His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky - (born 5 (16) September 1747 (or 1745) - death 16 (28) April 1813) - Field Marshal General (31 August 1812), an outstanding commander, a talented diplomat, an outstanding administrator, a skillful educator. Hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, the first full Knight of the Order of St. George.
Mikhail Kutuzov lived during the five reigns, took part in three Russian-Turkish wars (1768-1774, 1787-1791, 1806-1812), in the Russian-Austro-French war of 1805, was the commander-in-chief of the Russian army in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the overseas campaign of 1813
Origin. early years
Descended from an old noble family. Mikhail Kutuzov's grandfather was able to rise to the rank of captain, his father to lieutenant-general and the rank of senator, and MI Kutuzov earned hereditary princely dignity. Mother - Anna Illarionovna, belonged to the Beklemishev family.
He received an excellent education at home. After passing the exams in 1759, 12-year-old Mikhail was enrolled as a corporal in the United Artillery and Engineering Noble School.
Military service
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In military service since 1761. 1762, August - commanded a company of the Astrakhan infantry regiment. 1764-1765 - served in the troops stationed in Poland, took part in suppressing the movement of the Polish confederates. 1770 - was transferred to the 1st Army, which was located in the south of Russia.
He took part in the Russian-Turkish wars. In 1793, 1798. successfully completed a number of diplomatic assignments in the Ottoman Empire, Prussia and Sweden. 1799-1802 - Lithuanian and St. Petersburg military governor. 1802 - fell into disgrace and retired. After 3 years he returned to service and during the Russian-Austro-French war of 1805 was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army. His actual removal from command was the reason for the defeat of the Russian-Austrian army near Austerlitz on November 20 (December 2) 1805.
1811 - appointed commander-in-chief of the Moldavian army, which, in turn, hastened the successful outcome for Russia of the protracted Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812. For the victory at Slobodzeya he was awarded the title of count. After a number of other victories, he concluded the Bucharest Peace Treaty of 1812 with the Turks and received the title of His Serene Highness.
At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, he was the head of the Petersburg, after the Moscow militia. On August 8 (20), under pressure from the Russian public, Alexander 1 appoints him Commander-in-Chief of all Russian troops. He continued the tactics of retreating and pulling the enemy deep into Russia, begun by Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich. Influenced by patriotic sentiments in society and in the Russian troops, he gave the army of Napoleon Bonaparte a general battle. After the battle at the council in Fili, he took upon himself the difficult decision to leave Moscow. But this made it possible for him to retain the bulk of the Russian troops.
He entered the history of military art as the author of the flank march-maneuver, which made it possible for the Russian troops to break away from the enemy, replenish their forces in the Tarutino camp and prepare for a counteroffensive. Having blocked (the battle at Maloyaroslavets on October 12 (24)) the French from the possibility of withdrawal to the southern regions of Russia, forced them to retreat along the devastated Smolensk road. After a series of brilliant victories (at Vyazma, Krasnoe), he finally completed the defeat of Napoleon's army as it crossed the Berezina River.
The last months. Death
December 21 - Mikhail Kutuzov, in an order for the army, congratulated the troops on the expulsion of the enemy from Russia. The Commander-in-Chief was awarded the rank of Field Marshal and the title of Prince of Smolensk. St. George 1st degree made him the first full cavalier of the Russian military order.
Soon after the liberation of Russia, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov fell seriously ill. Shortly before his death, Alexander I visited him and asked for forgiveness for his unfriendly attitude towards the commander. Kutuzov replied: "I forgive, sir, but will Russia forgive?"
1813, April 28 - Mikhail Kutuzov died in the city of Bunzlau (now Boleslawiec, Poland). For a month and a half, the coffin with the body of the commander was delivered to Petersburg. The horses were unharnessed five miles from the city, and the people carried the coffin on their shoulders until the Kazan Cathedral, where the brilliant commander was solemnly buried.
Subsequently, the memory of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (and together with him about MB Barclay de Tolly) was immortalized in the monuments installed on the square in front of the Kazan Cathedral. The idea of their establishment belongs to Alexander I, who in 1818 declared that "the glory of the general-field marshals of the princes Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky and Barclay de Tolly requires worthy monuments."
Contemporaries about Kutuzov
His contemporaries described the commander as a secretive, judicious and able to flatter the courtier. The field marshal was known as a great sly, and Napoleon I even called him "the old northern fox." The character of Mikhail Kutuzov was influenced by an incident that happened to him during his service under the command of Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev. The future commander allowed himself to mimic the commander, for the sake of a joke he copied his gait, voice and manner. Rumyantsev learned about the defiant behavior of the young upstart, and sent him from the Moldavian army to the Crimea. What happened taught Kutuzov to hide his thoughts and emotions.
Personal life
Kutuzov got married with Ekaterina Ilinichna Bibikova in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Golenishchevo, Samoluksky volost, Loknyansky district, Pskov region. Until now, only ruins have survived from this church.
Wife Ekaterina Ilinichna (1754-1824), daughter of Lieutenant General Ilya Alexandrovich Bibikov and sister of A. I. Bibikov, a prominent statesman and military leader (Marshal of the Legislative Commission, commander-in-chief in the fight against the Polish Confederates and suppressing the Pugachev uprising, friend A. V. Suvorov). She married 30-year-old Colonel Kutuzov in 1778. In a happy marriage, they had five daughters (their only son, Nicholas, died of smallpox in infancy, was buried in Elisavetgrad on the territory of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos).
The renowned commander also became related to the imperial house: his great-granddaughter Daria Konstantinovna Opochinina (1844-1870) became the wife of Evgeny Maximilianovich Leuchtenberg.
Kutuzov - commander
Mikhail Kutuzov devoted more than 50 years of his life to military service. He was one of the most educated people of that era, fluent in five languages. He possessed a subtle mind, could remain calm in the most critical moments of the battle. Thoroughly considered any military operation, trying to act more with maneuvers and military cunning and not sacrifice soldiers' lives. He considered the art of war as the most important factor that plays a decisive role in the fate of the war. As a great strategist, he knew how to patiently wait for a change in the situation and use the factor of time and the enemy's mistakes.
Interesting Facts
• 1774 - during the battle in Alushta, the commander was wounded by a bullet that damaged his right eye, but contrary to popular belief, his vision was preserved.
• Mikhail Kutuzov is one of the main characters in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.
• The commander never wore a blindfold that covered his eyes. This detail was used by the directors during the filming of the films of the same name.
• As it is written in the memoirs of Germain de Stael, the field marshal spoke French better than many French.
• First love of the commander - Aleksandrovich Ulyana Ivanovna. They even had a wedding day appointed, but some tragic circumstances associated with Ulyana's illness separated the lovers. The girl kept her lover faithful all her life, without marrying anyone.