Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev. Historical portrait of Alexey Arakcheev

Arakcheev Alexey Andreevich (1769-1834) - Russian statesman and military leader, count (1799), artillery general (1807). From 1808-10, the Minister of War reorganized the artillery; from 1810 chairman of the Department of Military Affairs of the State Council. In 1815-25, the most trusted representative of Emperor Alexander I, carried out his internal policy; organizer and chief commander of military settlements.

Arakcheev became for Russia the embodiment of cruelty, stupidity, and discipline with a stick. Even his appearance inspired disgust. ON THE. Sablukov recalled: “In appearance, Arakcheev looked like a large monkey in a uniform. He was tall, thin, and had a long thin neck. He had large, fleshy ears, a thick, ugly head, always tilted to the side; his complexion was unclean, his nose was wide and angular, his mouth was large, his forehead was drooping, his facial expression was a strange mixture of intelligence and anger.”

Arakcheevs - counts and nobles. About the origin of this surname, as can be seen from Part III of the “General Armorial of the Russian Noble Families,” it is known that the Arakcheevs were of ancient and noble origin and for their service to the Russian throne “were granted estates and charters from the sovereigns.” In the "Genealogical Book" (ed. "Russian Antiquity"), the genealogy of the Arakcheevs begins with the words: "With the letter of Tsars John and Peter Alekseevich dated March 6, 1695, Novgorodian Ivan Stepanovich Arakcheev" for the service of his ancestors and his father and for his own service during the war with Poland under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich "granted a patrimony of wastelands in the Bezhetsk Pyatina, in the churchyards of Nikolsky and Petrovsko-Tikhvinsky, in the then Novgorod district."

The descendants of Ivan Stepanovich served in the 18th century. in military service and one of them, Vasily Stepanovich, participated in the Turkish campaign led by Count Minich, was wounded near Ochakov and dismissed from service with the rank of lieutenant general.

The latter’s own nephew, Andrei Andreevich, retired as a lieutenant, settled in Bezhetsky district, where he inherited a village with 20 peasant souls, and died in 1797. From his marriage with Elizaveta Andreevna Vetlitskaya (born 1750, July 17, 1820 g.) Andrei Andreevich left three sons: Alexey Andreevich, first a baron, and then Count Pyotr Andreevich - aide-de-camp to Emperor Alexander I and Andrei Andreevich - major general and commandant in Kyiv.

He was born in September 1769 in the village of Garusovo, Vyshnevolotsk district, Tver province, in the family of a retired guards lieutenant. His father, Andrei Andreevich, a gentle and dreamy man, completely shifted the worries about the household and raising four children onto the shoulders of his active wife Elizaveta Andreevna. It was she who instilled in her eldest son Alexei hard work, frugality and a love of order. His initial education under the guidance of a village sexton consisted of studying Russian literacy and arithmetic. The boy felt a great inclination towards the latter science and studied it diligently. Wanting to place his son in the artillery cadet corps, Andrei Andreevich took him to St. Petersburg.

The poor landowner had to experience a lot. When enrolling in a military school, it was necessary to spend up to two hundred rubles, and Andrei Andreevich had no money. And what does a poor landowner do in such difficult circumstances? Andrei Andreevich and his son, who were planning to leave the capital due to lack of funds, went to the village on the first Sunday. The St. Petersburg Metropolitan Gabriel, who distributed the money sent by Catherine II for this item to the poor, received three silver rubles from the Metropolitan from the landowner A. Having received some more benefits from Mrs. Guryeva, Andrei Andreevich, before leaving St. Petersburg, decided to try his luck: he came to Pyotr Ivanovich Melissino, on whom the fate of his son depended. Pyotr Ivanovich responded favorably to Andrei Andreevich’s request and young Arakcheev was accepted into the corps.

Rapid progress in the sciences, especially in mathematics, soon (in 1787) earned him the rank of officer. In his free time Arakcheev. gave lessons in artillery and fortification to the sons of Count Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov, to whom he was recommended by his first benefactor, the same Pyotr Ivanovich Melissino. Teaching the sons of Count Saltykov increased Alexei Andreevich’s insufficient salary.

After some time, the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, turned to Count Saltykov with a demand to give him an efficient artillery officer. Empress Catherine tried to keep her unloved son away from power. She allocated him several dozen soldiers - let him play at war. However, Paul created a real army with strict discipline.

He immediately noted the knowledge and zeal of the young lieutenant. Arakcheev was allowed to dine at the same table with the heir, and soon was entrusted with command of the Gatchina garrison. He served not out of fear, but out of conscience - from morning to evening he walked around the barracks and parade grounds, noticing any disorder. Paul told him more than once: “Wait a little, and I will make a man out of you.” This hour came in November 1796, when, after the death of Catherine, the heir ascended the throne.

Gr. Saltykov pointed to Arakcheev and recommended him from the best side. Alexey Andreevich fully justified the recommendation by precise execution of the assignments entrusted to him, tireless activity, knowledge of military discipline, and strict subordination of himself to the established order. All this soon endeared the Grand Duke to Arakcheev. Alexey Andreevich was granted commandant of Gatchina and subsequently the head of all ground forces heir.

The new reign immediately acquired a military barracks character. Pavel sought to transform Russia in the image and likeness of his Gatchina regiment, and Arakcheev became his first assistant in this. Immediately after ascending the throne, the emperor promoted him to major general and made him commandant of the capital. Summoning his son Alexander, he connected his hand with Arakcheev’s and commanded: “Be friends and help each other!” The newly-minted general was ordered to restore discipline in the army - under Catherine it had fallen into a deplorable state. Arakcheev began to tour the troops, mercilessly punishing careless soldiers and officers. There are known cases when he personally tore out the mustaches prohibited by the new regulations from soldiers, and even bit off the ear of one in a fit of rage.

But at the same time, he took care of the soldiers’ lives - he checked whether they were well fed, taken to the bathhouse, and whether the barracks were clean. Strictly punished officers who stole soldiers' money. They tried to butter him up with gifts - he sent them back.

Upon his accession to the throne, Emperor Pavel Petrovich bestowed a lot of awards, especially to those close to him. Arakcheev was not forgotten: so, being a colonel, he was granted on November 7, 1796 (the year of Emperor Paul’s accession to the throne) by the St. Petersburg commandant; Promoted to major general on the 8th; 9 - major of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment; 12 - cavalier of the horde. St. Anna 1st class; the following year (1797) on April 5, at the age of 28, he was granted baronial dignity and the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In addition, the sovereign, knowing the insufficient condition of Baron Arakcheev, granted him two thousand peasants with a choice of province. Arakcheev found it difficult to choose an estate. Finally, I chose the village of Gruzino, Novgorod province, which later became a historical village. The choice was approved by the sovereign.

Many began to seek the protection of the formidable general. Among them was Tsarevich Alexander himself, whom his father scolded more than once for his negligence in military service. Arakcheev stubbornly defended his ward until he himself fell under hot hand Pavel.

The reason for the emperor's anger was serious. One of the old officers, still a favorite of Suvorov, driven to despair by the nagging of the new boss, committed suicide. In February 1798, Pavel dismissed Arakcheev. However, after two months he returned to service, and in May of the following year he received the title of count “for excellent zeal.” His new coat of arms was adorned with the famous motto “Devoted without flattery.” Ill-wishers immediately remade it into “The Demon, Betrayed by Flattery.” Six months later, he fell into disgrace again - this time because of his brother Andrei. They threatened to expel him from the regiment where he served, but Arakcheev arranged it so that the order for expulsion was “lost.” Pavel became furious and ordered his favorite to leave St. Petersburg within 24 hours. This time the resignation continued until the new reign.

Arakcheev retired to the estate of Gruzino, recently granted to him, in the Novgorod province, but continued to monitor events at court. There were rumors that, having learned about the conspiracy against Paul I, he hurried to the capital to warn the emperor, but the leader of the conspirators, Count Palen, ordered him to be detained at the entrance to the city. Having taken the throne after the death of his father, Alexander was in no hurry to return his teacher to St. Petersburg. And he even said that he would never bring “this monster” closer to himself.

Arakcheev spent two years of disgrace in Georgia, where he took up farming with his usual zeal. The peasant huts were demolished, and instead of them, stone houses stretched out along perfectly straight streets. In the center of Gruzin there was a magnificent manorial estate with a vast park. Every Saturday, the serfs were gathered in the square and the master’s new instructions were read out to them, indicating how many lashes were due to the offenders.

However, Arakcheev acted using the old carrot-and-stick method: he gave cash awards to the best workers, and donated clothes from his own back to the headmen of exemplary villages. A doctor was discharged from St. Petersburg who treated the peasants for free. At school, their children were taught to read and write.

The meticulous reformer even arranged the personal lives of the serfs at his own discretion: once a year he gathered young girls and boys and asked who wanted to marry whom. True, when the pairs were made, Alexey Andreevich... decisively shuffled them. “Duty makes you forget pleasure,” he used to say.

Although the count did not forget about his pleasures: he bought beautiful girls from ruined neighbors and hired them as his maids. And after a couple of months, he married off the annoying concubine, providing her with a modest dowry. This was the case until the 19-year-old daughter of a coachman, Nastasya Minkina, came to the estate in 1801. Dark-skinned, black-eyed, impetuous, she resembled a gypsy, and Arakcheev always liked southern women.

The village women considered her a witch who had bewitched the stern master. He was affectionate with Nastasya, showered her with gifts, and took her with him on trips. She quickly became not just his friend, but also his assistant; in fact, she managed his name, informing Arakcheev about all the problems.

Based on her denunciations, those who were drunk, lazy, missed church services, or pretended to be sick were mercilessly flogged. The worst ones were put in the “edikul”, a home prison - a damp, cold basement. Gradually, Nastasya became the sovereign mistress of the estate. Arakcheev proudly introduced his beloved to the guests, even to the Emperor himself. Nastasya bore him a son (evil tongues claimed that she bought him) a newborn baby from a young peasant woman. Alexey Andreevich took touching care of his Mishenka. But the count’s heir was of no use: Mikhail became addicted to wine and cards from a young age. Nastasya also loved to drink, and her natural beauty soon faded. One of those who stayed in Gruzin remembered her as “a drunk, fat, pockmarked and angry woman.”

Arakcheev’s mother was worried about everything: her son was no longer young and in considerable ranks, but still not married. In 1806, Arakcheev nevertheless married the general
daughter Natalya Khomutova. But a year later they separated: the young wife could not stand her husband’s rudeness, and she did not want to share him with a serf girl.

In 1801, Emperor Alexander Pavlovich ascended the throne, with whom gr. Alexey Andreevich became well close in his service even as the heir to the throne. May 14, 1803 gr. Arakcheev was accepted into the service with an appointment to his previous place, i.e. inspector of all artillery and commander of the Life Guards artillery battalion.

In 1805 he was with the sovereign at the Battle of Austerlitz; in 1807 he was promoted to artillery general, and on January 13, 1808 he was appointed Minister of War; On January 17 of the same, he was made inspector general of all infantry and artillery, with the commissariat and provisions departments subordinate to him.

During the war with Sweden, gr. Arakcheev took an active part; in February 1809 he went to Abo. There, some generals, in view of the sovereign's order to transfer the theater of war to the Swedish coast, raised various difficulties. The Russian troops had to endure many obstacles, but gr. Arakcheev acted energetically. During the movement of Russian troops to the Åland Islands, a change in government followed in Sweden: instead of Gustav Adolf, who was dethroned, his uncle, the Duke of Südermanland, became the king of Sweden.

The defense of the Åland Islands was entrusted to General Debeln, who, having learned about the Stockholm coup, entered into negotiations with the commander of the Russian detachment, Knorring, to conclude a truce, which was done. But gr. Arakcheev did not approve of Knorring’s action and, during a meeting with General Debeln, told the latter that “he was sent by the sovereign not to make a truce, but to make peace.” With “remarkable energy,” he organized a winter crossing across the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia: Russian troops approached Stockholm and forced the enemy to surrender. The subsequent actions of the Russian troops were brilliant: Barclay de Tolly made a glorious transition through Kvarken, and gr. Shuvalov occupied Torneo. On September 5, the Treaty of Friedrichsham was signed by Russian and Swedish commissioners, according to which, as is known, Finland, part of Vestro-Botnia up to the Torneo River and the Åland Islands were transferred to Russia. It should be noted, however, that Alexey Andreevich did not participate in any battle - when he heard the shooting, he turned pale and tried to take cover.

During his administration of the ministry, new rules and regulations were issued on different parts military administration, correspondence was simplified and shortened, reserve recruiting depots and training battalions were established. With special attention gr. Arakcheev was used by the artillery: he gave it a new organization, took various measures to raise the level of special and general education of officers, put in order and improved the material part, etc.; the beneficial consequences of these improvements were quickly revealed during the wars of 1812-14.

