron, he appointed awards to the first dignitaries in his office and did not forget himself on the list: he wanted to be Generalissimo, but his son, who was more wary and prudent, asked his father to give up this dignity to the Emperor's parent, the Minister of Government. In order to keep Count Osterman on service, Minikh introduced him to the Great Admirals, leaving him at the previous rank, Prince of Cherkassy in Chancellors, Count Golovkin in Vice Chancellors; General-Anshef Ushakov, Ober-Stalmeister Prince Kurakin and Admiral Count Golovin appointed Andreyevskiy ribbons; Moscow Governor Prince Yusupov, Senator Strushnev and Commerce Collegium President Baron Mengden Aleksandrovskiy. He added about himself: that the dignity of the Generalissimo is given to the Prince of Brunswick. This painting was approved by the Ruler, who also granted the Field Marshal one hundred thousand rubles, a silver service and the rich Wartenberg estate in Silesia, which belonged to Biron; brought the son of Minich to Ober-marshals.

Rising up, Minikh aspired to fall: Osterman, who patronized him under Catherine I and Peter II, could not indifferently see him as the first Minister, and Prince Anton Ulrich was offended by the call of the Generalissimo, when he was not, but Minikh was in charge of the military. Soon Osterman took advantage of the opportunity to rid himself of a dangerous rival, stood up for Austria, contrary to the agreed agreement with the Prussian Court, which Minich adhered to. In vain the last one argued: “that it will be difficult for Russia, threatened by Sweden, to wage a defensive war and together an offensive one outside the borders; that it is much more profitable to warn the Swedes with an attack, to free themselves by this from the obligation to help both Courts and that for a special honor he will put in command of the troops. " Field Marshal's fundamental opinion is called biased; Osterman continued to negotiate with the Austrian Minister; Minikh started talking about the resignation and received it with an annual pension of fifteen thousand rubles (1741). Besides the son, no one had the spirit to announce him about his dismissal. The ruler and her wife danced every night in their bedroom, until that time, while the Field Marshal, who was staying near the Palace, moved to his house on the other side of the Neva. Then Minich would have to retire from Russia, where his enemies had primacy, but he remained in it, to his death, as he thought, and was involved in the misfortune that befell him on November 25. Fearlessly, the conqueror of Danzig and Ochakov appeared in a red cloak to the frontal place, surrounded by 6,000 guardsmen, affectionately welcomed the comrades of his glory and then indifferently heard the death sentence, release from execution, a terrible word for others to live with Siberia. The magnanimous wife of Minich sent for him to the very city where, according to his drawing, the house for Biron was built. Did the Field Marshal then think that he was preparing himself a dwelling in it for twenty years! Before the dispatch, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna allowed the condemned to ask her for some kind of mercy: Minich's request was that he be allowed to take Pastor Martens with him, who also agreed to share the exile with him. In Kazan, Minikh met Biron, who was being transported to Yaroslavl; their sleighs had to stop at the bridge; they recognized each other and bowed in silence.

Pelym, surrounded by impenetrable, dense forests, was surrounded by a front garden and built into itself a small wooden fortress, sixty huts. Poor inhabitants received, for an expensive price, goods and supplies from Tobolsk and other distant cities: having communication with other places, by summer, by means of a river, they, during long winters, from October to May, made their way along the forest on skis. In this sad solitude, Minikh started, under his house, a small vegetable garden, was engaged in prayers, taught the children of Pelym residents; never seemed gloomy; rested from labor only three hours a day. On the maintenance of him and his family, three rubles were determined daily: this money was kept by the officer assigned to him. In 1749, he had the misfortune of losing his old friend Martens; Since that time, Minikh interceded in his place: he spoke teachings, composed spiritual songs, wrote on paper that belonged to the pastor, various treatises on fortification, a draft on the expulsion of Turks from Europe, drew military plans, outlined many of the necessary revisions of various provinces. The contiguous governors feared him as much as the Siberian Governor-General: he tried to keep them from injustice and insults, threatened with his reports. Minich's works had a miserable fate: one soldier, from among those who were with him, stole a chest from him, was arrested and announced that, despite the strict prohibition, the ministers were delivering ink and quills to him. Fearing a search, Minikh was forced to put all his papers on fire. This event happened in the last year of his exile (1762). He prayed when the Senate courier brought the Decree of Emperor Peter III, who invited him to St. Petersburg: gratitude to the Giver of all good was the first feeling that filled Minich's heart in these happy moments. Of the money sent to him for the trip, he counted out half for himself, the remaining five hundred rubles he presented to the joyful herald. On the very day of departure from Pelym, Minikh mounted a horse, examined the surroundings of his twenty-year-old prison and, with tears in his eyes, bade farewell to it. Near St. Petersburg, a son and a granddaughter came out to meet him for a meeting with their husband, Baron Fitingof. The emperor sent Minich a sword, returned the orders, Count's dignity, rank of Field Marshal General, received him very graciously, gave him a furnished house. In the Palace he saw him with Biron: the giants of the times of the young Tsaredvortsev who had passed into the crowd, unknown to them, resembled the rebellion of the ancestors. Long-term separation did not exterminate mutual hatred in them, but when self-interest ruled the last day, the seventy-nine-year-old hero burned with zeal and confidence to the Throne, seeing the truth to the Monarch's gratitude, he advised not to undertake the war of Russia. The words of an experienced elder were left without respect.

The fatal moment came for Peter III, who, to complete his own death, did not lose sight of the dignity, the greatness of the spirit of his August Spouse. In vain he wished to be reconciled with Catherine: there were troops on her side. Minikh was under the Emperor. In Kronstadt, in one Kronstadt, we must look for salvation and victory - he said to Peter - there we will find a numerous garrison and fleet. - The emperor hesitated at Peterhof by executing a useful advice, and when he arrived at Kronstadt, the sailors were already throwing boards on the shore - they were forced to return to the yacht, she set off into the open sea. - Minikh stood calmly on the deck, examining "in silence the starry sky and mirror-like waters ..." Field Marshal! - Peter told him - “I am to blame for not fulfilling your advice soon, but what should I do in the present situation? You have been often in dangerous circumstances; tell me, what should I do now? " - We need to sail to Revel to the local fleet - Minikh answered. - Let's go to the warship, let's go to Prussia, where our army is now. Having eighty thousand troops with us, we will return to Russia and I give you my word, before six weeks, to introduce you as the conqueror into your State. “- All the ladies and courtiers who were on the yacht shouted in one voice:“ This is impossible! The sailors are not able to use the oars until Reval! " - "We will all take the oars!" - objected Minikh. But even in this case, he was not successful. Between the time Catherine II entered the throne. - "You wanted to fight against me?" - said the Empress to Count Munnich when he introduced himself to Her. - "So, Most Merciful Empress! - Fearlessly dismissed the Field Marshal - I wanted to sacrifice my life for the Monarch, who returned my freedom! ... ... ... ... But now it is my duty to fight for Your Majesty, and I will fulfill it with all honesty. “- Ekaterina knew how to be generous: she granted Minikha the Chief Director of the Revel and Narva harbors, as well as the Kronstadt and Ladoga canals; instructed him to finish Rogervik harbor. The eighty-old old man often wrote to the Empress, calling Her Divine. She amused herself with Minich's courteous expressions. "Our letters - answered Ekaterina -" would have looked like amorous explanations if your patriarchal old age did not give them dignity "- reassured in her excellent confidence; she said that she was satisfied with all his works; full of respect for him; knows the greatness of his soul, diminishes the value of his abilities, and that from six o'clock in the evening the door of Her office is always open for him. - “Do not pay attention,” She wrote once, “to the wilderness of the river. God, I and your gifts are on your side. Our plans are noble. They mean the common good to which all other relationships must yield. Take care of yourself for the good of Russia. The dilemma that you start will raise your honor, increase the glory of the Empire. " - Taking advantage of the Empress's favor, Minikh boldly expounded his thoughts to her. “The greatest misfortune of the Sovereigns - he put it in one letter from Narva - is that the people to whom they have confidence never represent the truth to them in their present form”. But I am used to acting differently, for I am not afraid of the parties, even though they were formed against me. I speak with Catherine, who, with the courage and firmness of Peter the Great, will complete the benevolent plans of this Monarch "- Between the dark and venerable old age, Minikh turned to the Empress with a proposal to conquer Constantinople, repeated to Her that Peter the Great did not die in 1695 his intention: to expel the Turks and Tatars from Europe and restore the Greek Monarchy. Remembering the past wars, the Field Marshal could not speak indifferently about the Bulgradsky world, which stopped him (1739) amid the victories of the brilliant. The name of Minikh and the statehood of Catherine II inspired fear on the Ottomans: when the Turkish Ambassador to St. Petersburg (1764), the conqueror of Ochakov asked him: "Did he hear about Minikh?" - "Slyhal" - the Ambassador answered - "Do you want to see him?" “I don’t want to,” objected Turk hastily and with an air of timidity; Then, turning to the translator, he added: “Why is this man attached to me? Everything torments me with questions. Tell him, perhaps, to walk away: isn't it Minikh himself? "

