[[Prince of the Holy Roman Empire]]
Duke of [[Ingria|Izhora]]
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{{ill|Alexandra A. Biron|lt=Alexandra Alexandrovna Menshikova|ru|Бирон,АлександраАлександровна}}
[[Alexander Alexandrovich Menshikov]]"},"allegiance":{"wt":"{{flagicon|Russia}}[[Tsardom of Russia]]
{{flag|Russian Empire}}"},"branch":{"wt":"{{flagicon|Russian Empire}}[[Imperial Russian Army]]
{{navy|Russian Empire}}"},"serviceyears":{"wt":"1699–1728"},"rank":{"wt":"[[Generalissimo]]"},"commands":{"wt":""},"battles":{"wt":"{{tree list}}\n* [[Streltsy uprising]]\n* [[Russo-Turkish War (1686–1700)|Russo-Turkish War
(1686–1700)]]\n** [[Azov campaigns (1695–1696)|Azov campaigns]]\n* [[Great Northern War]]\n** [[Siege of Nöteborg (1702)|Storming of Nöteborg]]\n** [[Battle of Praga (1705)|Battle of Praga]]\n** [[Battle of Kalisz]]\n** [[Battle of Holowczyn]]\n** [[Battle of Lesnaya]]\n** [[Battle of Oposhnya]]\n** [[Battle of Poltava]]\n** [[Surrender at Perevolochna]]\n** [[Siege of Riga (1710)|Siege of Riga]]\n** [[Siege of Stralsund (1711–1715)|Siege of Stralsund]]\n** Battle of Friedrichstadt\n** [[Siege of Tönning]]\n** Siege of Stettin\n{{tree list/end}}"},"awards":{"wt":"'''Titles'''
[[Knyaz|Prince of the Russian Empire]],
[[Prince of the Holy Roman Empire]],
1st Duke of [[Ingria|Izhora]],
1st Duke of [[Cosel]]
'''Orders'''
[[Order of St. Andrew]],
[[Order of St. Alexander Nevsky]],
[[Order of the Black Eagle]],
[[Order of the White Eagle (Poland)|Order of the White Eagle]],
[[Order of the Elephant]]"}},"i":0}}]}" id="mwCw">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}
Alexander Menshikov | |
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Generalissimo of the Russian Imperial Army | |
Prince of the Russian Empire Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Duke of Izhora Duke of Cosel | |
In office 1727–1728 | |
Preceded by | Aleksei Shein |
Succeeded by | Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick |
Admiral of the Russian Imperial Navy | |
In office 1726–1728 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Gordon |
Succeeded by | Martin Gossler |
Member of the Supreme Privy Council | |
In office 1726–1728 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Vasily Lukich Dolgorukov |
1st President of the College of War | |
In office 1717–1724 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Anikita Repnin |
Member of the Governing Senate | |
In office 1711–1728 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Field Marshal of the Russian Imperial Army | |
In office 1709–1728 | |
Preceded by | Boris Sheremetev |
Succeeded by | Anikita Repnin |
1st Governor-General of St. Petersburg | |
In office 1702–1724 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Pyotr Apraksin |
Personal details | |
Born | Moscow,Tsardom of Russia | 16 November 1673
Died | 23 November 1729 56) Beryozovo,Russian Empire | (aged
Spouse | Darya Mikhailovna Arsenyeva |
Children | Maria Menshikova Alexandra Alexandrovna Menshikova Alexander Alexandrovich Menshikov |
Awards | Titles Prince of the Russian Empire, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, 1st Duke of Izhora, 1st Duke of Cosel Orders Order of St. Andrew, Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Black Eagle, Order of the White Eagle, Order of the Elephant |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 1699–1728 |
Rank | Generalissimo |
Battles/wars | |
Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (Russian : Алекса́ндр Дани́лович Ме́ншиков; 16 November [ O.S. 6 November] 1673 – 23 November [ O.S. 12 November] 1729) was a Russian statesman, whose official titles included Generalissimo, Prince of the Russian Empire and Duke of Izhora (Duke of Ingria), Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Cosel. A highly appreciated associate and friend of Tsar Peter the Great, he was the de facto ruler of Russia from 1725 to 1727.