In 1810 gr. Arakcheev left the War Ministry and was appointed chairman of the Department of Military Affairs in the then newly established State Council, with the right to be present in the Committee of Ministers and the Senate. During Patriotic War, the main subject of concern for gr. Arakcheev was to form reserves and supply the army with food, and after the establishment of peace, the emperor’s trust in Arakcheev increased to the point that he was entrusted with the fulfillment of the highest plans not only on military issues, but also in matters of civil administration.

At this time, Alexander I became especially interested in the idea of ​​military settlements on a large scale. There was no money in the treasury, but a large army had to be supported. So the emperor decided: let the soldiers provide themselves with food and fodder. Later, all the blame for this enterprise was placed on Count Arakcheev, but the initiative came precisely from the tsar. Alexey Andreevich, as always, was only a faithful performer.

In 1816, about 500 thousand peasants and soldiers were transferred to the position of military settlers. This meant that, in addition to the usual hard peasant labor, they also had to engage in grueling combat exercises. This caused discontent, uprisings arose, which the authorities brutally suppressed. The settlements continued to exist, and many of them even flourished! Through the efforts of Arakcheev, there, as in Georgia, schools and hospitals were built, roads were laid, and economic innovations were introduced. But ungrateful contemporaries saw only the intention of the cruel temporary worker to force all of Russia to march in formation and secretly honored him as a “snake” and a “cannibal.”

According to some information, gr. Arakcheev at first showed obvious insympathy with this idea; but be that as it may, however, in view of the adamant desire of the sovereign, he handled the matter abruptly, with merciless consistency, not embarrassed by the murmur of the people, forcibly torn away from age-old, historically established customs and the usual way of life. A number of riots among military villagers were suppressed with inexorable severity; the outer side of the settlements has been brought to exemplary order; Only the most exaggerated rumors about their welfare reached the sovereign, and many even of high-ranking officials, either not understanding the matter, or out of fear of a powerful temporary worker, extolled the new institution with exorbitant praise.

The influence of gr. Arakcheev’s work and power continued throughout the reign of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich. Being an influential nobleman, close to the sovereign, gr. Arakcheev, having the Order of Alexander Nevsky, refused other orders granted to him: in 1807, the Order of St. Vladimir and in 1808 - from the hordes. St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called and only left a rescript for the Order of Andrew the First-Called as a souvenir. Having been awarded a portrait of the sovereign, decorated with diamonds, gr. Alexey Andreevich returned the diamonds, but left the portrait itself.

They say that Emperor Alexander Pavlovich granted his mother the gift of gr. A. state lady. Alexey Andreevich refused this favor. The Emperor said with displeasure: “You don’t want to accept anything from me!” - "I am pleased with your favor Imperial Majesty“- answered A., “but I beg you not to honor my parent as a lady of state; she spent her whole life in the village; if he comes here, he will attract the ridicule of the court ladies, and for a solitary life he has no need for this decoration." Recounting this event to those close to him, Count Alexey Andreevich added: "only once in my life, and precisely in this case, I was guilty against the parent, hiding from her that the sovereign favored her. She would be angry with me if she learned that I deprived her of this distinction" (Dictionary of the Venerable People of the Russian Land, ed. 1847).

Arakcheev reached the pinnacle of power. All important government documents and all appointments to official positions passed through his hands. His influence on the king was enormous. Alexander said about his favorite: “He takes upon himself everything that is bad, and attributes everything good to me.” In the fall of 1825, the emperor gave him a new important assignment - to investigate denunciations against secret society and arrest the noble conspirators. Oh, this was Arakcheev’s true element. And, who knows, the December uprising on Senate Square would have happened if Alexei Andreevich had not been struck by the news that came from Gruzin. Tired of enduring Nastasya's bullying, the count's servants chipped in and for 500 rubles persuaded the cook Vasily Antonov to kill the hated favorite. On the morning of September 10, Vasily climbed into the manor's house and cut her throat with a kitchen knife.

Arakcheev was in despair. Day and night he carried with him a handkerchief soaked in the blood of the murdered woman. The cook was marked to death, the instigators were sent to hard labor. And in Nastasya’s things, Arakcheev found notes that she wrote to young officers. While the count was investigating, news arrived of the death of the emperor in Taganrog on November 19, 1825. Having lost his two closest people, Arakcheev fell into a daze. The new tsar summoned him to court more than once, but Arakcheev did not appear. Nicholas I could not stand this and gave his father’s favorite an unspoken order - to ask for resignation without waiting for dismissal. Arakcheev did just that. At first he went to Carlsbad for water, then finally retired to Gruzino.

The decline of the former temporary worker was gray and dreary. In the summer, he still supervised construction and field work; in the winter, boredom set in. No guests came to him, although it was not so far from the capital - St. Petersburg tried to forget about the “monster” as soon as possible. Alexey Andreevich never took to reading and wandered around the rooms all day long, solving mathematical problems in his head.

On his estate, he created a real cult of Alexander I. The room where the emperor once spent the night was decorated with his marble bust with the inscription: “Whoever dares to touch this will be damned.” The tsar's pen, his letters and the shirt in which Alesander died were kept here - Arakcheev bequeathed to bury himself in it. Arakcheev traveled abroad, was in Berlin and Paris, where he ordered for himself a bronze table clock with a bust of the late Emperor Alexander I, with music that plays only once a day, at about 11 o’clock in the afternoon, at approximately the time when Alexander Pavlovich passed away, the prayer “Rest in peace with the saints.” A bronze monument to the “sovereign benefactor” was erected in front of the cathedral in Gruzin, which survived until Soviet times. Other buildings did not survive their creator for long - the peasants destroyed the park with strange plants, dismantled the fence along the main street, caught and ate swans swimming in the estate pond.

In 1833 gr. A. deposited 50 thousand rubles into a state loan bank. banknotes so that this amount remains in the bank for ninety-three years untouched with all interest: three quarters of this capital should be a reward to the one who writes by 1925 (in Russian) the history (the best) of the reign of Emperor Alexander I, the remaining quarter of this capital is intended for the costs of publishing this work, as well as for the second prize, and for two translators in equal parts who will translate from Russian into German and into French languages the history of Alexander I, awarded the first prize. The prize was never awarded.

Health gr. Meanwhile, Arakcheev grew weaker and his strength changed. Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, having learned about his painful condition, sent his physician Villier to him in Gruzino, but the latter could no longer help him and on April 21, 1834, Arakcheev died. The Arakcheev family was extinguished. Leaving no heirs, he bequeathed his fortune to the Novgorod Cadet Corps, which became known as Arakcheevsky. After 20 years, the building was renamed. Nothing else reminded him of the main loyal subject of the empire.

Arakcheev. Evidence from contemporaries. M., 2000
V. Tomsinov. Arakcheev. M., 2003
K. Yachmenikhin. Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev // Questions of history, 1991, No. 11-12
"Russian Antiquity", ed. 1870 - 1890
"Russian Archive" (1866 $6 and 7, 1868 $2 and 6, 1872 $10, 1876 $4)
"Ancient and New Russia" (1875 $1 - 6 and 10)
Ratsch, "Biography of Count Arakcheev" (Military collection, 1861)
Bulgarin, "Trip to Gruzino" (St. Petersburg, 1861)
Glebova, “The Tale of Arakcheev” (Military Collection, 1861), etc.

Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev was born in September 1768 into the family of a small nobleman and retired guards lieutenant Andrei Andreevich Arakcheev. He received the beginning of his education by studying with a village sexton, who taught him grammar and arithmetic. From childhood, Arakcheev was distinguished by brilliant abilities, especially in mathematics, and surprised his teacher by the fact that he could add and multiply large numbers in his head.

In 1783, with some difficulty, my father managed to get Alexei into the St. Petersburg Artillery and Engineering Gentry Corps. (Due to bureaucratic red tape, the matter dragged on for six months; father and son spent these months in St. Petersburg life to the extreme and were even forced to beg on the porch.) Despite the huge gaps in his home education, Arakcheev, thanks to his rare perseverance and diligence, was very quickly became one of the first students in the corps.

After just seven months, he was transferred to the “upper” class, where teaching was conducted in foreign languages. (Later on, Arakcheev spoke French and German very decently.) In 1787, after completing the required course of science, he was left in the building as a teacher of mathematics and artillery. In 1789, Count Saltykov invited a capable young man to teach mathematics to his sons. This helped the poor artillery second lieutenant improve his financial affairs somewhat. Two years later, under the patronage of Saltykov, he was appointed senior adjutant to the director of the gentry corps-3, General Melissino. At the same time, Arakcheev continued to teach in the building.

A real revolution in the life of the modest officer was made by his rapprochement with the heir to the throne, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. As you know, Paul’s relationship with his mother Catherine II was very difficult, which is why the Tsarevich was kept away from all matters. During the Empress's lifetime, he was never allowed to command real troops. Then Paul decided to create his own army, which, in his opinion, over time (like the “amusing” regiments of Peter I) was supposed to become the basis of the future military power of Russia. To begin with, he summoned a battalion of infantry and a squadron of cuirassiers to Gatchina. Subsequently, mercenary detachments of infantry, cavalry and artillery were added to them. Pavel attached great importance to his small army and worked with it for several hours a day.

In 1792, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich asked Melissino to send an experienced artillery practitioner to his Gatchina troops. Melissino sent Arakcheev to him. This appointment played huge role in the fate of the latter. Commanding the artillery of the Gatchina troops, Arakcheev entered the circle of people close to the “small court” of the heir, and fit into it perfectly. His habit of precise and impeccable selfless performance, his iron will and tough disposition really pleased Pavel, and this contributed to his rapid advancement through the ranks. By 1796, when Arakcheev received the rank of colonel, all Gatchina troops were under his jurisdiction. In addition, he was entrusted with the duties of the city commandant. The heir could not give him more. But as soon as Paul became emperor, new favors rained down on Arakcheev. Already on November 8, 1796, he was promoted to major general, on November 9 he was appointed commander of the combined battalion of the Life Guards Regiment of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and on December 12 he received the rich estate of Gruzine in the Novgorod province with 2 thousand serf souls.

On the day of Paul's coronation on April 5, 1797, Arakcheev was granted the baronial title. How much the emperor trusted him can be seen from the fact that Arakcheev was simultaneously entrusted with three responsible positions: commandant of St. Petersburg, commander of the Preobrazhensky regiment and quartermaster general of the army (in fact, this position corresponded to the position of the chief of the General Staff).

The rapid rise did not change Arakcheev’s character at all.

He was still distinguished by strict demands, coldness in dealing with colleagues, personal self-restraint and zeal for service. Sablukov, who did not like Arakcheev, described his appearance as follows: “In appearance, Arakcheev looked like a large monkey in a uniform. He was tall, thin and wiry; there was nothing slender in his frame, since he was very stooped and had a long thin neck on which one could study the anatomy of the veins and muscles. Moreover, he wrinkled his chin in a strange way. He had large, fleshy ears and a thick, ugly head, always tilted to the side. His complexion was unclean, his cheeks were sunken, his nose was wide and angular, his nostrils were swollen, his mouth was huge, his forehead was drooping. Finally, he had sunken gray eyes, and the whole expression of his face was a strange mixture of intelligence and cunning.” Other contemporaries add that Arakcheev was quick-tempered, suspicious and distrustful. However, in the circle of close people he was cheerful, loved to joke, and often resorted to caustic words and sarcasm.

His loyalty to the sovereign was complete and unlimited. Looking for even minor omissions in his service, Arakcheev immediately reported them to the emperor. This caused him persistent hatred on the part of his subordinates.

However, there was also a positive side to Arakcheev’s desire for order.

Under the rule of the new commandant, the capital took on a neat appearance. The soldiers were provided with good food and uniforms, the barracks were repaired and kept in proper cleanliness. Arakcheev was inexorably strict towards officers who allowed theft and disorder in their units. But despite all his efforts, he himself could not avoid Paul’s wrath. At the beginning of 1798, Arakcheev had a conflict with Lieutenant Colonel Len. Insulted by Arakcheev, Len tried to challenge him to a duel, but did not find him at home. Returning to his place, he shot himself, leaving a letter explaining the reasons for his suicide. This matter caused a lot of noise. Pavel, having investigated him, found Arakcheev guilty and dismissed him with a promotion to lieutenant general.

This first fall did not last long. There were few people like Arakcheev, and the emperor soon felt how much he missed a devoted servant. Already in May, he returned Arakcheev to service, reinstated him as quartermaster general, and also instructed him to act as inspector of all artillery. Soon Arakcheev was granted a count and received permission to include the motto in his coat of arms: “Devoted without flattery.” In October 1799, he suffered a second fall, this time over a trifle. In the artillery warehouse, someone stole a braid from an ancient guards chariot. According to the charter, Arakcheev was supposed to immediately report the loss to the emperor, but the battalion of his brother Andrei Arakcheev was on guard during the theft. Trying to help him out, Alexey Andreevich lied to the emperor that the guards were supposedly from the regiment of Lieutenant General Vilde, who was immediately removed from office.