In 1766, on the brilliant Carousel in St. Petersburg, Count Minikh was elected Empress Judge and, standing on a dais, among the amphitheater, handed out honors to those who had distinguished themselves in games, uttered a rch, in which, by the way, he called himself the senior Feldman. Then he laid a triple lock in the Ladoga Canal; in the fall ѣzdil to Narva, Revel and Baltiyskiy port; inspection of the work that occurred under his superiors; he also visited the Ladoga Canal, as if wishing to say goodbye to his old friend and, after a short-term illness, died of exhaustion of vital forces on October 16, 1767, on the eighty-fifth from his birth.

Count Minikh was tall and majestic. His eyes and all the features of his face showed wit, fearlessness and firmness of character; voice and posture were a hero in him. He unwittingly instilled in others respect for oneself and fear; was extremely hardworking and enterprising; did not know fatigue, slept little, loved order, differed when, by courtesy in societies, he stood alongside the first Engineers and Generals of his time; but together he was proud, ambitious, cunning, exacting, cruel; for his glory he did not value the blood of the soldiers introduced to him; seemed to be a friend of all, not loving anyone. Sorry, I must mention here that Count Minikh, carrying around the old Kiev shaft, in 1732, covered with earth and partly blew up the so-called golden gate of Yaroslavov with gunpowder! The remains of these were discovered exactly one hundred years later, in 1832. Excerpts from his writings are known: Ebaiche roir dopper unpe idée de la forte d and goiѵerpetept de l'Etrire de Rissie and Recieil des eslises et des tragaux dieapd. - Frederick the Great called Minikh Rossiyskiy Evgeniem. Minikh introduced our own battle order into the army: all the poghota was built in one oblong square, covered with slingshots; the cavalry was in the middle, and the artillery was packed in the corners. The army lost mobility, and for the most part acted defensively.

The ashes of Minich rests near Dorpat, in the estate of Lunia that belonged to him.

Count Ioann Ernest Minikh, the son of Field Marshal, received an excellent education in Riga, Geneva and Paris, where he was Povrenny in dulakh in 23 years from birth (1731). Empress Anna Ioannovna and the Ruler distinguished him from other Tsaredvortsev: the first granted him the Kamergersky Key (1737) and the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1740); Ruler of the rank of Ober-marshal and rank of Lieutenant-General. During the misfortune of his father, he was demoted and exiled to Vologda, where for twenty years he dragged himself with his family, a vigilant life, receiving annually only one thousand two hundred rubles from the Imperial Court. Emperor Peter III returned him freedom and the mark of distinction (1762). Empress Catherine II elevated him to the Valid Secret Companions and Knights of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1774), He did not have the brilliant dignity and vice of his father: he was gifted by nature with good qualities, a quiet disposition; distinguished by primordial honesty, straightforwardness. Field Marshal, in 1733, in order to maintain his power, intended to marry his son to the sister of Biron's wife, the lady-in-waiting Treiden, weakly built, sick. Young Minikh could not love her and with all the same unquestioningly fulfilled the will of his father, explained the unreasonable passion, promised to follow her in her illnesses, with joy he heard a cold refusal. He joined, then, his fate (1739) with Baroness Anna Dorothea Mengden, whose sister, Yuliana, enjoyed the unlimited love of the Ruler.

Quoted from: D. Bantysh-Kamensky. Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals general. - SPb .: In type. 3rd dep. Ministry of State Property, 1840 Tags:

May 9, 1683. In 1700-1720 he served as an engineer in the French, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel and Polish-Saxon armies. In Germany he earned the rank of colonel, in Poland he received the rank of major general from August II.

In 1721 he was invited to Russia to conduct engineering affairs, conceived by Peter I.

Participated in the arrangement of navigation on the Neva, road construction, the construction of the Baltic port, the Ladoga canal.

In 1722 he was promoted to lieutenant general, in 1726, already under Catherine I - to general-in-chief, was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, since 1728 - count, governor-general of Ingermanland, Karelia and Finland.

Biography of Empress Anna IoannovnaThe Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna was born in Moscow on February 8 (January 28, old style) 1693. She was the middle daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich and Praskovya Fedorovna (née Saltykova).

In 1730, after accession to the throne, Christopher Minich was granted the Field-General, Field Marshal, President of the Military Collegium, Field Marshal.

Minich formed 2 new guards regiments, reorganized the guards and army regiments, transformed the Military Collegium, founded the first cadet corps in St. Petersburg, made up new staffs for the army, introduced a corps (12 regiments) of heavy cavalry (cuirassier) into the army, created the first regiments hussar, equalized the salaries of natural Russian officers with invited foreign ones. He headed the Russian army during the Polish campaign of 1733-1734.

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739, he was appointed commander of the Russian troops. He organized the siege of Azov and Ochakov, captured Perekop, penetrated the Crimea, capturing the capital of the Crimean Khanate, Bakhchisarai.

Biography of Ernst Johann BironIn 1718 Biron received a post at the court of the Duchess of Courland, Anna Ioannovna, niece of Peter I; was promoted to chamber-junker. After the election of Anna Ioannovna to the Russian throne, he followed her to Russia.

On the night of 8 (19) to 9 (20) November 1721, he arrested and proclaimed Anna Leopoldovna the ruler of the state. Appointed as the first cabinet minister, but soon resigned.

After the overthrow of the Braunschweig dynasty and the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna on November 24-25 (December 5-6), 1741, he was exiled to Pelym (Tobolsk province), where he spent 20 years.

In 1762, by decree of Peter III, he was released and restored in all rights and titles. During the coup on June 28 (July 9), 1762, he remained with the emperor, but then he swore allegiance to Catherine II.

Appointed commander over the main Baltic ports and over the Ladoga Canal; in subsequent years, he was mainly engaged in the organization of the Rogervik harbor. He died on October 16 (27), 1767 in Dorpat (present-day Tartu).

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Christopher Antonovich

Battles and victories

He acquired the glory of the invincible field marshal, the successor of the work of Peter the Great. Under his command, the Russian army first invaded the Crimea and took the capital of the khanate, Bakhchisarai. It was he who initiated the victorious wars between Russia and the Porta, opening a new page of Russian military glory.

The most active military leader during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, statesman, engineer.

