Jacob Bruce (1670-1735)) - a representative of the noble Scottish family Bruce, younger brother of Roman Vilimovich Bruce, the first chief commandant of St. Petersburg. The ancestors of J. Bruce lived in Russia since 1647. Participated in the Crimean (1687, 1689) and Azov (1695, 1696) campaigns of Peter I, participated in the formation of Russian artillery during the Northern War. Participated in the foundation of St. Petersburg on May 16, 1703. Signed by the Nystadt Peace Treaty. For command of the Russian artillery in the Battle of Poltava in 1709, he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. After the death of the false Tsar, in 1726, he became a general-field marshal and resigned, devoting himself entirely to scientific activities. Jacob was fluent in six European languages. Participated in the publication of the reference and astrological "Bryusov calendar" (1709-1715). Contrary to popular belief, Bruce was neither the author,nor the compiler of this famous publication, his participation was limited to general censorship. Most of the text of the calendar was written by the publisher Vasily Kipriyanov. Jacob Bruce died on April 19 (April 30) 1735 and was buried in the Lutheran Church of St. Michael in the German settlement. Since he was childless, almost all of his property passed to his nephew - Lieutenant-General Alexander Romanovich Bruce, the son of the first chief commandant of St. Petersburg, Robert Bruce, and the godson of Alexander Menshikov. At the place of his death (not far from Monino station) there is the YV Bruce House-Museum.almost all of his property passed to his nephew - Lieutenant-General Alexander Romanovich Bruce, the son of the first chief commandant of St. Petersburg, Robert Bruce, and the godson of Alexander Menshikov. At the place of his death (not far from Monino station) there is the YV Bruce House-Museum.almost all of his property passed to his nephew - Lieutenant-General Alexander Romanovich Bruce, the son of the first chief commandant of St. Petersburg, Robert Bruce, and the godson of Alexander Menshikov. At the place of his death (not far from Monino station) there is the YV Bruce House-Museum.
Less well known in Russia is the genealogy of Yakov Bruce. And one of its founders, Robert the Bruce, was the king of Scotland (dynasty of the XI-XIV centuries?), The patron saint of the Templars and the founder of the Order of St. Andrew and the Scottish Thistle. That is, Jacob Bruce was a hereditary Templar, and he had all the initiations to take the post of Grand Master of the Zion community. Bruce was a subject of the Russian crown and
twinned with the Russian emperor, and therefore could influence the course of events and the politics of that part of Europe that had long been interested in the Order of the Temple. The Templars and the Zion community dreamed of creating a powerful state and that their interests extended to the Russian lands. The campaigns of the Teutonic knights are an example of this … One of the activities of the knightly Orders was associated with the creation of a psychological climate that could weaken the spiritual supremacy of the official Church. This mission was carried out by the dissemination of Gnostic texts, hermetic and occult knowledge, as well as the formation and support of secret societies like Masonic ones. The second direction is the influence on diplomacy and the reigning persons of the European courts. The third is the formation of dynastic marriages.
There is every reason to believe that it was he who was the founder and master of the first Masonic order in Russia.