However, the deception was discovered, and both brothers were dismissed “for false reporting,” and the elder Arakcheev was forbidden to come to the capital.

Arakcheev spent four years almost continuously on his Georgian estate. Only in May 1803, Alexander I, who replaced Paul, summoned him to the capital, reinstated him in service and again appointed him inspector of all artillery. Arakcheev spent the 1805 campaign in his retinue. At the Battle of Austerlitz, Alexander offered him command of one of the columns, but Arakcheev refused, citing frayed nerves. This gave him the reputation of a pathological coward among the active military, but did not diminish him at all in the eyes of the emperor. In 1807, Alexander awarded Arakcheev the rank of artillery general with the appointment to serve under the emperor “in the artillery unit.” In January 1808 he became Minister of War and Inspector General of all infantry and artillery.

While in these posts, Arakcheev was able to carry out a number of significant reforms. The training of recruits was significantly improved, a divisional organization was introduced, and the military board received the right to independently decide many issues. Especially a lot has been done in artillery. Artillery units became a separate branch of the army, independent from army regiments, and were organized into companies and brigades. The calibers of the guns were reduced by almost half, which led to a reduction in their weight and increased maneuverability. Significant changes took place at factories producing weapons and ammunition. Arakcheev was very interested in technical innovations and was always up to date on this matter. He wrote several articles on the technology of making gunpowder, saltpeter and performing live firing. All this significantly increased the combat effectiveness of the artillery.

As before, Arakcheev was unforgiving towards embezzlers and any violators of discipline. “Command and exact” was his method of managing the military affairs of the empire. At the same time, he did not accept any objections - inability, ignorance or inability to carry out orders. Discipline among soldiers was strengthened with the help of rods, sticks, and spitzrutens. Officers who committed misconduct also suffered: arrests, demotions, and dismissals from service were widely practiced during Arakcheev’s ministry. Alexander greatly appreciated his exactingness, but did not always consider it necessary to unconditionally support his favorite. During the years when the emperor spent liberal reforms, Arakcheev had to share his influence with another prominent promoter of Alexander - Speransky and even sometimes retreat in front of him. So, after one clash with Speransky, Arakcheev left for Gruzino in 1810 and sent the emperor a request for resignation. Alexander did not accept her, but Arakcheev still resigned from the post of Minister of War. The Emperor instructed him to head the Department of Military Affairs in the newly formed State Council. In May 1812, Arakcheev accompanied Alexander on a trip to Vilna, and after the outbreak of World War II - to the fortified camp at Drissa. Later he visited Moscow with him and returned to St. Petersburg. All this time he was somewhat in the shadows.

But starting from 1814, Arakcheev’s influence began to grow steadily. To the foreground in domestic policy protective tasks then emerged, and Alexander was looking for a person who could suppress with an iron hand the liberation impulse that had gripped Russian society after the victory over Napoleon. In August 1818, Arakcheev was appointed head of the office of the Committee of Ministers and became the de facto leader of the State Council, the Committee of Ministers and the Imperial Chancellery. Every year, Alexander grew increasingly cold towards the supreme power and the department moved away. Thanks to this, Arakcheev’s power became more and more limitless. By 1820, all the threads of governing the country were concentrated in his hands, so that he became the second person in the state after the emperor. Since 1822, he was the only speaker on most ministries and departments, even on the affairs of the Holy Synod. Any minister, general or governor, seeking an audience with the sovereign, had to first present his request to Arakcheev, and he would then report it to Alexander. Not a single significant matter could be resolved without preliminary consideration and approval by Arakcheev. The reception count then meant more than the Senate, the State Council and the Committee of Ministers. All appointments to senior military and government positions also passed only through him.

Arakcheev remained in the memory of posterity primarily as the organizer and leader of military settlements. It was here that his talents and vices manifested themselves most clearly. The creation of military settlements was caused by dire necessity: after the war, the economy of the devastated country found itself in a very difficult situation. The budget was drawn up with a large deficit. Meanwhile, military spending consumed almost half of all budget revenues. Then Alexander had the idea to settle part of the troops following the example of the Cossack regiments along western border and entrust them with agricultural work in addition to service. Such a system was supposed to significantly reduce government spending on the maintenance of the army. The development of this complex issue was entrusted to Arakcheev. Already in 1816, in the Novgorod province, an entire volost was converted into a military settlement. Battalions of regular troops were also stationed here. The soldiers were tasked with cultivating the land, and the men were shaved, put in uniforms and forced to learn military service. In subsequent years, the network of settlements expanded. In Ukraine, 36 infantry battalions and 249 cavalry squadrons were enlisted among the villagers.

There were 90 infantry battalions in the north. The transition to the new organization was not without difficulty. In 1819, a riot broke out among military settlers in Chuguev, which Arakcheev had to pacify with severe flogging.

In 1821, all military villagers were brought into a separate corps subordinate to Arakcheev.

Thanks to Arakcheev’s energy and practical acumen, Alexander’s fantastic project was brought to life. Over the course of ten years, well-groomed arable fields appeared in the wooded and swampy Novgorod province, crossed by smooth highways and lined with trimmed trees on the sides. Communication houses for the villagers, buildings for headquarters, schools, guardhouses, houses for officers, new churches and parade grounds were erected in a straight line from two to three miles long. Arakcheev personally monitored the progress of construction and delved into every detail. All buildings were carried out thoroughly and even with great artistic taste. However, all this was achieved at the cost of hard, exhausting labor of the soldiers of the military labor battalions and the military villagers themselves, who from spring to late autumn they uprooted forests, dug ditches in the impassable Novgorod swamps, built roads, dug holes, felled timber, transported building materials and built buildings. Despite the good and satisfying food (Arakcheev carefully monitored this), many could not stand the harsh life. A mortality rate of one tenth between working battalions was not considered high. Arakcheev paid great attention to the organization of life of military settlers. Their service, everyday life and economic activities were regulated in the most detailed way: at a certain time the mistress of the house had to get up, light the stove, cook food, drive the cattle to pasture, and the men had to go to the field, to construction work, to military exercises. It was detailed. it was prescribed where any household item should be located. The procedure for marriage, feeding babies and raising children was determined in detail. For every omission or failure to follow the instructions, there was a punishment.

Through harsh and often cruel measures, Arakcheev managed to organize a break-even economy in military settlements; Moreover, he not only reimbursed all the treasury expenses for their establishment, but also amounted to a significant surplus capital of 26 million rubles. A ruthless but zealous owner, Arakcheev did not tolerate poverty and made sure that all the villagers were provided with arable land, hayfields and livestock. For the most part, the villagers were wealthy people (for example, in the southern regions, many of them had from 36 to 52 acres of land, 6–9 horses and 12–16 cows per yard). By decree, Arakcheev introduced advanced management methods: he planted multiple fields, was engaged in the selection of livestock breeds and seeds, used fertilizers, improved plows, threshers, winnowing machines, built industrial establishments and horse stud farms. For the trade needs of the settlements, Arakcheev launched the first steamship in Russia in 1819 on the Volkhov. Hospitals and schools were established everywhere.

In the summer of 1825, Arakcheev was entrusted with another important assignment - to conduct an investigation in connection with the news that appeared about secret societies.

However, the investigation was hampered by the personal drama of the favorite. In September 1825, courtyard people in Gruzin killed Minkina, the count's housekeeper, who had been his mistress for more than 25 years. Arakcheev was so shocked by her death that he completely abandoned all government affairs. He returned to his duties only in early December, after the unexpected death of Alexander I. The investigation was never given proper progress, and therefore the uprising on December 14 came as a complete surprise to the government.

Arakcheev’s relationship with the new Emperor Nicholas I did not work out. On December 20, he was released from managing the affairs of the Committee of Ministers and removed from other posts. He retained only the position of chief commander of military settlements, but in 1826 he was dismissed from that position as well. After resigning, Arakcheev lived permanently in Georgia, doing a lot of work on organizing the estate. Its peasants were enmeshed in many strict regulations and instructions, but they lived in abundance. Most of the peasant houses, according to contemporaries, were roofed with iron, and the roads were in good condition. A hospital was built in Georgia and a loan bank was established where peasants could take out loans.

Before last minute Arakcheev treated the memory of his “benefactor” Emperor Alexander with extreme trepidation. In the manor house, the furnishings of the rooms in which the emperor once stayed were preserved in complete integrity. As a most valuable shrine, Arakcheev kept Alexander’s letters and rescripts under glass, as well as the shirt of this sovereign (he bequeathed to be buried in it). In front of the cathedral in Georgia, the count, with his own money, built a majestic monument depicting Faith, Hope and Charity crowning the bust of the monarch. He deposited 50 thousand rubles in the State Bank and bequeathed to spend them on the composition, publication and translation into foreign languages ​​of a historical work on the reign of Alexander. “Now I have done everything,” he wrote to one of his friends shortly before his death, “and I can come to Emperor Alexander with a report.”

Arakcheev died in April 1834.

Arakcheev

Alexey Andreevich

Battles and victories

Count (1799), Russian statesman and military leader, close to Alexander I. Reformer of Russian artillery, artillery general (1807), chief commander of military settlements (since 1817).

Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev called himself an “uneducated Novgorod nobleman,” although he collected one of the best libraries in Russia, subscribed to almost all the scientific journals of that time, and even opened an institute for training teachers in the military settlements he led. And the natural abilities and talents of the Minister of War, who had long been considered an odious figure, became the key to victory over Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812.

Arakcheev was born on September 23 (October 4), 1769 on his father’s estate in the Novgorod province. The exact place of birth is unknown. Some researchers called his mother's ancestral village Kurgany, while other biographers believed that he was born in the village of Garusovo on the shore of Lake Udomlya, Vyshnevolotsky district, Tver province (today Udomelsky district, Tver region) and even spent his childhood there. It is apparently impossible to give an exact answer to this question, because no documents about the count’s birth have survived. The Arakcheev family lived alternately in both of these villages, and in winter - in their house in Bezhetsk.

A.A. Arakcheev was one of the largest Russian statesmen and military figures, an artillery general, an associate of Alexander I. He was a prominent participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, Russia's Minister of War in 1808 - 1810, who enjoyed the enormous trust of Alexander I, especially in the second half of his reign . He actively reformed the Russian artillery, became the chief commander of military settlements (since 1817), and in 1823-24. - head of the so-called "Russian party".

However, the name of this major statesman and military figure in the mass consciousness is still associated with such a phenomenon as “Arakcheevism,” understood as a regime of reactionary police despotism and brutal militarism. Such associations with the name of the former favorite of two emperors as “drilling”, “military settlements”, “pacifying rebels”, “temporary worker” seemed to leave no hope of finding anything positive in the life and work of this wonderful man. The term “Arakcheevism” is used to designate any gross tyranny, and was invented by representatives of the progressive public, mainly of a liberal persuasion. Arakcheev's activities were assessed categorically negatively - as an ugly manifestation of Russian autocracy - by socialist and communist historians and publicists. As a rule, no serious analysis of Arakcheev’s activities as a statesman and military figure has been carried out. Therefore, the term carried an abusive general assessment of the reign of Paul I and Alexander I.

The liberal intelligentsia, of course, had a rather negative attitude towards Arakcheev and his memory. Everyone knows the epigram of young A.S. Pushkin on Arakcheev:

Oppressor of all Russia,
Governors tormentor
And he is the teacher of the Council,
And he is a friend and brother to the king.
Full of anger, full of revenge,
Without a mind, without feelings, without honor...

However, the more mature Pushkin liked the dismissed Arakcheev. Responding to the death of Count Arakcheev, Pushkin wrote to his wife: “I am the only one in all of Russia who regrets this - I was not able to meet with him and talk to him.”

Turning to the facts, we see that during the Russian-Swedish war of 1808 - 1809. Arakcheev perfectly organized the supply of troops, providing them with reinforcements and artillery. Through his personal participation and organization of military operations, he encouraged the Swedes to begin peace negotiations. Victories of the Russian army 1812 - 1813 They would not have been so brilliant if Arakcheev had not been in the leadership of the military department, logistics and support. It was the army’s good preparation for combat even before 1812 that contributed to the successful defeat of the enemy.

Contrary to the generally accepted point of view and his own statement, Arakcheev was a very educated man, as well as the owner of one of the largest libraries in Russia at that time. The library he collected, according to the 1824 catalog, numbered over 12 thousand books, mainly on Russian history(in 1827, a significant part of it burned down; the surviving books were transferred to the library of the Novgorod Cadet Corps).