Christopher Antonovich Minich, he is also Count Burchard Christoph von Munnich, although he had a foreign origin, rightfully became an outstanding military and statesman of Russia. Popular wisdom says: "What is good for a Russian, death for a German!" However, many Germans who have dedicated their lives to Russia have proven that this is far from an indisputable statement. Among them is Christopher Antonovich Minich.

I see that you are a worthy person!

Peter I about Minich

Count Burchard Christoph

von Munnich

The future famous Russian commander was born in Oldenburg, a Danish possession in Germany. His father gave his son an excellent education, from a young age he trained him as an engineer. In 1701-1716. young Minich was in the Hesse-Darmstadt and Hesse-Kassel service, went from captain to colonel, fought against the French in Italy and the Netherlands, was in French captivity, upon returning to Germany he was engaged in the construction of a lock and a canal in Hesse-Kassel. In search of new prospects, he sent his treatise on fortification to Peter I, who was attracted by the abilities of a German engineer, and received an invitation to Russia. In February 1721 his amazing career began on Russian soil.

German accuracy, extraordinary capacity for work, ambition and dedication - everything was put at the service of Peter's Russia, which was catching up with Europe in its development by leaps and bounds. In 1720, Minich received an offer to take the post of general engineer in Russia. Arriving there in 1721, he undertook in writing to serve for 5-6 years, overseeing engineering work on the Baltic coast.

Peter I praised the engineering talent of Christopher Minich, declaring in the Senate:

I found a person who will graduate for me from the Ladoga Canal. Even in my service, I have never had such a foreigner who would have been able to carry out great plans as well as Minich! You must do everything according to his wishes!

And Minich, in turn, saw great development prospects in Russia.

The most important work of Minich in the last years of the life of Peter I and after his death was the construction of the Ladoga Canal. In 1727, the engineer was appointed chief director of the fortification work. A year later, he received the title of count and the post of governor-general of St. Petersburg, Ingermanlandia, Karelia and Finland. One by one, his talents are revealed: he is intensively building in St. Petersburg, Vyborg and Kronstadt, shows himself to be an active, persistent and managerial administrator with a very thorough knowledge of fortification, hydraulic engineering and military affairs.

Its benefits for Russia are indisputable: the completion of work on the Ladoga Canal ensured safe navigation around the turbulent Ladoga Lake, which was extremely important for the city's economy, since it connected it with the central provinces of Russia and significantly expanded the port's turnover. Thanks to the efforts of Minich, regular sea traffic between the new Russian capital and Europe begins, the construction of the 12 collegiums building and the construction of stone bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress are nearing completion.

Portrait of B.Kh. Minikha

Engraving. 1844 g.

The zenith of Minich's career was the ten-year reign of Anna Ioannovna. With her accession, he was appointed president of the Military Collegium and General Field Marshal, and in 1732 received the rank of Field Marshal. A year earlier, Minich had become chairman of the commission, which had the goal of streamlining the state of the army and finding measures to maintain the latter without much burdening the people. He outlined a new order for the Guard, field and garrison regiments, formed two new Guards regiments (Izmailovsky and Horse Guards), introduced cuirassiers, separated the engineering unit from the artillery unit, established a land cadet corps, took measures for more correct uniforms and armament of troops, arranged twenty regiments of the Ukrainian militia from the noble households of the former Belgorod and Sevsk categories.

During the struggle for the Polish throne in 1734, Minich commanded the troops operating in Poland, and in the midst of hostilities took the city of Danzig. After the end of the war "for the Polish inheritance", Russia began a new war in 1735 - with the Ottoman Empire. The humiliating Peace of Prut in 1711, according to which Peter I lost Azov, Taman, the Azov fleet built with such difficulty, was perceived very painfully in Russia. He was not forgotten either under Peter I or under Anna. The command of the army was entrusted to Field Marshal Munnich.

Starting the war with the Turks, he drew up a plan according to which the army was to fight for 4 years, occupy the Northern Black Sea region, Crimea, Moldavia, Wallachia and in 1739 enter Constantinople. This grandiose plan was not destined to come true, although at first things went well for the Russian army. The Don army of Lassi easily took Azov, and on May 22, 1736, a historic event occurred - for the first time Russian troops entered the Crimea. It must be said that this fact was preceded by centuries of Crimean raids on Russia. Dozens of Russian cities were plundered and burned, hundreds of thousands of Russian prisoners were taken away by the Tatars and sold into slavery. Now is the time to secure Crimea. With fire and sword, the Russian troops marched across the Crimea in 1736. The Tatars, unable to resist the invasion of the regular army, fled to the mountains. Military operations were successfully developed west of the Crimea. In the summer of 1737, Russian troops took the large Turkish fortress of Ochakov. But there was no quick movement to Istanbul. This task was difficult: the military power of the Turks had not yet been broken. Under the threat that the Russian troops might be locked up, they had to be withdrawn from the peninsula.

The capture of Ochakov. 1737 g.

In the summer of 1739, Minich resumed the offensive. At the beginning of June 1739 he crossed the Dnieper, and on August 15 he was already beyond the Dniester. To repel the offensive of the Russian army, the commander-in-chief of the Turkish army, Veli Pasha, concentrated all the troops that he could muster in the region, including the Khotyn garrison, on the positions at Stavuchany. The army reached the size of 70-90 thousand people in the composition: 15-20 thousand janissaries, 8-20 thousand Spakhs and Serbejs, 7 thousand Lipkans and 40-50 thousand Crimean Tatars. The army's artillery consisted of 70 guns. The Russian army numbered 61 thousand people with 250 guns, including 85 field guns. In the battle itself "with a gun in the ranks" was attended by 48 thousand people.

Waiting for the approach of Count Minich's army, Veli Pasha sent the Tatars to the rear of the Russian army, trying to surround the enemy troops. The commander-in-chief placed the Turkish cavalry on the flanks of his army. Thus, Veli Pasha left about 20 thousand people for the defense of the main positions stretched for five miles. To provide the best defense, the Pasha concentrated on the defense of the western part of his positions, which directly covered the road to Khotin. To organize the defense, the Turks built 11 batteries in this direction, armed with 60 mortars and cannons, and built a triple line of trenches. The trenches with their right flank adjoined the village of Nedoboevtsy and had a length of 3 versts. The last work on the trenches was carried out on the night of August 28, when the Russian army had already entered the area. As a result, the left section of the trenches, 2 versts in length, was not occupied by Turkish troops at all.

The Russian army reached the Shulanets River in the evening on August 27, where it camped. Having made reconnaissance, Count Minich made sure that his army was tightly surrounded. In the rear and on the flanks of the Russians, the Crimean Tatars and Turkish cavalry surrounded them. Ahead, Minikh had 20 thousand Turkish infantry, which "in the mountainous places, which are already very strong and avantage, with a very strong position [dug in]". But at the same time, the field marshal noted that "the enemy in front of his right wing, against which our army stood, continued the work of retransmitters and batteries, and the left wing, which, although in an advanced position [dangerous for a breakthrough], however, was not darted."

Having weighed the current situation, realizing the unfortunate location of his camp, which was subjected to artillery shelling and attacks from the enemy's cavalry detachments, lack of firewood and fodder, the impossibility of a detour enemy flank. This was facilitated by the mood of the troops, which, according to the count, "showed an almost unheard-of hunt for battle and were very eager to get closer to the enemy as soon as possible." According to the drawn up battle plan, part of the army was supposed to make a diversionary maneuver on the enemy's right flank, and the rest of the army was to deliver the main attack on the left flank. For a diversionary maneuver, a detachment of Lieutenant General Gustav Biron was assigned, consisting of the Guards, two dragoon regiments, three infantry regiments and a number of irregular troops, totaling 9 thousand people, with four howitzers and 30 cannons.