Arakcheev received his initial education under the guidance of a village sexton, who taught him grammar and arithmetic (by the way, this sexton was the grandfather of the great Russian chemist D.I. Mendeleev). Later, Arakcheev even seemed to flaunt this circumstance. So, having become the Minister of War in 1808, Alexey Andreevich gathered his subordinates and addressed them with an extravagant statement: “Gentlemen, I recommend myself, I ask you to take care of me, I don’t know much about reading and writing, my father paid 4 rubles in copper for my upbringing.”

It was during his studies “with copper money” that Arakcheev became a big fan of mathematical sciences, which affected his entire future fate.

Even under Emperor Paul I, Arakcheev was appointed inspector of all artillery. He received the same position under Alexander. And here Arakcheev showed himself to the fullest. Thanks to Arakcheev, a reform of Russian artillery was carried out - the number of calibers was reduced, artillery pieces were improved, i.e. lightened without reducing combat power, a constant composition of horses was introduced in all batteries, guns of the same type and caliber were supplied to all batteries. Thanks to Arakcheev's reform, the power of Russian artillery has increased and mobility has increased, and this without switching to any new technologies. And it was precisely thanks to Arakcheev’s reform that Russian artillery in the war of 1812 was not only not inferior to the French, but even superior to it. At the same time, Arakcheev managed to instill an extremely serious attitude towards artillery in the entire command of the Russian army. Thanks to the work of the so-called The Arakcheevsky Commission found that the effectiveness of fire on the battlefield is 6-8 times greater than the effectiveness of rifle fire.

Being involved in the military department, he ensured excellent supplies for the Russian army during the war with Sweden in 1809; It was Arakcheev who was entrusted with providing the Russian army with food and ammunition, training reserves, and he coped with this task perfectly, i.e. During the war, the Russian army had essentially everything it needed, which greatly contributed to the victory of Russian weapons; Finally, he managed to transform the military settlements invented by Alexander I into something acceptable.

Arakcheev was an honest, conscientious officer, always, with all his might, with full dedication, he carried out the orders given to him by the command. One of the richest nobles of his time, Alexei Andreevich was not distinguished by either greed or money-grubbing, refusing most of the awards of Alexander I. When Alexander presented Arakcheev with his portrait, decorated with diamonds, the count left the portrait (he was usually depicted with it in all portraits of the last period his life), and sent the diamonds back. Also in his portraits we will not see the signs of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, granted by Emperor Alexander - the highest of the awards received by Arakcheev from Paul I was the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

So, initial education under the guidance of a village sexton consisted of studying Russian literacy and arithmetic. The boy felt a great inclination towards the latter science and studied it diligently.

Wanting to place his son in a military school, Andrei Andreevich Arakcheev (1732 - 1797) took him to St. Petersburg. In 1783, due to his early age, Arakcheev Jr. could count on being accepted first into the “preparatory” classes of the Artillery and Engineering Corps. Just at this time (November 25, 1782) the previous director of the corps died, and a new one was appointed only on February 22. Andrei Andreevich and his son, who were already preparing to leave the capital, went on the first Sunday to see Metropolitan Gabriel of St. Petersburg, who was distributing money to the poor that Catherine II had sent for this purpose. The landowner Arakcheev received three silver rubles from the Metropolitan. Having received some more benefits from Mrs. Guryeva, Andrei Andreevich, before leaving St. Petersburg, decided to try his luck again: together father and son came to the newly appointed director of the corps, Pyotr Ivanovich Melissino. For several months, having submitted a petition and practically starving, they came to the reception every day, silently greeted Mellisino and humbly waited for an answer to their petition to enroll the boy in the corps. One day, on July 19, the child could not stand it, rushed to the general, told about his misfortune and begged Pyotr Ivanovich to accept him into the corps. He was one of those poor nobles for whom only elementary classes opened the way to further study and officer service in the Russian army.

Rapid progress in the sciences, especially in mathematics, soon (in 1787) earned him the rank of officer. Subsequently, P.I. Mellisino, who especially loved Alexei Andreevich for his “properness” in his studies and service, recommended him to the heir to the throne. book Pavel Petrovich to manage the Gatchina artillery. Until the end of his life, Arakcheev appreciated and remembered that it was Mellisino who recommended him, then an unknown officer, to the future emperor.

In his free time, Arakcheev gave lessons in artillery and fortification to the sons of Count Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov, to whom he was also recommended by Melissino. After some time, the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, turned to Count Saltykov with a demand to give him an efficient artillery officer. Count Saltykov pointed to Arakcheev and recommended him from the best side. In September 1792, at the request of the future Emperor Paul I, Arakcheev was sent to Gatchina, and soon, for his diligence and success in artillery service, he was appointed commander of the Gatchina artillery team. Alexey Andreevich fully justified the recommendation by accurately fulfilling the orders assigned to him, tireless activity, knowledge of military discipline, and strict submission to the established order, which soon endeared him to the Grand Duke.

Since 1794, Arakcheev has been an inspector of the Gatchina artillery, and since 1796, he has also been an inspector of infantry. The new inspector reorganized the Tsarevich's artillery, dividing the artillery command into 3 foot and 1 horse sections (corporals), with a fifth of their staff in auxiliary positions; made up special instructions for every officer in the artillery. Arakcheev developed a plan for deploying artillery squads into companies and creating a four-company artillery regiment, introduced a methodology for practical training of artillerymen and created “classes for teaching military science,” and took an active part in drawing up new regulations. The innovations he proposed were subsequently introduced throughout the Russian army.

Alexey Andreevich was granted commandant of Gatchina and subsequently the head of all ground forces of the heir. Arakcheev loved and respected Emperor Paul and revered his memory.

Three Emperors of Arakcheev -
Pavel I Petrovich

Upon his accession to the throne, Emperor Pavel Petrovich granted Arakcheev many awards: being a colonel, he was granted on November 7, 1796 (on the day of Emperor Paul’s accession to the throne) by the St. Petersburg commandant; November 8 promoted to major general; November 9 - promoted to major of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment; November 13 - Knight of the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree; the following year, 1797, on April 5, he was awarded baronial dignity and the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In addition, the sovereign, knowing the insufficient condition of Baron Arakcheev, granted him two thousand peasants with a choice of province. Arakcheev chose the village of Gruzino in the Novgorod province.

Strictness and impartiality, adherence to the rule of law and the desire to strictly carry out the decisions of the monarch distinguished Arakcheev when establishing order in the troops. But Arakcheev did not have long to enjoy the favor of the emperor, who was fickle in his passions. On March 18, 1798, Alexey Andreevich was dismissed from service with the rank of lieutenant general.

And then there was a new takeoff. Arakcheev was again accepted into service in the same 1798 and enlisted in the retinue of Emperor Paul I. On December 22, 1798, he was ordered to serve as quartermaster general, and on January 4, 1799, he was appointed commander of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion and artillery inspector. On January 8, 1799, he was awarded Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and on May 5, 1799, a Count of the Russian Empire for excellent zeal and work for the benefit of the service. He was ordered to be present at the Military Collegium and restore order in the Artillery Expedition.

On October 1, 1799, he was dismissed from service by the emperor for the second time and sent to Gruzino. The removal of Arakcheev from St. Petersburg was beneficial to those representatives of the aristocracy who at that time began preparing a conspiracy against Paul I. This time the resignation continued until the new reign.

Three Emperors of Arakcheev -
Alexander I Pavlovich

In 1801, Emperor Alexander Pavlovich ascended the throne, with whom Alexei Andreevich became close friends through his service. In 1802, Alexander again called him to serve, appointing him a member of the Commission for drawing up approximate staff of artillery, and on May 14, 1803 - again inspector of all artillery and commander of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion.

Arakcheev’s experience in the “Gatchina troops” of Tsarevich Pavel came in handy when it was necessary to create the first horse artillery company in the Guards brigade. Horse artillery of the early 19th century is a type of field artillery in which not only the guns and ammunition, but also each number of the gun crew were transported by horses, due to which the servants were trained not only to operate with a gun, but also to conduct combat on horseback. Horse artillery was intended to provide fire support for cavalry and create a mobile artillery reserve, so it was armed with lightweight unicorns and six-pound cannons. In 1803 - 1811 Arakcheev prepared and carried out the reform of Russian artillery, as a result of which it turned into an independent branch of the military, its organization was improved (regiments and battalions were replaced by artillery brigades), the first comprehensive artillery weapons system was created (field artillery is limited to guns of four calibers of lightweight construction, the ammunition load of each gun was determined , staffing was revised, unified design documentation was introduced, exemplary reference parts were developed for manufacturers, etc.). Army infantry divisions were given 3-company foot artillery brigades (battery and 2 light), and cavalry divisions were given horse artillery companies, and mobile artillery arsenals were created.

Arakcheev established exams for artillery officers and wrote a number of instructions for them. Even upon his arrival in Gatchina to the artillery units of Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich, Arakcheev discovered that there were no instructions: what each number did with the gun. The artilleryman did what the two-gun officer ordered. Arakcheev determined the composition of the teams at the guns, wrote to each number what he was doing, what he was holding in his hands, what bag was hanging on him, etc. The guard officers, naturally, did not like such detailed regulations, the observance of which was entrusted to them.

The converted artillery showed itself successfully during the Napoleonic wars. Strict towards the careless, he did not skimp on rewards for those who performed their service regularly: about 11 thousand rubles were spent on awards in the Artillery Expedition. in year. In December 1807, Arakcheev was appointed to serve under Alexander I “in the artillery unit,” and two days later the emperor ordered that his orders, announced by Arakcheev, be considered personal imperial instructions. In 1804, on his initiative, a Provisional Artillery Committee was formed to consider scientific and technical issues, renamed in 1808 the Scientific Committee for Artillery; The Artillery Magazine began publishing.

In 1805 A.A. Arakcheev was with the sovereign at the Battle of Austerlitz.

In 1807, Arakcheev was promoted to artillery general. To restore order in the military department, on January 13, 1808, Alexander I appointed Arakcheev as Minister of the Military Ground Forces (until 1810), in addition, on January 17 - inspector general of all infantry and artillery (until 1819), with subordination to him commissariat and provisions departments. On January 26, 1808, Arakcheev became the head of the imperial Military Campaign Office and the Correspondent Corps. Under his leadership, the introduction of the divisional organization of the army was completed, its recruitment, supply and training of troops was improved. During the management of the ministry by Arakcheev, new rules and regulations were issued for various parts of the military administration, correspondence was simplified and shortened, recruiting depots and training grenadier battalions were created to prepare reinforcements for the line units. Artillery was given new organization, measures have been taken to increase the level of special education of officers, the material part has been streamlined and improved. The positive consequences of these improvements were quickly revealed during the wars of 1812 - 1814.

Gr. A.A. Arakcheev took an active part in the war with Sweden. Alexander ordered to immediately and decisively transfer the theater of war to the Swedish coast, taking advantage of the opportunity (rare in the history of the usually ice-free bay) to cross there on the ice. Since a number of generals, in view of the sovereign’s order to transfer the theater of war to the Swedish coast, presented various difficulties, Alexander I, extremely dissatisfied with the inaction of the Russian command, sent his Minister of War to Finland. Arriving in Abo on February 20, 1809, Arakcheev insisted on the speedy implementation of the highest will. Arakcheev literally “pushed” the generals onto the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia. To Barclay de Tolly’s objection that food and ammunition might lag behind, Arakcheev, together with Barclay himself, built a complete diagram of not only troops, but also mobile warehouses, so that they, without falling behind, would move synchronously with the troops.

The Russian troops had to endure many obstacles, but Arakcheev acted energetically, as a result of which the Russian troops that marched to the Åland Islands on March 2 quickly captured them, and on March 7, a small Russian cavalry detachment had already occupied the village of Grisselgam on the Swedish coast (now part of the Norrtälje commune).

During the movement of Russian troops to the Åland Islands in Sweden, a change in government followed: instead of Gustav Adolf, who was overthrown from the throne, his uncle, the Duke of Südermanland, became king of Sweden. The defense of the Åland Islands was entrusted to General Debeln, who, having learned about the Stockholm coup, entered into negotiations with the commander of the Russian detachment, Knorring, to conclude a truce, which was done. But Arakcheev did not approve of Knorring’s action and, during a meeting with General Debeln, told the latter that he was sent by the sovereign “not to make a truce, but to make peace.”

The subsequent actions of the Russian troops were brilliant: Barclay de Tolly made a glorious transition through Kvarken, and Shuvalov occupied Torneo. On September 5, the Russian and Swedish commissioners signed the Treaty of Friedrichsham, according to which Finland, part of Västerbotten up to the Torneo River and the Åland Islands were transferred to Russia. We can safely say that it was Arakcheev’s arrival in the active army as the emperor’s personal representative that accelerated the end of the Russian-Swedish war.

On January 1, 1810, Arakcheev left the War Ministry and was appointed a member of the then newly established State Council (in 1810 - 1812 and 1816 - 1826 he was the chairman of the department of military affairs), with the right to be present in the Committee of Ministers and the Senate. When leaving this position, Arakcheev recommended Barclay de Tolly for the post of Minister of War.

On March 31, Arakcheev was relieved of his post as chairman of the military department of the State Council, and on June 17 he was appointed to the post of head of the office of Alexander I. Now he was aware of all affairs in the country. On December 7, 1812, it was transformed into His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery - a body that, as we know, played a huge role in the history of the country. Arakcheev actually stood at its origins, leading it until 1825. Largely through his efforts, the Russian army was well prepared for the Patriotic War of 1812.

On June 14, 1812, in view of the approach of Napoleon, Count Arakcheev was again called upon to manage military affairs.

From this date all french war went through my hands, all the secret commands, reports and handwritten commands of the sovereign.

A.A. Arakcheev

Count A.A. Arakcheev.
Artist I.B. Lumpy the Elder

During the Patriotic War, Arakcheev's main concern was the formation of reserves and the supply of food to the army. During the war, he was also in charge of recruiting troops and replenishing artillery parks, organizing militias, etc. After the establishment of peace, the emperor’s trust in Arakcheev increased to the point that he was entrusted with the fulfillment of the highest plans not only on military issues, but also in matters of civil administration. In 1815, Alexey Andreevich was appointed the only rapporteur to the emperor on the affairs of the Committee of Ministers and the State Council. From that time on, Alexander I led the empire through Arakcheev, who regularly reported to him and actually led the country. Arakcheev carried out the development of the necessary regulatory legal acts, transforming all military legislation and thereby completing the reform of the army.

It was Arakcheev who managed to persuade the emperor to renounce his claims to the supreme command of the Russian armies in the Patriotic War. He greatly favored Kutuzov, and it is possible that it was thanks to Arakcheev that Kutuzov was appointed commander of all Russian armies in August 1812.

Arakcheev’s severity and inflexibility in implementing the emperor’s plan became one of the reasons for the formation of a negative attitude towards him personally and the spread of rumors defaming the count. For Alexander I, Arakcheev was a kind of “screen” that shielded the tsar from the indignation of his subjects over his mistakes, blunders, and negative consequences of his reign.

Alexander I spoke about the importance of Arakcheev to P.A. To Kleinmichel, who was then Arakcheev’s adjutant: “You don’t understand what Arakcheev means to me. He takes upon himself everything that is bad, and attributes everything good to me.”

We will do everything: we Russians need to demand the impossible in order to achieve the possible.

A.A. Arakcheev

He was just as demanding, first of all, of himself. This principle allowed Arakcheev to accomplish the impossible, but it also made him extremely unpopular in society.

He himself was well aware of this. D.V. Davydov cites in his “Notes” the words of A.A. Arakcheev, what he said to General A.P. Ermolov: “Many undeserved curses will fall on me.” The phrase turned out to be prophetic.

All his life, Arakcheev fiercely hated bribery, which was traditionally ingrained in Russian society. Those caught red-handed were immediately expelled from their positions, regardless of their faces. Red tape and extortion for the purpose of obtaining a bribe were pursued by him mercilessly. Arakcheev demanded immediate resolution of issues and strictly monitored the fulfillment of deadlines, so the clerical community hated him. Why be surprised that the cross-section of this society determined the mood of the writers and publicists who came up with “Arakcheevism”.

But the main phenomenon in the military life of Russia, with which the name of Arakcheev is associated, is the organization of military settlements. Count Alexei Andreevich is usually considered the creator of this system. However, military settlements were proposed by Alexander I himself, and Arakcheev was against this project. M. M. Speransky formalized the idea into decrees and instructions. Arakcheev became only a performer.

In the War of 1812, Alexander I was faced with a shortage of trained reserves, the difficulty of carrying out more and more new recruits, and the high cost of maintaining an army. The Emperor put forward the idea that every soldier should be a peasant, and every peasant should be a soldier. Initially this was done through the introduction of soldiers to billet in the village.

Alexander I was interested in the idea of ​​establishing military settlements on a large scale. According to some reports, we repeat, Arakcheev at first showed obvious insympathy with this idea. But in view of the adamant desire of the sovereign - in 1817, Alexander I entrusted him with the development of a plan for creating settlements - he conducted the matter abruptly, with merciless consistency, not embarrassed by the murmur of the people, forcibly torn away from age-old, historically established customs and the usual way of life.

Perhaps the military settlements were an attempt by Alexander I to create a class in Russia, based on which the tsar could carry out liberal reforms.

Arakcheev, a believer and pious Orthodox Christian from a young age, gifted with brilliant organizational skills and administrative talent and, perhaps most importantly, who worked not for the sake of self-interest and glory, but also, like the Emperor, following his moral duty... such an employee Alexander needed him endlessly.

A. Zubov

“The emperor knew very well the weaknesses and shortcomings of his Gatchina friend - lack of culture, touchiness, envy, jealousy of the royal favor, but all this was outweighed in the eyes of the king by his merits. Alexander, Arakcheev and Prince A.N. The three of Golitsyn constituted that powerful lever that almost turned Russia away from the path to national catastrophe outlined by the actions of the “great” monarchs of the 18th century - Peter and Catherine.” ( Zubov A. Reflections on the causes of the revolution in Russia. Reign of Alexander the Blessed. New world. 2006, No. 7).

A number of riots among military villagers were suppressed with inexorable severity. Outer side settlements have been brought to exemplary order. Only the most exaggerated rumors about their well-being reached the sovereign. Many of the high-ranking officials, either not understanding the matter, or out of fear of a powerful temporary worker, extolled the new institution with exorbitant praise.

Arakcheev and Speransky -
through the eyes of Pushkin

The idea was the emperor's, the design of this idea into a more or less coherent picture was the work of Speransky, and Arakcheev was the only one to blame for everything. He always faithfully carried out all the orders of his emperor, even if he considered them wrong. In those situations where other generals objected to the emperor (Kutuzov), Arakcheev accepted the order for execution and carried it out, making every effort. The honest soldier strictly fulfilled his duty.

The problem was aggravated by the general bribery of superiors, starting with officers: Arakcheev, who demanded from his superiors primarily external order and improvement, could not eradicate general robbery, and only in rare cases were the perpetrators subjected to deserved punishment. It is not surprising that the muted discontent among the military villagers increased every year. During the reign of Emperor Alexander I, it was expressed only in single outbreaks. At the same time, indignation among soldiers and peasants was suppressed by force. In those military settlements that Arakcheev was personally involved in, the soldiers and peasants lived more or less tolerably.

With the accession of Nicholas I to the throne, Count Arakcheev soon retired from business, and Count Kleinmichel was placed at the head of the management of military settlements with the rank of chief of staff of military settlements.

Arakcheev and Speransky -
through the eyes of a contemporary artist

What is less known about Arakcheev is that in 1818, on behalf of Alexander I, he developed one of the projects for the liberation of the peasants, which provided for the purchase by the treasury of landowners' estates together with the peasants "at voluntarily established prices with the landowners" and providing the peasants with personal freedom. Of course, this project, like many similar plans of Alexander’s reign, remained unrealized.

And finally, Arakcheev’s integrity is evidenced by the clean, signed forms of Alexander I’s decrees, which the tsar left with Arakcheev when leaving the capital. The temporary worker could use these blank forms for his own purposes to deal with those he disliked, for he had enough enemies. But not a single one of the forms entrusted by the tsar was used by Arakcheev for personal purposes.

Modern researchers often characterize it as one of the most effective in national history administrators, and believe that he was the ideal executor capable of realizing grandiose plans.

Arakcheev's influence on affairs and his power continued throughout the reign of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich. Being an influential nobleman, close to the sovereign, Arakcheev, having the Order of Alexander Nevsky, refused other orders granted to him: in 1807 - the Order of St. Vladimir, and in 1808 - from the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, and only left a rescript of the award as a souvenir. He also did not accept the rank of field marshal general (1814), although his merits in the anti-Napoleonic wars were great. Alexey Andreevich was also awarded the Prussian Order of the Black and Red Eagle, 1st class, the Austrian Order of St. Stephen, 1st class, as well as the above-mentioned portrait, from which he returned the diamonds.

They say that Emperor Alexander Pavlovich granted Arakcheev’s mother a lady of state. Alexey Andreevich refused this favor too. The Emperor said with displeasure: “You don’t want to accept anything from me!” “I am pleased with the favor of Your Imperial Majesty,” answered Arakcheev, “but I beg you not to grant my parent a lady of state; she spent her whole life in the village; if he comes here, he will attract the ridicule of the court ladies, but for a solitary life he has no need for this decoration.” Recounting this event to those close to him, Alexey Andreevich added: “Only once in my life, and precisely in this case, did I offend my mother by hiding from her that the sovereign favored her. She would be angry with me if she knew that I had deprived her of this distinction.”

The Arakcheevsky regiment sponsored by him was named after Arakcheev, and later the Rostov Grenadier Regiment of Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands.

Three Emperors of Arakcheev -
Nicholas I Pavlovich

Alexander I died on November 19, 1825. Arakcheev did not take part in the suppression of the Decembrist uprising, for which he was dismissed by Nicholas I. According to other sources, Arakcheev himself refused the urgent requests of the new emperor to continue serving.

Be that as it may, on December 20, 1825, he was released by Nicholas I, who did not favor him, from the affairs of the Committee of Ministers and expelled from the State Council, and in 1826 he was removed from command over military settlements. He was dismissed on indefinite leave for treatment, and remained in service until 1832. Arakcheev went abroad and voluntarily published there the publication of confidential letters to him from Alexander I, which caused a scandal in Russian society and government circles.

A devoted friend of the monarchs Paul and Alexander, who reached unprecedented heights during their reign, Arakcheev devoted the last years of his life to his Gruzino estate. Returning to the estate in 1827, Alexander Andreevich began to arrange it, opened a hospital, worked on the peasant loan bank he had previously created, and tried to regulate the life of the serfs in accordance with his ideas. His desire to create an exemplary farm in all respects led to the most favorable results. The beginning of the construction of Gruzin marked the brightest and most brilliant period of the heyday of the Russian estate. This estate was the best for its time. Now from the paradise on the bank of the river. There are not even ruins left of Volkhov - all buildings were destroyed during the fighting of 1941-1944.

Having retained the title of member of the State Council, Arakcheev went to travel abroad; his health was already broken. In 1833, Arakcheev deposited 50,000 rubles into the state loan bank. banknotes so that this amount remains in the bank for ninety-three years untouched with all interest. Three quarters of this capital should be a reward for the one who will write by 1925 (in Russian) the best history of the reign of Alexander I. The remaining quarter is intended for the costs of publishing this work, as well as for the second prize, and for two translators in equal shares, who will translate from Russian into German and into French the first prize-winning history of Alexander I. Arakcheev built a magnificent bronze monument to Alexander in front of the cathedral church of his village, on which the following inscription was made: “To the Sovereign-Benefactor, after His death.”

Arakcheev’s last deed for the common good was his donation of 300 thousand rubles for the education of poor nobles of the Novgorod and Tver provinces from the interest of this capital in the Novgorod Cadet Corps, as well as 50 thousand rubles. Pavlovsk Institute for the education of the daughters of nobles of the Novgorod province. After the death of Arakcheev, the Novgorod Cadet Corps received the name Arakcheevsky in connection with the transfer of Arakcheev’s estate and capital in the amount of 1.5 million rubles. Back in 1816, Alexander I approved Arakcheev’s spiritual will, entrusting the storage of the will to the Governing Senate. The testator was given the opportunity to choose an heir, but Arakcheev did not fulfill this. Nicholas I recognized that the best way was to give forever the Georgian volost and all movable property belonging to it into the full and undivided possession of the Novgorod cadet corps, so that it would use the income received from the estate for the education of noble youth and take the name and coat of arms of the testator.

Meanwhile, Arakcheev’s health was weakening, his strength was changing. Nicholas I, having learned about his painful condition, sent his physician Villiers to him in Gruzino, but the latter could no longer help, and on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ, April 21 (May 3), 1834, Arakcheev died, “without taking his eyes off the portrait Alexandra, in his room, on the very sofa that served as the bed of the All-Russian Autocrat.” He kept screaming for his life to be extended for at least a month, and finally, sighing, said: “Damned death,” and died.

Before the funeral, he was put on the canvas shirt in which Emperor Alexander died, and dressed in a ceremonial general's uniform. The ashes of the outstanding military and statesman, count and cavalier Alexei Andreevich Arakcheev, were buried in the village of Gruzino. Count Alexey Andreevich took care of his death and burial long before his death. The tomb with the epitaph was prepared inside the capital-looking St. Andrew's Cathedral next to the monument to Emperor Paul. The Arakcheevsky regiment and an artillery battery were called to the funeral.