Early in the morning of August 28, a detachment of Gustav Biron, representing the vanguard of the entire army, crossed the river and stood at a low altitude two versts from the enemy's positions. After that, an artillery duel ensued, which lasted until noon, but was ineffective. At noon, Field Marshal Munnich ordered the entire army to turn to the right and move to the confluence of the Shulanets River and a stream that empties near the village of Dolina. The detachment of General Gustav Biron turned around and crossed the river back, taking their places in the army's battle formation. Veli Pasha took such maneuvers for the retreat of the Russians and even sent news of the victory to Khotin. Soon the Turks realized their mistake and began to transfer troops to the left flank, where they began to build new batteries. Genj Ali Pasha and Kolchak Pasha tried to attack the enemy army with cavalry at the crossing, where the Russians had to climb a low but steep bank.

After the crossing, the Russian army lined up in one square, inside which was the entire train, and slowly moved towards the enemy. At five o'clock in the afternoon, when the army was passing near Stavuchany, the Turks launched a decisive attack. 12-13 thousand Janissaries attacked from the front, Turkish cavalry from the right flank. The Russian army stopped and, fenced off with slingshots, opened rifle and artillery fire. The Turkish cavalry, unable to withstand the fire, turned around and went back over the Stavuchansky stream. Of the janissaries, only about 3 thousand people reached the slingshots, but without success, they fled. Fearing for his wagon train, Minich decided to abandon the pursuit of the enemy. Impressed by the failure of the attack, the Turkish troops occupying positions set fire to their camp and hastily left towards Khotin. Only the cavalry and the Crimean Tatars, who were still trying to attack the enemy, remained on the field.

At 7 pm the Russian army reached the Turkish positions and occupied the enemy camp. Here Genj Ali Pasha tried to make one last attempt to attack the Russians. But the fire of two artillery brigades upset the Turkish cavalry, which did not manage to enter the battle. After that, the entire Turkish army fled, pursued by Russian troops. The defeat was complete, the Turkish army was scattered. Most of the Turks, including the Khotyn garrison, under the command of Veli-Pasha and Genj-Ali-Pasha went to Bendery, some went to the Prut, and the Tatars to Budjak. The winners got 19 copper cannons, 4 mortars, banners, and many shells.

Moderate in his personal life, he often turned out to be excessively strict and further ruthless with other people subordinate to him. However, due to his directness, justice and personal courage, the popularity of Field Marshal B.Kh. Minich always remained tall in the army. Especially among the lower ranks, about which he carefully cared about. The soldiers called the commander "falcon"

Shishov A.V.

Russian losses were: 13 killed, including one colonel of the Don army, and 54 wounded, including 6 officers. Count Minich called the reasons for such small losses to the bravery of Russian soldiers and the artillery and trench fire they were trained to use.

The losses of the Ottoman army amounted to more than a thousand people killed, whom they left on the battlefield. The result of this victory was the surrender of Khotin. On August 30, commandant Kolchak Pasha surrendered the city at the first demand of Count Minich.

Despite the victory of the Russian army at Stavuchany and the occupation of the Khotin fortress, in 1739 the war ended with the assistance of French diplomacy in the Belgrade peace, which was not so beneficial for Russia. Throughout this world, she returned to Turkey all her conquests. However, the significance of this war is great - the road to the Black Sea of \u200b\u200bthe Russian army was now known. The next generation of Russian soldiers and generals under Catherine II will quickly move along it.

It should be noted that historians are ambiguous about the activities of Minich in the military field. He is blamed for the lack of a military genius, and unwillingness to pity the soldiers, and excessive ambition, and rudeness. However, no matter how they talked about him, he achieved success in all military enterprises, and in the battle of Stavuchany he showed true tactical skill and won a brilliant victory. The reasons for the numerous losses are revealed partly in his letter: "There were thirty thousand armed troops in Danzig, but I did not have even twenty thousand to carry out the siege, and meanwhile the line of encirclement of the fortress extended nine German miles" (1 German mile is approximately equal to 8 kilometers).

It would be a big mistake to portray Minich as a rude soldier. The letters that remained after him testify to the sophistication of the author's mind, his ability to express himself beautifully. Here is what the Englishwoman Lady Rondo writes about him to her correspondent in 1735: “You say that you imagine him as an old man, whose appearance is inherent in all the rudeness of a soldier who has been in alterations ... He has a beautiful face, very white skin, he is tall and slender, and that's all his movements are soft and graceful. He dances well, all his actions breathe youthful, with the ladies he behaves like one of the most gallant gentlemen of this court and, being among the representatives of our sex, radiates gaiety and tenderness. "

In 1740, Minich tried to head the government of Anna Leopoldovna, receiving the post of first minister for military, civil and diplomatic affairs. However, soon, as a result of Ostermann's intrigues, Munnich was forced to resign, and in 1741, with the accession of Elizabeth Petrovna, he was put on trial and sentenced to death on a whole series of false charges: high treason, aiding Biron, bribery and embezzlement ...

Prince Nikita Trubetskoy presided over the trial, who tried to accuse Minich, but he bitterly remarked to him:

Before the judgment of the Most High, my acquittal will be better accepted than before your judgment!

Among all those sentenced to execution, only Minich retained, as history testifies, courage and vigor, talked with the officers accompanying him, recalled the war and the readiness for death, which is customary for a military man. As he stepped onto the scaffold, he was carefully shaved, a field marshal's red cloak flaunted on his shoulders. Upon learning that the death penalty had been replaced by exile, the German greeted the news without the slightest emotion and as cheerfully descended from the scaffold, as he climbed it.

In exile, in the village of Pelym, Minikh spent 20 long years. Without giving up for years, he was engaged in physical and mental labor, grew vegetables, taught children, composed various engineering and military projects (which remained, however, without any application), from time to time sent proposals to the capital to appoint him as Siberian governor.

After twenty years of exile, Minich returned to St. Petersburg at the beginning of 1762 by order of Peter III. In May, the field marshal turned 79 years old, but he was full of energy and creative plans. In the same month, Peter III appointed him a member of the Imperial Council, but Minich asked for two more positions for himself: the Siberian governor and the chief director of the Ladoga Canal. He was going to manage Siberia without leaving Petersburg.

By a decree on June 9, 1762, the emperor satisfied both desires of an active and ambitious elder, entrusting him with the head of the Kronstadt Canal at the same time. But in the same month, a new coup took place, Peter III was dethroned and soon killed. Minich remained loyal to the emperor until the last hours of his reign and tried to tell him the way to salvation. But Catherine II, with her usual prudence, did not pursue the former supporters of her unfortunate husband. She was emphatically benevolent to the "patriarch with hair as white as snow" and "the most senior field marshal in Europe," as Minich called himself in letters to the empress. He was left in the post of chief director of the Ladoga and Kronstadt canals, and in addition, he was instructed to complete the construction of the Baltic port. Minich worked until the last months of his life, supervised the construction and repair of the hydraulic structures entrusted to him, and sent proposals to the empress on public policy issues. On the eve of his 85th birthday, he finally asked for resignation. The Empress refused, saying that she did not have a second Minich. But the days of the field marshal were already numbered, he soon died.

After him, there were works devoted to the structure of Russia, which became everything for him: a place of life and work, the embodiment of plans and dreams, an arena of ups and downs. One of them - "Sketch of the government of the Russian Empire", or "Sketch, giving an idea of \u200b\u200bthe way of government of the Russian Empire", was created at the end of the author's life. In December 1763, Academician G.-F. Miller, in one of his letters, reported: “The Empress was pleased to appoint me to help Field Marshal Munnich write his memoirs. It will be a very interesting work. No matter how old the field marshal is, he has an excellent memory and writes very gracefully in French. I just have to correct the dates ”(B. Minikh. Notes of the Field Marshal. St. Petersburg, 1874, S. XVI.). Consequently, Catherine II knew about Minich's work and was interested in it. From other sources it is known that in 1763 one of the versions of the "Sketch ..." was already completed and sent by the author for review to the historian A.-F. Buching. More accurate information about the time of creation of the memoirs was not found, but, most likely, they were written in 1763-1764.

For forty-six years, Count Burchard Christoph von Munnich honestly served Russia, considering it his second homeland, never ceasing to wonder with admiration at its mystery and never ceasing to tirelessly care about its development.

Surzhik D.V., IVI RAS

Essays

Literature

Bantysh-Kamensky D.N. Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals general. In 4 parts. Reprint reproduction of the 1840 edition. Part 1-2. M., 1991

The most submissive reports of Count Minich. Dispatches of 1737 and 1738. SPb., 1899

Field Marshal Minich's report on the collection and publication of all Russian Decrees and Regulations, filed in 1735 May 14. Notes of the Fatherland P. Svinin. SPb., 1821. Part 5

Durov N.P. Notes and so on. works of field marshal Minich // Russian antiquity, 1872. T. 6. No. 9

Soloviev S.M. History of Russia since ancient times. SPb., 1896.Vol. 29

the Internet

Kosich Andrey Ivanovich

1. During his long life (1833 - 1917) A. I. Kosich went from a non-commissioned officer to a general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. Distinguished by personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, "one of the most educated generals of the Russian army." He left a multitude of literary and scientific works and memoirs. Patronized science and education. Has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the formation of many Russian military leaders, in particular, the gene. A. I. Denikin.
4. He was a resolute opponent of using the army against his people, in which he parted with PA Stolypin. "The army must shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."

Minich Burchard-Christopher

One of the best Russian generals and military engineers. The first commander to enter the Crimea. Winner at Stavuchany.

Svyatoslav Igorevich

Grand Duke of Novgorod, from 945 Kiev. The son of Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga. Svyatoslav became famous as great commander, which N.M. Karamzin called “Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history”.

After the military campaigns of Svyatoslav Igorevich (965-972), the territory of the Russian land increased from the Volga region to the Caspian Sea, from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea, from the Balkan Mountains to Byzantium. Defeated Khazaria and Volga Bulgaria, weakened and intimidated the Byzantine Empire, opened the way for Rus' trade with the eastern countries

Kolovrat Evpatiy Lvovich

Ryazan boyar and voivode. During Batu's invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the invasion of the Mongols, he hastily moved into the city. Having found Ryazan all incinerated, Evpatiy Kolovrat with a detachment of 1,700 people began to catch up with Batu's army. Having overtaken, he destroyed their rearguard. He also killed the strong heroes Batyevs. Died on January 11, 1238.

Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich

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Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich

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Units under the command of Golovanov bombed Berlin, Konigsberg, Danzig and other cities in Germany, and struck at important strategic targets behind enemy lines.

Yulaev Salavat

Commander of the Pugachev era (1773-1775). Together with Pugachev, organizing the uprising, he tried to change the position of the peasants in society. I had a few dinner over the troops of Catherine II.

Batitsky

I served in the air defense and therefore I know this name - Batitsky. Do you know? By the way, father of air defense!

Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich

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Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership, the Red Army crushed fascism.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and military documentary filmmaker.
Member of the Russian-Japanese War. One of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th rifle "iron" brigade (1914-1916, since 1915 - deployed under his command in a division), 8th army corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), Commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a participant in the Berdichev and Bykhov seats of the generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then the commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. Author of memoirs "Essays on Russian Troubles" (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, memoirs "The Old Army" (1929-1931), autobiographical story "The Way of a Russian Officer" (published in 1953) and a number of other works.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

For the highest military leadership and immense love for the Russian soldier

Spiridov Grigory Andreevich

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The Russian fleet left the Mediterranean after the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhiyskiy peace in July 1774. The Greek islands and the Levant, including Beirut, were returned to Turkey in exchange for territories in the Black Sea region. Nevertheless, the activities of the Russian fleet in the Archipelago were not in vain and played a significant role in world naval history. Russia, having made a strategic maneuver with the forces of the fleet from one theater to another and having achieved a number of high-profile victories over the enemy, for the first time made people talk about themselves as a strong naval power and an important player in European politics.

Paskevich Ivan Fedorovich

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Field Marshal.

Ivan III Vasilievich

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One of the most talented Russian generals of the First World War. Hero of the Battle of Galicia in 1914, savior of the North-Western Front from encirclement in 1915, chief of staff under Emperor Nicholas I.

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Prince Svyatoslav

Olsufiev Zakhar Dmitrievich

One of the most famous military leaders of the Bagrationovsk 2nd Western Army. Always fought with exemplary courage. He was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd degree for his heroic participation in the Battle of Borodino. He distinguished himself in the battle on the Chernishna (or Tarutinsky) river. His reward for his participation in defeating the vanguard of Napoleon's army was the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. He was called "a general with talents." When Olsufiev was captured and brought to Napoleon, he told his entourage the words well-known in history: "Only Russians know how to fight like that!"

Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-91 and the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-90. He distinguished himself during the war with France in 1806-07 at Preussisch-Eylau, from 1807 he commanded a division. During the Russian-Swedish War of 1808-09 he commanded a corps; led a successful crossing of the Kvarken Strait in the winter of 1809. In 1809-10 he was Governor-General of Finland. From January 1810 to September 1812, the Minister of War, did a lot of work to strengthen the Russian army, set aside the intelligence and counterintelligence service in a separate production. In the Patriotic War of 1812, he commanded the 1st Western Army, and the 2nd Western Army was subordinate to him, as Minister of War. In conditions of significant enemy superiority, he showed the talent of a commander and successfully carried out the withdrawal and connection of the two armies, which earned such words of MI Kutuzov as THANKS TO THE NATIVE FATHER !!! SAVE THE ARMY !!! SPAS RUSSIA !!!. However, the retreat caused discontent in the nobility and the army, and on August 17, Barclay surrendered command of the armies to M.I. Kutuzov. In the Battle of Borodino, he commanded the right wing of the Russian army, showing fortitude and skill in defense. He admitted that the position near Moscow chosen by L. L. Bennigsen was unsuccessful and supported at the military council in Fili M. I. Kutuzov's proposal to leave Moscow. In September 1812 he left the army due to illness. In February 1813 he was appointed commander of the 3rd, and then the Russian-Prussian army, which he successfully commanded during the overseas campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-14 (Kulm, Leipzig, Paris). Buried in the Beclor estate in Livonia (now Jigeveste Estonia)

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945).
From 1942 to 1946, commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards Army), which distinguished itself in the Battle of Stalingrad. He took part in defensive battles on the distant approaches to Stalingrad. From September 12, 1942, he commanded the 62nd Army. IN AND. Chuikov was given the task of defending Stalingrad at any cost. The front command believed that Lieutenant General Chuikov possessed such positive qualities as decisiveness and firmness, courage and a great operational outlook, a high sense of responsibility and a sense of duty. The Army, under the command of V.I. Chuikova, became famous for the heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad in street battles in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads on the banks of the wide Volga.

For the unprecedented mass heroism and resilience of the personnel, in April 1943, the 62nd Army received the honorary guards name of the Guards and became known as the 8th Guards Army.

Peter the Great

Because he not only conquered the lands of his fathers, but also confirmed the status of Russia as a power!