Arakcheev’s remains were found as a result of excavations in 2009. Proposals were discussed to rebury them in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, where many of Arakcheev’s associates are buried, as well as in the ancient St. George’s Monastery of the 12th century. near Veliky Novgorod. At the end of 2008, the administration and public of the Chudovsky district, on whose territory Gruzino is located, turned to the regional leadership with a request to transfer the remains for re-burial on the former count's estate.

Gloomy and uncommunicative from childhood, Arakcheev remained this way throughout his life. With his remarkable intelligence and selflessness, he knew how to remember the kindness that anyone had ever done to him. Apart from satisfying the will of the monarch and fulfilling the requirements of the service, he was not embarrassed by anything. His severity often degenerated into cruelty, and the time of his almost limitless rule (the last years, the first quarter of the 19th century) was characterized by a kind of terror, since everyone was in awe of him. In general, he left behind a bad memory.

The kings appreciated his rigidity, which reached the point of inexorability, experience and knowledge, especially in the field of artillery, using his services when it was necessary to “restore order.” In Soviet times, Arakcheev was constantly defined as “a reactionary, a persecutor of the Suvorov school, a tsar’s servant and a saint.” But already in 1961, in an article about Arakcheev in the Historical Encyclopedia, several lines appeared about his services in the development of Russian artillery. Modern domestic historians, assessing his activities, recognize that Arakcheev was one of the most worthy military and administrative figures in the history of the Russian Empire.

KURKOV K.N., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of Moscow State Humanitarian University named after. M.A. Sholokhov

Literature

Anderson V.M. Correspondence of Emperor Alexander I with Napoleon and Count Arakcheev. St. Petersburg, 1912

Autobiographical notes of Count Arakcheev. Russian archive. 1866. Issue. 9

From the stories of gr. A.A. Arakcheeva. Historical bulletin. 1894 / T. 58, No. 10

Letters 1796. 1797 Message A.I. Maksheev. Russian antiquity. 1891 / T. 71, No. 8

Letter from Count Arakcheev to Countess Kankrina. Note P.A. Vyazemsky. Russian archive. 1868. Ed. 2nd. M., 1869

Arakcheev A.A., Karamzin N.M. Letters to the Grand Duke Tsarevich Konstantin Pavlovich. Message G. Alexandrov. Russian archive. 1868. Ed. 2nd. M., 1869

Arakcheev and military settlements: Memoirs of contemporaries: 1. Memoirs of M.F. Borozdina. 2. From von Bradke's notes. Russian reality. Series 1. Vol. 10. M., 1908

Bogdanovich P.N. Arakcheev Count and Baron of the Russian Empire: (1769–1834). P.N. Bogdanovich Gen. Headquarters Col. Buenos Aires, 1956

Bogoslovsky N.G. Arakcheevshchina: Stories. Op. N. Bogoslovsky. St. Petersburg, 1882

Bogoslovsky N.G. Stories about the past: War times. Settlements. Op. Slovsky [pseud.]. Novgorod, 1865

Bulgarin F.G. Trip to Gruzino. St. Petersburg, 1861

Wrangel N., Makovsky S., Trubnikov A. Arakcheev and art. Old years. 1908. No. 7

Count A.A. Arakcheev. (Materials). Russian antiquity, 1900. T. 101. No. 1

Gribbe A.K. Count Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev. (From memories of Novgorod military settlements). 1822–1826. Russian antiquity. 1875. T. 12, No. 1

Davydova, E.E., comp. Arakcheev: evidence from contemporaries. Comp. HER. Davydova et al. M., 2000

Jenkins M. Arakcheev. Reformer-reactionary. M., 2004

Europeus I.I. Memoirs of Evropeus about service in a military settlement and about relations with Count Arakcheev. Russian antiquity. 1872. T. 6, No. 9

Ivanov G. Famous and famous refugees. Vol. 1: From Alexey Arakcheev to Alexey Smirnov. B.M., 2003

Kaygorodov V. Arakcheevshchina. Op. V. Kaygorodova. M., 1912

Kizevetter A.A. Historical silhouettes. Essays. A.A. Kiesewetter; Entry Art. O.V. Budnitsky. Rostov n/d, 1997

Kovalenko A.Yu. The era of Alexander I in context government activities A. A. Arakcheeva: Textbook. allowance. Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 1999

Nikolsky V.P. The state of the Russian army at the end of the reign of Alexander I. In the book: History of the Russian army, 1812–1864. St. Petersburg, 2003

Otto N.K. Traits from the life of Count Arakcheev. Ancient and New Russia. 1875. T. 1, No. 1

Panchenko A.M. Library of Count A.A. Arakcheeva in Gruzino. A.M. Panchenko. Berk's readings. Book culture in the context of international contacts. Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus; Moscow: Science. Mn., 2011

Podushkov D.L.“He was a real Russian...” (About Count Arakcheev A.A.) Udomel antiquity: Local history almanac. 2000, January. No. 16

Podushkov D.L. The role of Count A.A. Arakcheev in the Patriotic War of 1812. Local history almanac “Udomelskaya antiquity”, No. 29, September 2002

Podushkov D.L.(compiler), Vorobiev V.M. (scientific editor). Famous Russians in the history of the Udomelsky region. Tver, 2009

Ratch V.F. Information about Count Alexei Andreevich Arakcheev. St. Petersburg, 1864

Romanovich E.M. The dying days and death of Count Arakcheev. (From the story of retired staff captain Evgeniy Mikhailovich Romanovich). Message P.A. Musatovsky. Russian archive. 1868. Ed. 2nd. M., 1869

Russian conservatives. M., 1997

Sigunov N.G. Traits from the life of Count Arakcheev. Stories of Major General Nick. Grigor. Sigunova. Message M.I. Bogdanovich. Russian antiquity. 1870. T. 1. Ed. 3rd. St. Petersburg, 1875

Dictionary of Russian generals who took part in the fighting against the army of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812–1815. Russian archive: Sat. M., 1996. T. VII

Tomsinov V.A. Arakcheev (series “Life of Remarkable People”). M., 2003, 2010

Tomsinov V.A. Temporary worker (Historical portrait of A.A. Arakcheev). M., 2013

Troitsky N. Russia at the head of the Holy Alliance: Arakcheevshchina

Ulybin V.V. Betrayed without flattery: the experience of the biography of Count Arakcheev. Vyacheslav Ulybin. St. Petersburg, 2006

Fedorov V.A. MM. Speransky and A.A. Arakcheev. M., 1997

Shevlyakov M.V., ed. Historical people in anecdotes: from the life of statesmen and public figures. Ed. M.V. Shevlyakova. St. Petersburg, 2010

Shubinsky S.N. Historical essays and stories. St. Petersburg, 1896; 1913

Yakushkin V. Speransky and Arakcheev. St. Petersburg, 1905; M., 1916

Extensive material for characterizing Count Arakcheev and his time is included in the publications: “Russian Antiquity” (1870 - 1890), “Russian Archive” (1866 No. 6 and 7, 1868 No. 2 and 6, 1872 No. 10, 1876 ​​No. 4); “Ancient and New Russia” (1875, Nos. 1 - 6 and 10); Glebov, “The Tale of Arakcheev” (military collection, 1861).

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Russian military leader and statesman, who ruled Little Russia throughout the reign of Catherine II (1761-96). During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace, he was awarded the title “Transdanubian”. In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Knight of the Russian orders of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir 1st class, Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna 1st class

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

For the highest art of military leadership and immeasurable love for the Russian soldier

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

The greatest commander of the Second World War. Two people in history were awarded the Order of Victory twice: Vasilevsky and Zhukov, but after the Second World War it was Vasilevsky who became the Minister of Defense of the USSR. His military genius is unsurpassed by ANY military leader in the world.

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Maksimov Evgeniy Yakovlevich

Russian hero of the Transvaal War. He was a volunteer in fraternal Serbia, participating in the Russian-Turkish war. At the beginning of the 20th century, the British began to wage war against the small people - the Boers. Eugene successfully fought against the invaders and in 1900 was appointed military general. Died in Russian Japanese war. In addition to his military career, he distinguished himself in the literary field.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the Great Patriotic War, in which our country won, and made all strategic decisions.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

An outstanding Russian commander. He successfully defended the interests of Russia both from external aggression and outside the country.

Senyavin Dmitry Nikolaevich

Dmitry Nikolaevich Senyavin (6 (17) August 1763 - 5 (17) April 1831) - Russian naval commander, admiral.
for courage and outstanding diplomatic work shown during the blockade of the Russian fleet in Lisbon

Paskevich Ivan Fedorovich

Hero of Borodin, Leipzig, Paris (division commander)
As commander-in-chief, he won 4 companies (Russian-Persian 1826-1828, Russian-Turkish 1828-1829, Polish 1830-1831, Hungarian 1849).
Knight of the Order of St. George, 1st degree - for the capture of Warsaw (the order, according to the statute, was awarded either for the salvation of the fatherland, or for the capture of the enemy capital).
Field Marshal.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

according to the only criterion - invincibility.

Sheremetev Boris Petrovich

Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich

The commander-in-chief of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War, was the main architect of the key victories of the Russian troops.

Kornilov Vladimir Alekseevich

During the outbreak of the war with England and France, he actually commanded the Black Sea Fleet, and until his heroic death he was the immediate superior of P.S. Nakhimov and V.I. Istomina. After the landing of the Anglo-French troops in Yevpatoria and the defeat of the Russian troops on Alma, Kornilov received an order from the commander-in-chief in the Crimea, Prince Menshikov, to sink the ships of the fleet in the roadstead in order to use sailors for the defense of Sevastopol from land.

Gurko Joseph Vladimirovich

Field Marshal General (1828-1901) Hero of Shipka and Plevna, Liberator of Bulgaria (a street in Sofia is named after him, a monument was erected). In 1877 he commanded the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division. To quickly capture some passes through the Balkans, Gurko led an advance detachment consisting of four cavalry regiments, a rifle brigade and the newly formed Bulgarian militia, with two batteries of horse artillery. Gurko completed his task quickly and boldly and won a series of victories over the Turks, ending with the capture of Kazanlak and Shipka. During the struggle for Plevna, Gurko, at the head of the guard and cavalry troops of the western detachment, defeated the Turks near Gorny Dubnyak and Telish, then again went to the Balkans, occupied Entropol and Orhanye, and after the fall of Plevna, reinforced by the IX Corps and the 3rd Guards Infantry Division , despite the terrible cold, crossed the Balkan ridge, took Philippopolis and occupied Adrianople, opening the way to Constantinople. At the end of the war, he commanded military districts, was governor-general, and a member of the state council. Buried in Tver (Sakharovo village)

Dragomirov Mikhail Ivanovich

Brilliant crossing of the Danube in 1877
- Creation of a tactics textbook
- Creation of an original concept of military education
- Leadership of the NASH in 1878-1889
- Enormous influence in military matters for a full 25 years

Nevsky, Suvorov

Of course, the holy blessed prince Alexander Nevsky and Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov

Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich

Commander of the First Cavalry Army of the Red Army during the Civil War. The First Cavalry Army, which he led until October 1923, played an important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War to defeat the troops of Denikin and Wrangel in Northern Tavria and Crimea.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

In World War I, commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia. On August 15-16, 1914, during the Rohatyn battles, he defeated the 2nd Austro-Hungarian Army, capturing 20 thousand people. and 70 guns. On August 20, Galich was captured. The 8th Army takes an active part in the battles at Rava-Russkaya and in the Battle of Gorodok. In September he commanded a group of troops from the 8th and 3rd armies. From September 28 to October 11, his army withstood a counterattack by the 2nd and 3rd Austro-Hungarian armies in battles on the San River and near the city of Stryi. During the successfully completed battles, 15 thousand enemy soldiers were captured, and at the end of October his army entered the foothills of the Carpathians.

Ermak Timofeevich

Russian. Cossack. Ataman. Defeated Kuchum and his satellites. Approved Siberia as part of the Russian state. He dedicated his entire life to military work.

Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich

Colonel Karyagin's campaign against the Persians in 1805 does not resemble real military history. It looks like a prequel to "300 Spartans" (20,000 Persians, 500 Russians, gorges, bayonet attacks, "This is madness! - No, this is the 17th Jaeger Regiment!"). A golden, platinum page of Russian history, combining the carnage of madness with the highest tactical skill, amazing cunning and stunning Russian arrogance

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Personally took part in the planning and implementation of ALL offensive and defensive operations of the Red Army in the period 1941 - 1945.

Bagration, Denis Davydov...

The War of 1812, the glorious names of Bagration, Barclay, Davydov, Platov. A model of honor and courage.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War! Under his leadership, the USSR won the Great Victory during the Great Patriotic War!

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

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

General of Infantry (1914), Adjutant General (1916). Active participant in the White movement in the Civil War. One of the organizers of the Volunteer Army.

Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

Great commander Old Russian period. The first Kiev prince known to us who had Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Rus' as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him “Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history.” The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassal dependence on the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine War, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopolis, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns he did not carry carts or cauldrons with him, did not cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or animal meat, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate it like that; he did not have a tent , but he slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in his head - the same were all the rest of his warriors. And he sent envoys to other lands [usually before declaring war] with the words: “I’m coming to you!” (According to PVL)

Minich Burchard-Christopher

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

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Author and initiator of the creation of technical means of the Airborne Forces and methods of using units and formations of the Airborne Forces, many of which personify the image of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces that currently exists.

General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:
In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified an entire era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces; their authority and popularity are associated with his name not only in our country, but also abroad...

Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under the leadership of Margelov for more than twenty years, the airborne troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious for service in them, especially revered by the people... A photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums was sold to soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for the Ryazan Airborne School exceeded the numbers of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who missed out on exams lived in the forests near Ryazan for two or three months, until the snow and frosts, in the hope that someone would not withstand the load and it would be possible to take his place .

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

After Zhukov, who took Berlin, the second should be the brilliant strategist Kutuzov, who drove the French out of Russia.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Well, who else but him is the only Russian commander who has not lost more than one battle!!!

Ridiger Fedor Vasilievich

Adjutant General, Cavalry General, Adjutant General... He had three Golden sabers with the inscription: “For bravery”... In 1849, Ridiger took part in a campaign in Hungary to suppress the unrest that arose there, being appointed head of the right column. On May 9, Russian troops entered the Austrian Empire. He pursued the rebel army until August 1, forcing them to lay down their arms in front of Russian troops near Vilyagosh. On August 5, the troops entrusted to him occupied the Arad fortress. During the trip of Field Marshal Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich to Warsaw, Count Ridiger commanded the troops located in Hungary and Transylvania... On February 21, 1854, during the absence of Field Marshal Prince Paskevich in the Kingdom of Poland, Count Ridiger commanded all troops located in the area of ​​​​the active army - as a commander separate corps and at the same time served as head of the Kingdom of Poland. After the return of Field Marshal Prince Paskevich to Warsaw, from August 3, 1854, he served as Warsaw military governor.

Dolgorukov Yuri Alekseevich

An outstanding statesman and military leader of the era of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Prince. Commanding the Russian army in Lithuania, in 1658 he defeated Hetman V. Gonsevsky in the Battle of Verki, taking him prisoner. This was the first time since 1500 that a Russian governor captured the hetman. In 1660, at the head of an army sent to Mogilev, besieged by Polish-Lithuanian troops, he won a strategic victory over the enemy on the Basya River near the village of Gubarevo, forcing hetmans P. Sapieha and S. Charnetsky to retreat from the city. Thanks to the actions of Dolgorukov, the “front line” in Belarus along the Dnieper remained until the end of the war of 1654-1667. In 1670, he led an army aimed at fighting the Cossacks of Stenka Razin, and quickly suppressed the Cossack rebellion, which subsequently led to the Don Cossacks swearing an oath of allegiance to the Tsar and transforming the Cossacks from robbers into “sovereign servants.”

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

The great Russian naval commander who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ianian Islands) and Corfu. He discovered and introduced a new tactic of naval combat, with the abandonment of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of a “scattered formation” with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813.
"Meteor General" and "Caucasian Suvorov".
He fought not with numbers, but with skill - first, 450 Russian soldiers attacked 1,200 Persian Sardars in the Migri fortress and took it, then 500 of our soldiers and Cossacks attacked 5,000 askers at the crossing of the Araks. They destroyed more than 700 enemies; only 2,500 Persian soldiers managed to escape from ours.
In both cases, our losses were less than 50 killed and up to 100 wounded.
Further, in the war against the Turks, with a swift attack, 1,000 Russian soldiers defeated the 2,000-strong garrison of the Akhalkalaki fortress.
Then again, in the Persian direction, he cleared Karabakh of the enemy, and then, with 2,200 soldiers, he defeated Abbas Mirza with a 30,000-strong army at Aslanduz, a village near the Araks River. In two battles, he destroyed more than 10,000 enemies, including English advisers and artillerymen.
As usual, Russian losses amounted to 30 killed and 100 wounded.
Kotlyarevsky won most of his victories in night assaults on fortresses and enemy camps, not allowing the enemies to come to their senses.
The last campaign - 2000 Russians against 7000 Persians to the Lenkoran fortress, where Kotlyarevsky almost died during the assault, lost consciousness at times from loss of blood and pain from wounds, but still commanded the troops until the final victory, as soon as he regained consciousness, and then was forced take a long time to heal and retire from military affairs.
His exploits for the glory of Russia are much greater than the “300 Spartans” - for our commanders and warriors more than once defeated an enemy 10 times superior, and suffered minimal losses, saving Russian lives.

Antonov Alexey Inokentevich

Chief strategist of the USSR in 1943-45, practically unknown to society
"Kutuzov" World War II

Humble and committed. Victorious. Author of all operations since the spring of 1943 and the victory itself. Others gained fame - Stalin and the front commanders.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

981 - conquest of Cherven and Przemysl. 983 - conquest of the Yatvags. 984 - conquest of the Rodimichs. 985 - successful campaigns against the Bulgars, tribute to the Khazar Khaganate. 988 - conquest of the Taman Peninsula. 991 - subjugation of the White Croats. 992 - successfully defended Cherven Rus in the war against Poland. In addition, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

He made the greatest contribution as a strategist to the victory in the Great Patriotic War (aka World War II).

Kuznetsov Nikolay Gerasimovich

He made a great contribution to strengthening the fleet before the war; conducted a number of major exercises, initiated the opening of new maritime schools and maritime special schools (later Nakhimov schools). On the eve of Germany's surprise attack on the USSR, he took effective measures to increase the combat readiness of the fleets, and on the night of June 22, he gave the order to bring them to full combat readiness, which made it possible to avoid losses of ships and naval aviation.

Grachev Pavel Sergeevich

Hero of the Soviet Union. May 5, 1988 “for completing combat missions with minimal casualties and for the professional command of a controlled formation and the successful actions of the 103rd Airborne Division, in particular, in occupying the strategically important Satukandav pass (Khost province) during the military operation “Magistral” "Received the Gold Star medal No. 11573. Commander of the USSR Airborne Forces. In total, during his military service he made 647 parachute jumps, some of them while testing new equipment.
He was shell-shocked 8 times and received several wounds. Suppressed the armed coup in Moscow and thereby saved the system of democracy. As Minister of Defense, he made great efforts to preserve the remnants of the army - a similar task to few people in the history of Russia. It was only because of the collapse of the army and the reduction in the number of military equipment in the Armed Forces that he was unable to victoriously end the Chechen War.

Yuri Vsevolodovich

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander of all armed forces Soviet Union. Thanks to his talent as a Commander and Outstanding Statesman The USSR won the bloodiest WAR in human history. Most of the battles of World War II were won with his direct participation in the development of their plans.

Stalin (Dzhugashvilli) Joseph

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

A talented commander who distinguished himself during the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1608, Skopin-Shuisky was sent by Tsar Vasily Shuisky to negotiate with the Swedes in Novgorod the Great. He managed to negotiate Swedish assistance to Russia in the fight against False Dmitry II. The Swedes recognized Skopin-Shuisky as their undisputed leader. In 1609, he and the Russian-Swedish army came to the rescue of the capital, which was under siege by False Dmitry II. He defeated detachments of adherents of the impostor in the battles of Torzhok, Tver and Dmitrov, and liberated the Volga region from them. He lifted the blockade from Moscow and entered it in March 1610.

Spiridov Grigory Andreevich

He became a sailor under Peter I, participated as an officer in the Russian-Turkish War (1735-1739), and ended the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) as a rear admiral. His naval and diplomatic talent reached its peak during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. In 1769 he led the first passage of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the difficulties of the transition (the admiral's son was among those who died from illness - his grave was recently found on the island of Menorca), he quickly established control over the Greek archipelago. The Battle of Chesme in June 1770 remained unsurpassed in terms of loss ratio: 11 Russians - 11 thousand Turks! On the island of Paros, the naval base of Auza was equipped with coastal batteries and its own Admiralty.
The Russian fleet left the Mediterranean Sea after the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace in July 1774. The Greek islands and lands of the Levant, including Beirut, were returned to Turkey in exchange for territories in the Black Sea region. However, 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 its fleet from one theater to another and achieved a number of high-profile victories over the enemy, for the first time made people talk about itself as a strong maritime power and an important player in European politics.

His merit is not one or even ten battles or campaigns, his merit is Victory, made up of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle of Moscow, battles in the North Caucasus, the Battle of Stalingrad, the battle of Kursk, the battle of Leningrad and many others before the capture Berlin, success in which was achieved thanks to the monotonous inhuman work of the genius of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

During the Patriotic War, Stalin led all the armed forces of our homeland and coordinated their military operations. It is impossible not to note his merits in competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who competently led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who carried out enormous work to increase the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and during the war years.

A short list of military awards of I.V. Stalin received by him during the Second World War:
Order of Suvorov, 1st class
Medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Order "Victory"
Medal "Golden Star" of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"
Medal "For Victory over Japan"

Golenishchev-Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

(1745-1813).
1. A GREAT Russian commander, he was an example for his soldiers. Appreciated every soldier. "M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov is not only the liberator of the Fatherland, he is the only one who outplayed the hitherto invincible French emperor, turning " great army"into the crowd of ragamuffins, saving, thanks to his military genius, the lives of many Russian soldiers."
2. Mikhail Illarionovich, being a highly educated man who knew several foreign languages, dexterous, sophisticated, able to animate society with the gift of words and an entertaining story, served Russia as an excellent diplomat - ambassador to Turkey.
3. M.I. Kutuzov is the first to become a full holder of the highest military order of St. St. George the Victorious four degrees.
The life of Mikhail Illarionovich is an example of service to the fatherland, attitude towards soldiers, spiritual strength for Russian military leaders of our time and, of course, for the younger generation - future military men. G.K. Zhukov showed the ability to manage large military formations numbering 800 thousand - 1 million people. At the same time, the specific losses suffered by his troops (i.e., correlated with numbers) turned out to be lower over and over again than those of his neighbors.
Also G.K. Zhukov demonstrated remarkable knowledge of the properties of the military equipment in service with the Red Army - knowledge that was very necessary for the commander of industrial wars.

K.K. Rokossovsky

The intelligence of this marshal connected the Russian army with the Red Army.

"ARAKCHEEV DIED. I AM THE ALONE IN ALL RUSSIA WHO REGRETS ABOUT THIS..."

Two hundred years ago, in 1816, about 500 thousand peasants and soldiers of the Russian Empire were transferred to the position of military settlers. What was it - excessive cruelty or unfortunate social experiment? To answer this question, let us turn to the personality of the main executor of the large-scale plan.

During his lifetime, he was nicknamed “The Serpent” by his contemporaries. And he died in the spring thaw, when his village of Gruzino was cut off from the outside world. There was no one nearby - only the priest and the officer on duty sent from the capital.

The former all-powerful courtier suffered from pain, and even more from the consciousness that not a single person would regret his death. He was wrong - a week later, the writer Pushkin, whom he knew from hearsay, wrote to his wife: “Arakcheev died. I am the only one in all of Russia who regrets this. I did not manage to meet with him and talk.”

A. Moravov. Military settlement. Photo: Rodina

Young cadet

Jacob von Lude. Uniform of the cadet corps. 1793. Photo:

In Russian history, Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev remained the embodiment of cruelty, stupidity, and discipline with a stick. His very appearance inspired disgust. Major General Nikolai Sablukov recalled: “In appearance, Arakcheev looked like a large monkey in a uniform. He was tall, thin... he had a long, thin neck on which one could study the anatomy of the veins. He had a thick, ugly head, always tilted at side; the nose is wide and angular, the mouth is large, the forehead is overhanging... The whole expression of the face was a strange mixture of intelligence and anger.”

He was born in September 1769 in a remote corner of the Tver province, in the family of a retired guards lieutenant. A gentle and dreamy man, he completely transferred the housekeeping and raising of four children to the shoulders of his active wife. It was she who instilled in her eldest son Alexei hard work, frugality and a love of order. His parents wanted to make him a clerk and sent him to study with a local sexton. But one day Alyosha saw the sons of a neighboring landowner who had come for vacation from the cadet corps. Their red uniforms and powdered wigs impressed the boy so much that he threw himself on his knees in front of his father: “Daddy, send me to the cadets, or I will die of grief!”