Kornilov Lavr Georgievich

KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (08/18/1870- 04/31/1918) Colonel (02.1905). Major General (12.1912). Lieutenant General (08/26/1914). General from Infantry (06/30/1917). Graduated from the Mikhailovskoe Artillery School (1892) and with a gold medal to the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1898). Officer at the headquarters of the Turkestan Military District, 1889-1904. Participant in the Russo-Japanese War 1904 - 1905: headquarters officer of the 1st rifle brigade (at its headquarters). During the retreat from Mukden, the brigade got surrounded. Leading the rearguard, a bayonet attack broke through the encirclement, ensuring freedom of defensive combat operations of the brigade. Military attaché in China, 04/01/1907 - 02/24/1911 Participant in the First World War: commander of the 48th Infantry Division of the 8th Army (General Brusilov). During the general retreat, the 48th division was surrounded and the wounded General Kornilov on 04.1915 at the Duklinsky pass (Carpathians) was captured; 08.1914-04.1915 In captivity by the Austrians, 04.1915-06.1916. Disguised as an Austrian soldier, on 06.1915 escaped from captivity. Commander of the 25th Rifle Corps, 06.1916-04.1917. Commander of the Petrograd Military District, 03-04.1917. Commander of the 8th Army, 24.04-8.07.1917. 05/19/1917 by his order introduced the formation of the first volunteer "1st Shock Force of the 8th Army" under the command of Captain Nezhentsev. Commander of the Southwestern Front ...

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

Commander of the 62nd Army in Stalingrad.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Full Commander of the Order of St. George. In the history of military art, according to Western authors (eg: J. Witter), he entered as the architect of the strategy and tactics of "scorched earth" - cutting off the main enemy troops from the rear, depriving them of supply and organizing guerrilla warfare in their rear. M.V. Kutuzov, after taking over command of the Russian army, in fact, continued the tactics developed by Barclay de Tolly and defeated Napoleon's army.

Tsarevich and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, the second son of Emperor Paul I, received the title of Tsarevich in 1799 for participation in the Swiss campaign of A.V. Suvorov, and retained it until 1831. In the battle of Austrlitz he commanded the guards reserve of the Russian Army, took part in the Patriotic War of 1812, distinguished himself in the Foreign campaigns of the Russian army. For the "Battle of the Nations" at Leipzig in 1813 he received the "golden weapon" "For Bravery!" Inspector General of the Russian cavalry, since 1826 Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland.

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General Brusilov A.A., simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the deeply echeloned enemy defenses and advanced 65 km. In military history, this operation received the name Brusilovsky Breakthrough.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

In the first world war commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia. On August 15-16, 1914, during the Rogatinsky battles, he defeated the 2nd Austro-Hungarian army, taking 20 thousand prisoners. and 70 guns. Galich was taken on 20 August. The 8th Army takes an active part in the battles at Rava-Russkaya and in the Gorodok battle. In September he commanded a group of troops from the 8th and 3rd armies. September 28 - October 11, his army withstood the counterattack of the 2nd and 3rd Austro-Hungarian armies in the battles on the San River and near the city of Stryi. In the course of the successfully completed battles, 15 thousand enemy soldiers were taken prisoner, and at the end of October his army entered the foothills of the Carpathians.

Dmitry Pozharsky

In 1612, the most difficult time for Russia, he led the Russian militia and freed the capital from the hands of the conquerors.
Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky (November 1, 1578 - April 30, 1642) - Russian national hero, military and political leader, head of the Second People's Militia, which liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. The country's exit from the Troubles, which is currently celebrated in Russia on November 4, is closely connected with his name and the name of Kuzma Minin.
After the election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the Russian throne, D.M. Pozharsky played a leading role in the royal court as a talented military leader and statesman. Despite the victory of the people's militia and the election of the tsar, the war in Russia still continued. In the years 1615-1616. Pozharsky, at the direction of the tsar, was sent at the head of a large army to fight the detachments of the Polish colonel Lisovsky, who besieged the city of Bryansk and took Karachev. After the fight against Lisovsky, the tsar entrusted Pozharsky in the spring of 1616 with collecting money from the merchants to the treasury of the fifth, since the wars did not stop, and the treasury was depleted. In 1617, the tsar instructed Pozharsky to conduct diplomatic negotiations with the British ambassador John Merik, appointing Pozharsky as governor of Kolomenskoye. In the same year, the Polish prince Vladislav came to the Moscow state. Residents of Kaluga and neighboring cities turned to the tsar with a request to send them to protect them from the Poles precisely DM Pozharsky. The Tsar fulfilled the Kaluga residents' request and gave an order to Pozharsky on October 18, 1617 to protect Kaluga and the surrounding cities by all available measures. Prince Pozharsky fulfilled the tsar's order with honor. Having successfully defended Kaluga, Pozharsky received an order from the tsar to go to the aid of Mozhaisk, namely, to the city of Borovsk, and began to disturb the troops of the prince Vladislav with flying detachments, causing them significant damage. However, at the same time, Pozharsky fell seriously ill and, at the behest of the tsar, returned to Moscow. Pozharsky, barely recovering from his illness, took an active part in protecting the capital from Vladislav's troops, for which Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich awarded him with new estates and estates.

Ermak Timofeevich

Russian. Cossack. Ataman. He defeated Kuchum and his satellites. He approved Siberia as a part of the Russian state. He devoted all his life to military labor.

Uvarov Fedor Petrovich

At the age of 27 he was promoted to general. He participated in the campaigns of 1805-1807 and in the battles on the Danube in 1810. In 1812, he commanded the 1st artillery corps in the army of Barclay de Tolly, and later - all the cavalry of the united armies.

Miloradovich

Bagration, Miloradovich, Davydov are some very special breed of people. Now they don't do that. The heroes of 1812 were distinguished by complete recklessness, complete contempt for death. And after all, it was General Miloradovich, who went through all the wars for Russia without a single tsarpapina, who became the first victim of individual terror. After Kakhovsky's shot on Senate Square, the Russian revolution continued along this path - right up to the basement of the Ipatiev House. Removing the best.

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union. From June 1942 he commanded the troops of the Leningrad Front, in February-March 1945 he simultaneously coordinated the actions of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic fronts. He played an important role in the defense of Leningrad and breaking through its blockade. He was awarded the Order of "Victory". Recognized master of the combat use of artillery.

Boris Mikhailovich Shaposhnikov

Marshal of the Soviet Union, outstanding Soviet military leader, military theorist.
B. M. Shaposhnikov made a significant contribution to the theory and practice of building the USSR Armed Forces, to their strengthening and improvement, and the training of military personnel.
He was a consistent champion of strict discipline, but an enemy of shouting. Roughness in general was organically alien to him. A true military intellectual, b. colonel of the tsarist army.

Voivode M.I. Vorotynsky

Outstanding Russian commander, one of the confidants of Ivan the Terrible, compiler of the charter of the guard and border service

Russian commander and statesman, Count (1728), Field Marshal (1732).

Burchard Christoph Munnich was born on May 9 (19), 1683 in the county of Oldenburg in the family of a hydraulic engineer. Received a solid education, mainly focused on engineering.

In 1700-1720 BK Minich served as an engineer in the French, Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel and Polish-Saxon armies, received combat experience in the War of the Spanish Succession.

In 1721, with the rank of Major General of the Polish-Saxon Army, B. K. Minich came to and was presented. He successfully passed the tests for knowledge of engineering (he was instructed to draw a plan for strengthening), received the rank of major general of the Russian service, and soon also a lieutenant general. In Russia, they began to call him Christopher Antonovich.

Since 1723 H. A. Minikh directed the construction of the Ladoga Canal (completed in 1728). In 1726 he was promoted to general-in-chief and awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. H. A. Minich's advancement was harmed by hostile relations with, while his patron was. After the fall in 1727, Minich's career went up sharply: in 1728 he received the title of count, and in 1729 - the post of General Feldzheichmeister. Peter II appointed H. A. Minich as governor-general.