In the end, the parents sold three cows and used the proceeds to take 12-year-old Alexei to the St. Petersburg Artillery Cadet Corps. Began long months expectations - officials sent father and son through the authorities, hinting that the issue could be resolved for a modest bribe. But there was no money - what they took from the house was spent long ago, and the Arakcheevs even had to beg for alms. However, fate took pity on them. During his next visit to the building, Alexey saw its director, Count Melissino, and, falling at his feet, cried out: “Your Excellency, accept me as a cadet!” The count took pity on the skinny, ragged youth and ordered him to be enlisted in the corps.

Officer of the "amusing regiment"

At that time it was the best school in Russia for training artillerymen. True, the pupils were fed meagerly and flogged for every offense, but this did not bother young Arakcheev - he was determined to make a career. “He is especially distinguished by his success in military-mathematical sciences, but has no particular inclination towards verbal sciences” - lines from his certificate for the first year of study. Alexey loved mathematics and until the end of his life he easily multiplied complex numbers in his head. At the age of fifteen he became a sergeant, gaining the right to punish negligent comrades. By his own boastful admission, he wielded his stick and fists so diligently that “he turned the most clumsy and clumsy into dexterous ones, and the lazy and incapable stuck to their lessons.”

At the age of 18, he graduated from the corps with the rank of lieutenant, but remained in charge of the library, from where he mercilessly expelled all fiction that contributed to “confusion of the mind.”

And soon an event occurred that provided Arakcheev with a brilliant career takeoff. The heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, asked Count Melissino to provide him with an intelligent artilleryman to serve in the Gatchina “amusing” army. It was created by Empress Catherine in order to keep her unloved son away from power - his mother allocated three thousand soldiers to him, let him play in the war. However, Paul created from them a real army with strict discipline. And he immediately noted the knowledge and service zeal of the young lieutenant, who brought the “amusing” artillery into exemplary order.

Soon Arakcheev received the right to dine at the same table with the heir, and then he was entrusted with command of the entire Gatchina garrison. He served not out of fear, but out of conscience - from morning to evening he walked around the barracks and parade grounds, looking for the slightest disorder. Paul told him more than once: “Wait a little, and I will make a man out of you.”

This hour came in November 1796, when the heir ascended the throne after the long-awaited death of his mother.


G. Schwartz. Parade in Gatchina. 1847 Photo: Rodina

Chief Inspector of Artillery

All Russian emperors loved the army, but Paul adored it infinitely, striving to transform all of Russia according to the model of his “amusing” regiment. Arakcheev became his first assistant. Immediately after his accession to the throne, the emperor made him a general, commandant of the capital and chief inspector of artillery. Summoning his son Alexander, he connected his hand with Arakcheev’s and commanded: “Be friends and help each other!”

The newly minted general was ordered to restore discipline in the army - Pavel believed that his mother had completely disbanded it. Alexey Andreevich immediately began to tour the troops, mercilessly punishing violators. There are stories about how he personally cut off soldiers’ mustaches, which were prohibited by the new regulations, and bit off the ear of one private in a rage. At the same time, he also took care of the structure of the soldier’s life - good nutrition, availability of a bathhouse, cleaning of the barracks. He severely punished officers who stole soldiers' money.

They tried to butter him up with gifts, but he pedantically sent them back.

One of the officers, driven to despair by his constant nagging, committed suicide, and in February 1798 Pavel sent his favorite into retirement. However, after two months Arakcheev returned to service, and in May of the following year he received the title of count “for excellent diligence.” His new coat of arms was adorned with the famous motto “Betrayed without flattery,” which his ill-wishers immediately changed to “demon, betrayed by flattery.” However, this did not protect him from new disgrace - this time because of his brother Andrei, who was threatened with expulsion from the regiment. Arakcheev made sure that the expulsion order was lost...

Having learned about this, Pavel became furious and ordered the now former favorite to leave the capital within 24 hours. Arakcheev went to the village of Gruzino, Novgorod province, which was given to him. After the treacherous murder of Paul, Alexander ascended the throne, who spoke very unflatteringly about his former teacher - he said that he would not bring “this monster” closer to himself even on pain of death. It seemed that Arakcheev had no chance of returning to the capital...

Rural reformer

Arakcheev spent four years of disgrace in Georgia, where he took up farming with his usual zeal. The peasant huts were demolished, and instead they were built with stone houses, stretched out in a row along perfectly straight streets. The center of the village was decorated with a magnificent temple and the house of Alexei Andreevich with an extensive park and a pond on which swans swam. An infirmary was set up in Gruzin, where a doctor discharged from St. Petersburg treated peasants for free. There was a school where children learned to read and write, also for free. Every Saturday, the village residents were gathered in the square to read out the master’s new instructions to them - always indicating how many lashes were due to the violators. However, Arakcheev used not only the stick, but also the carrot: he gave monetary rewards to the best workers, and donated clothes from his own back to the village elders where there was the most order.

Not a single aspect of peasant life remained unattended by the corrosive reformer. He was also involved in organizing the personal lives of his subjects - once a year he gathered girls and boys who had reached marriageable age and asked with whom they wanted to live. When pairs were made, Alexey Andreevich resolutely shuffled them, saying: “Duty makes you forget pleasures.” True, the count did not forget about his pleasures - he regularly bought young beautiful girls from ruined neighbors, whom he appointed to be his maids. And after a couple of months, he married off the annoying maid, providing her with a modest dowry.

Nastasya Fedorovna Minkina. Georgian. 1825 Photo: Rodina

This continued until, in 1801, the 19-year-old daughter of a coachman, Nastasya Minkina, came to the estate. Dark-skinned, black-eyed, sharp in her movements, she knew how to guess her master’s wishes without words and instantly fulfill them. The village women considered her a witch who had bewitched their master. He was stern with everyone, but with her he was gentle and helpful, showered her with gifts and took her with him on trips. She tried her best to become not just his friend, but also his assistant - having received the position of housekeeper, she looked for troubles and immediately reported them to Arakcheev. Based on her denunciations, those who drank, were lazy at work, missed church services, or pretended to be sick were mercilessly flogged. The count's mistress strictly observed moral standards, punishing those caught in "sinful copulation." These were flogged for several days in a row, morning and evening, and the worst were put in the “edicule” - a damp and cold basement that played the role of a home prison.

Gradually, Nastasya became bolder and began to play the role of a sovereign mistress in the estate. In order to bind the count more tightly to her, she bore him a son - or, according to other sources, she simply bought a newborn child from a young widow. Having received the name Mikhail Shumsky, he later became an aide-de-camp, a heavy drinker and a card player, which spoiled a lot of blood for his father. Nastasya also had a penchant for drinking, which soon deprived her of her natural beauty. One of Gruzin's guests remembered her as "a drunk, fat, pockmarked and angry woman."

It is not surprising that Arakcheev began to grow cold towards his beloved. Moreover, in the spring of 1803, Alexander I appointed him an artillery inspector, and he returned to the capital.


Saltychikha. Illustration by P.V. Kurdyumov to the encyclopedic publication Photo: Rodina

Minister

Having stayed in Georgia, Arakcheev launched a vigorous activity and in a short time made the artillery units the best in the army. From his pen almost daily came orders for the manufacture of new guns based on European models, for the organization of supplies of gunpowder, horses and provisions, and for the training of recruits. At the beginning of 1808, he was appointed Minister of War and in the same year he commanded the Russian army in the war with Sweden. With "remarkable energy" he organized a winter campaign across the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia, which brought the Russians under the walls of Stockholm and forced the enemy to surrender. True, Alexey Andreevich did not participate in any battle - at the sound of shooting he turned pale, could not find a place for himself and tried to hide in cover.

The great organizer turned out to be a worthless commander and, on top of that, a coward.

In 1810, Arakcheev left the post of minister, but throughout the war with Napoleon he remained at headquarters, next to the tsar. “The entire French war went through my hands,” he admitted in his diary. The “devoted without flattery” favorite bore considerable responsibility for both the successes and miscalculations of Russian strategy. The day after the fall of Paris, the tsar issued a decree promoting him to field marshal, but Arakcheev refused. Appreciating such modesty, Alexander entrusted him with the realization of his cherished dream - the creation of a system of military settlements in Russia. Later, all the blame for this was placed on Arakcheev, but the facts show that the initiative came precisely from the emperor - Alexey Andreevich, as always, was only a faithful executor.

In 1816, about 500 thousand peasants and soldiers were transferred to the position of military settlers - after grueling drills they had to also engage in rural labor. This caused discontent and uprisings began, which were brutally suppressed. And yet the settlements continued to exist, and many of them flourished - through the efforts of Arakcheev, schools and hospitals were built there, as in Georgia, roads were laid, and economic innovations were introduced. According to the count, the “ideal” system of settlements was supposed to help peasants earn money and buy themselves and their land from the landowners. He even drew up and submitted to the emperor a project for the gradual abolition of serfdom - according to historians, more progressive than the one that was implemented in 1861.

Alas, his contemporaries did not notice this - they saw only Arakcheev’s intention to force all of Russia to march in formation and continued to honor him in a low voice as a “cannibal” and a “bogeyman.”

The last fall

In the fall of 1825, the count's servants, tired of enduring Nastasya's nagging and punishment, persuaded the cook Vasily Antonov to kill the hated housekeeper. In the morning, Vasily entered the house, found Minkina sleeping on the couch and cut her throat with a kitchen knife. Arakcheev was in despair. Day and night he carried with him a handkerchief soaked in the blood of the murdered woman. On his orders, the cook was pinched to death, and those who ordered the murder were given one hundred lashes and sent to hard labor. While the count was investigating, news reached him about the death of the emperor in Taganrog...

Having lost two of his closest people almost simultaneously, Arakcheev fell into a stupor. The new king summoned him to court more than once, but he did not respond. The imperious Nicholas I could not stand such insubordination and gave his father’s favorite an unspoken order - to ask for resignation himself, without waiting for dismissal. Arakcheev did just that, and in April 1826 he finally retired to Gruzino “for treatment.”

The remaining years of his life were gray and dreary. In the summer, he could still supervise household work or plant flowers in memory of Nastasya, who loved them. But in winter, boredom set in. No guests came to him, Alexey Andreevich never got used to reading and wandered around the rooms all day long, solving mathematical problems in his head.


The house of Count Arakcheev and the monument to Alexander I in front of it. 1833 Photo: Rodina

On his estate, he created a real cult of the late Alexander I. In the room where the emperor once spent the night, his marble bust was installed with the inscription: “Who dares to touch this, let him be damned.” The tsar's pen, his letters and papers were also kept there, as well as the shirt in which Alexander died - Arakcheev bequeathed to bury himself in it. In front of the temple in Gruzin, he erected a bronze monument to the “sovereign benefactor”, which survived until Soviet times. Other buildings did not survive their creator for long - the peasants destroyed the park with foreign flowers, dismantled the fence along the main street, caught and ate the swans that lived in the pond.

Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev (1769-1834) - a prominent statesman and military figure of the Alexander era. Until now, his historical portrait is painted in black and white.

For some he is an outstanding statesman, for others he is an obscurantist and a tyrant. In any case, the polarity of views reflects not only the ambiguity of assessments of Arakcheev’s activities, but also the complexity of his personality.

Brief biography of Arakcheev

A.A. Arakcheev was born on September 23 (October 4), 1769 into a poor noble family. Having entered the cadet corps in 1783, thanks to diligence in his studies, he very soon became an officer.

Arakcheev's brilliant career began after he was appointed commander of the Gatchina artillery team in 1792.

The future emperor duly appreciated the zeal of the young officer and brought him closer to himself, entrusting him with the inspection of the Gatchina artillery, and then appointing him commandant of Gatchina and the head of all his ground forces.

After Paul I ascended the throne, Arakcheev's career reached unimaginable heights - he was appointed St. Petersburg commandant and quartermaster general. It was then that rumors about the cruelty of Alexei Andreevich reached Paul I, and Pavel, who was quick to disgrace, dismissed Arakcheev from service in 1799.

There is a version that Arakcheev’s resignation was to the benefit of the nobles who were preparing a conspiracy against Paul. returned Arakcheev to service. In January 1808, Alexey Andreevich became Minister of War. The reforms carried out by Arakcheev strengthened the Russian army, which became clear during the Patriotic War.

In 1810, Arakcheev was appointed chairman of the department of military affairs. During the Patriotic War, Alexey Andreevich was engaged in the most important task - recruiting troops and supplying the army with food. The hard times of war brought Alexander I and Arakcheev even closer together; he became a confidant for the emperor. Alexander I appreciated Alexei Andreevich’s modesty and his commitment to his cause. A. Arakcheev died in 1834 on his estate in the Georgian-Novgorod province.

Main activities

• Government and military service;
• reforms in the army;
• organization of military settlements;
• project for the liberation of peasants from serfdom.

After the death of Alexander I, Arakcheev refused to participate in the suppression and soon retired.

Results of activities

• Strengthening the army;
• an attempt to solve the problem of organizing reserves through the creation of military settlements;
• project on the abolition of serfdom.