The peak of H. A. Minich's career fell on the years of his reign. In 1731, he became a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, Chief of Police and President of the Military Collegium, in 1732 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Kh. A. Minikh carried out a number of important transformations in the Russian army. On his initiative, a decree was issued on the equalization of the salaries of Russian and foreign officers, the Gentry Cadet Corps was founded, which soon turned into one of the best educational institutions. Also, H. A. Minich is credited with creating a heavy cavalry - cuirassier - as part of the Russian army. Thanks to his efforts, the first hussar regiments appeared.

Kh.A. Minikh developed and put into effect a number of new documents of a statutory nature concerning the training of troops, the organization of battle, the structure of army regiments, etc.

In 1734-1735, H. A. Minich commanded the Russian troops in the War of the Polish Succession, took Danzig (Gdansk) and secured the Polish throne to King August III. In the Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739, the troops of H.A.Minich captured Perekop, penetrated the Crimea and captured the capital of the Crimean Khanate - Bakhchisarai. In July 1737 he took the Ochakov fortress by storm. In August 1739, the army of H.A.Minich defeated the outnumbered Turkish troops in the battle of Stavuchany, after which the Khotyn fortress surrendered.

After his death in 1740, H. A. Minich, together with, organized a palace coup, which removed the Empress's favorite from power. In 1741, with his accession to the throne, the field marshal was arrested, tried and sentenced to death, replaced by exile in the town of the Tobolsk province of the Siberian province.

In 1762 he returned H. A. Minich from exile and returned all ranks and awards to him. The field marshal rose to prominence at court. While in the presence of the emperor on the day of the coup d'état on June 28 (July 9), 1762, H.A. Minich gave him a number of valuable advice on how to organize resistance to the conspirators, but the emperor did not listen to them. When the case was lost, the commander swore an oath and was appointed commander over the ports of Rogervik, Revel, Narva, Kronstadt, as well as over the Ladoga Canal.

In the last years of his life, H. A. Minich was engaged in the construction of a port in Rogervik (now Paldiski in Estonia).

Minikh Christopher Antonovich died on October 16 (27), 1767 in Dorpat (now the Estonian city of Tartu), and was buried in his Lunia estate in Livonia.

As an outstanding military and economic leader, an invincible field marshal who smashed the hordes of Crimean Tatars and Ottomans. Minich was German by birth, but as Empress Catherine II rightly said: "Not being a son of Russia, he was one of her fathers." He zealously served Russia, did a tremendous job of qualitatively strengthening the Russian army, economy, rear, and the system of government. He dispelled the myth about the invincibility of the Turkish army, which arose after Peter's unsuccessful Prut campaign. It was Field Marshal Minich who initiated a series of brilliant victories of the Russian army over the Ottomans.

early years

Burkhart Christoph von Munnich (in another spelling - Burkhard Christoph von Munnich) was born on May 9, 1683 in Neuenhuntorf (Neijen-Guntorf) near Oldenburg. He came from the noble family of Minichs. His father was an excellent engineer, adviser to the court of the Danish king. Therefore, the son mastered the arts of engineering and drawing, knew mathematics well, studied Latin and French, and also gained experience in the field of hydraulic engineering. At the age of 16, he went on a journey, entered the French service as an engineer and was in Strasbourg when the War of the Spanish Succession began. The young specialist was well known in certain circles and received an invitation from Marshal Villeroi to remain in the French service. But, he rejected this flattering offer, as he did not want to fight against his compatriots.

Munnich left France and entered the service in Hesse-Darmstadt. He served as a captain, and when in 1702 distinguished himself during the siege of Landau, he was transferred to the Hesse-Kassel Guard and promoted to major. In 1709 he distinguished himself in the Battle of Malplaket and received the rank of lieutenant colonel. In the Battle of Dene in 1712, Minich was seriously wounded and taken prisoner. In March 1714, peace was signed between France and Austria in Rastadt. Minich got his freedom. In Hesse he was greeted with respect, he was awarded the rank of colonel. He returned to the profession of engineer and took up the construction of the canal connecting Fulda with the Weser.

However, Minich's ambitious soul demanded more significant deeds. He was not satisfied with the service of the Hessian landgrave. In northern Europe, there was a war between the Swedish Empire and Russia, Poland and Saxony. Minich entered the service of the Elector of Saxon and the King of Poland August II in 1716. In Warsaw, he formed Polish regiments and in 1717 received the rank of major general. The brave and active general was involved in active life in Poland: the struggle of the Confederates, the enmity of the Polish gentry to Augustus and his supporters, the riotous life of the capital. As a result, Minich fought several times in duels, killed Colonel Ganf, was wounded in another duel. But Augustus forgave the brave general.

In the Russian service

The king's favors to Munnich made him the envy of a number of dignitaries, including the royal favorite Fleming. Not tolerating insults, but not being able to respond in kind, Minich decided to refuse the Saxon service. He wanted to leave for Stockholm, the smart and brave commander was called to the Swedish service. But the death of the Swedish king Charles XII made him accept the offer to transfer to the Russian service. In 1721, at the invitation of the Russian ambassador to Warsaw, Grigory Dolgorukov, Minikh arrived in Russia to conduct engineering affairs, conceived by Tsar Pyotr Alekseevich.

When Minich presented Peter with a blueprint for a new fortification of Kronstadt, the pleased tsar said: "Thanks to Dolgorukov, he brought me a skilled engineer and general." Peter and Minich became associates. The simplicity of getting around, the greatness of the Russian monarch, his colossal plans to transform the state, an active and active life, so opposite to what he saw in the West, captivated Minich. Minich honestly said that he was not a specialist in the navy, cavalry, artillery, that he was a poor architect, and offered his services in the organization of the infantry, serf work and teaching mathematics, fortification and military art to the emperor's grandson.

Minich and Peter traveled to Narva, Revel, Kronstadt. He made plans to fortify Kronstadt, build a harbor in Oranienbaum, and a military port in Rogervik. The death of his father forced Minich to ask the emperor for home leave. Peter let him go, but on the condition that he would definitely return. Setting out on the Persian campaign in 1722, the emperor instructed Minich to arrange navigation on the Neva and granted him the rank of lieutenant general. Returning from the campaign, the sovereign was very pleased with the general's work: "No one understands and fulfills my thoughts as well as Minich."

The Ladoga Canal was the cause of the emperor's chagrin. The construction of the Ladoga Canal began in 1719. One of the sections of the Vyshnevolotsky waterway, which connected the Volga with the Baltic, passed through Lake Ladoga. This site was one of the most dangerous and difficult: the frequent strong winds on the lake caused the death of hundreds of transport ships. Therefore, Peter decided to build a bypass channel connecting the Volkhov and the Neva. The length of the canal according to the project was 111 kilometers (as a result, it turned out to be 117 km), and the depth is 2.1 m below the level of Lake Ladoga. It began at Novaya Ladoga and ended at Shlisselburg, where the Neva originates from Lake Ladoga. In the first quarter of the 18th century, this canal became the largest hydraulic structure in Europe. Work proceeded slowly, with serious difficulties, loss of life and high costs. This forced Petr Alekseevich to conduct an investigation. He instructed Munnich to inspect the canal construction work. Menshikov and his favorite Pisarev (he was the head of the work) tried to prevent him, assuring him that Minikh was a bad engineer. Minich presented a report to the tsar, where he said that everything that had been done earlier was useless and presented a new work plan. Opponents of Munnich criticized his findings. The emperor decided the dispute in his own style: he went to inspect the works. He walked with Minich through the forests and swamps for three days, studied the situation and came to the same conclusions as the German general.

After completing the examination, the tsar told Pisarev: "... there are two kinds of guilt: error and malice - the first I will always forgive, and the second I will always punish severely." The emperor ordered the arrest of Skornyakov-Pisarev and the German sluice masters, they were put on trial. After that, the construction of the canal was taken under state control. Minich headed the work. In 1724, Pyotr Alekseevich again visited the canal and was so pleased with the general's work that he said: "Minich cured me - he is capable of great things." The emperor decided to appoint Minich in the place of Bruce as Field-General-Feldzheichmeister and entrust him with all hydraulic engineering work in the Russian Empire. By the summer of 1725, 25 thousand people were involved in the work on the canal: 7 thousand civilian workers and 18 thousand soldiers. The construction of the canal under the direction of Minich was completed in October 1730 and in the spring of 1731 ships began to sail along it.

Map of the Emperor Peter the Great Channel (1741-42).

The reign of Catherine I and Peter II

The death of Pyotr Alekseevich put Minich in a difficult position. His ill-wisher, Alexander Menshikov, became an all-powerful nobleman, in fact the ruler of Russia. But, age played in his favor. Minich had already lost the ardor and hot temper of his young years. Life experience taught him to submit to life's circumstances. He could pacify vanity there when it was needed. A sharp mind, eloquence and dexterity in business allowed him to maintain a high position and continue serving Russia. In addition, Munnich entered into an alliance with Ostermann. Therefore, Minich was able to continue work on the construction of the Ladoga Canal, and he was awarded the newly established Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

By transferring to the Dolgoruky party, Minikh retained his position after the fall of Menshikov. Despite the conflict between the party of foreigners and the Russian party, Minich was awarded the title of count, the rank of general-in-chief and the villages near Dorpat. In 1727, Peter II moved with his court to Moscow, where he was crowned. The new emperor was completely uninterested in state affairs and led an idle life. Petersburg was empty, there was even an idea to deprive it of the status of the capital. In this situation, Minich was appointed the ruler of St. Petersburg, and from 1728 he was the governor-general of St. Petersburg, Ingermanland, Karelia and Finland (until 1734).

During this period, with the inaction of other dignitaries, he received tremendous power. As a junior member of the Military Collegium, when Field Marshal Golitsyn was removed to Moscow, Vice-President Lassi to Riga, and the inaction of other members of the Collegium, he managed all military affairs. Minich distributed the deployment of troops, was engaged in their supply, recruited recruits. He continued to work on the construction of the Ladoga Canal. Minich continued the intensive construction begun under Peter the Great in St. Petersburg, Vyborg and Kronstadt. At this time, he showed himself to be a skillful manager, an administrator with a very deep knowledge in the field of hydraulic engineering and military affairs. During this period, regular maritime traffic with Western Europe began, and mail and passenger ships began to sail from Kronstadt to Lubeck and Danzig. In the capital, on Vasilievsky Island, the construction of the Building of the Twelve Colleges and the stone bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress was completed. Minich organized parades and reviews of troops and celebrations when ships were launched, balls and gala dinners. Thus, in these troubled years, Minikh was able to retain for St. Petersburg its role as the most important city of the Russian Empire.

In the reign of Anna Ioannovna

Minich was among those who supported Anna Ioannovna and the restoration of the fullness of the imperial power. When Empress Anna assumed full power, Minich hastened to make this news public in the capital and to reinforce autocratic power with the oath of the inhabitants and troops. Minich received an honorary assignment: the burial of Peter's coffin and the coffin of his wife, who had previously remained in the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The generous awards were the result of his diligence. He was awarded the Order of St. Apostle Andrew, received the post of President of the Military Collegium, the rank of General Feldzheichmeister. And in 1732 he received the staff of the Field Marshal and the title of a member of the cabinet (or high council) under the Empress. In addition to Minich, the supreme council included Osterman, Golovkin and Cherkassky.

Minich was at the top of the honors. During this period, the party of foreigners won a complete victory over the Russian party. However, Minich had a rival. A new temporary worker appeared at the court - Ernst Johann Biron. This man was insignificant in his talents, but controlled the will of the empress. As soon as Anna began to reign in Russia, Biron received the rank of chief chamberlain, the order of St. Andrew, became a count and a prince. And this is in the absence of any achievements in the field of serving Russia. Suspicious, greedy and cruel Biron became a real bogeyman at court. Many Russian dignitaries fell into disgrace and were repressed. Minich was an open enemy and rival of Biron. Because of this, he fell out with Osterman, this cunning courtier went over to the side of the favorite of the empress. The Empress, convinced of the need for Minich to rule the state, restrained the attacks of his rivals.

Minich continued important state affairs. The Ladoga Canal was completed, which was a positive development for the Russian economy. Empress Anna and her entourage were the first to sail on a yacht along the canal and opened navigation. Minich put in order the army finances, established hospitals for the wounded and garrison schools with the troops. The field marshal formed two new guards regiments - the Horse Guards and Izmailovsky (named after the village near Moscow where the empress lived). He established in the capital the Gentry Cadet Corps for 200, and then 360 nobles (and in the future, 400-500 young men were to be trained in it). Minich was the head of the corps until 1741. The cadet corps was divided into 4 classes: in the fourth (lowest) cadets were taught Russian and Latin, calligraphy and arithmetic; in the third, geography, grammar and geometry; in the second - fortifications, artillery, history, correct writing and style, rhetoric, jurisprudence, heraldry, morality and other military and political sciences. In the first grade, specialization took place - cadets were trained in what they showed the greatest success. Cadets studied for 5-6 years, graduated by passing exams. In addition to Russian, they were taught French and German.

The field marshal made up new staffs for the army, established a heavy (cuirassier) corps of 12 regiments in the troops, and formed the first hussar regiments. Munnich equalized the salaries of Russian officers with invited foreign military specialists (the salaries of foreigners were higher). He established sapper regiments, a new branch of the military in Russia, and also created an Engineering School for officers. During his reign 50 fortresses were built or improved. All these measures strengthened the defense capability of the Russian Empire.

War of Polish Succession

However, actively working on strengthening the army, Munnich could not help but notice that he was practically removed from foreign policy. Despite the fact that he was a member of the cabinet, secret negotiations were conducted with Austria and Prussia on the elevation of the Saxon Elector Friedrich August to the Polish throne (in addition, an alliance against Turkey was concluded between Russia and Austria). In 1733, the Polish king Augustus II died. The French proposed for the Polish throne the candidacy of Stanislav Leszczynski, who was already the Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1704-1709, being an ally of Sweden. His daughter was married to the French king Louis XV. Russia and Austria were strongly opposed to Leshchinsky's candidacy. The establishment of Leshchinsky in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth would be a significant political victory for France and Sweden and undermine Russian influence in Poland. There was a danger that a powerful anti-Russian coalition would be created within Sweden, the Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire, with the support of France.

The majority of the Diet chose Leshchinsky as king. However, a part of the gentry did not recognize him as king and published a manifesto, which declared the abolition of the principle of "free veto" (lat. Liberum veto). They began a struggle against Leshchinsky and his supporters. Leshchinsky's opponents held their own Diet and elected the Saxon Elector Frederick Augustus king. Leshchinsky with his supporters, as well as accompanied by the French and Swedish ambassadors, left for Danzig, where he wanted to wait for the French squadron with troops. Danzig was a port and was considered the best Polish fortress and one of the best fortresses in Europe. Its seaside location made it possible to receive aid from Sweden and France.

Russian troops were sent to help the opponents of Leshchinsky. 15 thous. The corps was headed by Minich's rival, General-in-Chief Peter Lassi.

To be continued…