Menshikov was born on 16 November [ O.S. 6 November] 1673 in Moscow. Historian Paul Bushkovitch argues that Menshikov was not an aristocrat and was most likely descended from servants of the palace stables, who among others made up the first soldiers of Peter's 'toy armies.' [1] As the legend (dating from around 1710) goes, he was making a living on the streets of Moscow as a vendor of stuffed buns known as pirozhki [2] at the age of twenty. His fine appearance and witty character caught the attention of Franz Lefort, Peter's first favourite, who took him into his service and finally transferred him to the tsar. On the death of Lefort in 1699, Menshikov succeeded him as Peter's prime favourite and confidant. [3]
He took an active part in the Azov campaigns (1695–1696) against the Ottoman Empire. During the tsar's first foreign tour in the next year, Menshikov worked by his side in the dockyard of Amsterdam, and acquired a thorough knowledge of shipbuilding and colloquial Dutch and German. He acted as subordinate to Boris Sheremetev, who was commander-in-chief during the retreat before Charles XII in 1708, subsequently participating in the battle of Holowczyn, the reduction of Mazepa, and the crowning victory of Poltava (8 July [ O.S. 27 June] 1709), where he won his field-marshal's baton. [4]
Around 1706 he had a conflict with Andrew Vinius; Vinius lost all of his land and goods. From 1709 to 1714 he served during the Courland, Holstein and Pomeranian campaigns, but then, as governor-general of Ingria, with almost unlimited powers, was entrusted with a leading part in the civil administration. Menshikov understood perfectly the principles on which Peter's reforms were conducted and was the right hand of the tsar in all his gigantic undertakings. But he abused his powerful position, and his corrupt practices frequently brought him to the verge of ruin. Every time the tsar returned to Russia he received fresh accusations of plunder against "his Serene Highness." [4]
Peter's first serious outburst of indignation (March 1711) was due to the prince's looting in Poland. On his return to Russia in 1712, Peter discovered that Menshikov had turned a blind eye to wholesale corruption in his own governor-generalship. Peter warned him "for the last time" to change his ways. Yet, in 1713, he was implicated in the "Solovey process", in the course of which it was demonstrated that he had defrauded the government of 100,000 roubles. He only owed his life on this occasion to a sudden illness. On his recovery Peter's fondness for his friend overcame his sense of justice. [4] In 1714 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. [5]
In the last year of Peter's reign new allegations of fraud by Menshikov came to light, and he was obliged to appeal for protection to the empress Catherine. It was chiefly through the efforts of Menshikov and his colleague Tolstoi that, on the death of Peter, in 1725, Catherine was raised to the throne. Menshikov was committed to the Petrine system, and he recognised that, if that system were to continue, Catherine was, at that particular time, the only possible candidate. Her name was a watchword for the progressive faction. Her placement on the throne meant a final victory over ancient prejudices, a vindication of the new ideas of progress, and not least security for Menshikov and his ill-gotten fortune. [4]
During Catherine's short reign (February 1725 –May 1727), Menshikov was practically the absolute ruler of Russia. He promoted himself to the unprecedented rank of Generalissimo, [6] and was the only Russian to bear a princedom title. Upon finishing the construction of the Menshikov Palace on the Neva Embankment in St Petersburg (now assigned to the Hermitage Museum), Menshikov intended to make Oranienbaum a capital of his ephemeral Principality. Pushkin in one of his poems alluded to Menshikov as "half-tsar".[ citation needed ]
On the whole he ruled well, his difficult position serving as some restraint upon his natural inclinations. He contrived to prolong his power after Catherine's death by means of a forged will and a coup d'état . While his colleague Peter Tolstoi would have raised Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, Menshikov set up the youthful Peter II, son of the tsarevich Alexei, with himself as dictator during the prince's minority. [4]
He now aimed at establishing himself definitely by marrying his daughter Mary to Peter II. But the old nobility, represented by the Dolgorukovs and the Galitzines, united to overthrow him, and he was deprived of all his dignities and offices and expelled from the capital (20 September [ O.S. 9 September] 1727). Subsequently, he was deprived of his enormous wealth, stripped of the titles, and he and his whole family were banished to Beryozovo in Siberia, where he died on 23 November [ O.S. 12 November] 1729. [4] His wife Darya Mikhailovna (born Arseneva) died on their way into exile in 1728 near Kazan.
According to Simon Sebag Montefiore in his book The Romanovs 1613–1918 Menshikov was once punched twice by Tsar Peter the Great, once in the nose and once on the side of the head, after Tsar Peter saw Menshikov dancing with his sword still on, which is considered to be highly rude and offensive. [7]
Menshikov built a wooden church in Beryozovo. He buried his daughter who died in exile there. Menshikov's younger children survived the exile and were eventually returned to the court.
Catherine IAlekseyevna Mikhailova; born Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya; 15 April [O.S. 5 April] 1684 – 17 May [O.S. 6 May] 1727) was the second wife and Empress consort of Peter the Great, whom she succeeded as Empress of Russia, ruling from 1725 until her death in 1727.
Elizabeth or Elizaveta Petrovna was Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular Russian monarchs because of her decision not to execute a single person during her reign, her numerous construction projects, and her strong opposition to Prussian policies.
Peter III Fyodorovich was Emperor of Russia from 5 January 1762 until 9 July of the same year, when he was overthrown by his wife, Catherine II. He was born in the German city of Kiel as Charles Peter Ulrich of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, the grandson of Peter the Great and great-grandson of Charles XI of Sweden.
Peter II Alexeyevich was Emperor of Russia from 1727 until 1730, when he died at the age of 14. He was the only son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich and Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg. After Catherine I's death, Alexander Menshikov controlled Peter II, but was thwarted by his opponents and exiled by Peter. Peter was also influenced by favorites like Prince Aleksey Dolgorukov, leading to a neglect of state affairs and the tightening of serfdom. Peter's reign was marked by disengagement, disorder, and indulgence. He was engaged to Ekaterina Dolgorukova, but died suddenly of smallpox before the marriage, thus making him the last male agnatic member of the House of Romanov.
Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin was one of the first Russian admirals, governed Estonia and Karelia from 1712 to 1723, was made general admiral (1708), presided over the Russian Admiralty from 1717 to 1728 and commanded the Baltic Fleet from 1723.
Oranienbaum is a Russian royal residence, located on the Gulf of Finland west of St. Petersburg. The Palace ensemble and the city centre are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Count Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy was a Russian statesman and diplomat, prominent during and after the reign of Peter the Great. He was the ancestor of all the Counts Tolstoy, including the novelist Leo Tolstoy and Alexei Tolstoy the writer. His wife was Solomonida Timofeevna Dubrovskaya born 1660 and died 1722; he had two sons with her, Ivan and Peter. Both his sons died in exile with him the year before his own death. He was, however, survived by many grandchildren: the family was recalled by the Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great in 1760, and had all honors and land restored.
Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov was a Russian nobleman, military commander and statesman. He was made adjutant general in 1817 and admiral in 1833.
Beryozovo is an urban locality and the administrative center of Beryozovsky District of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, located on the Ob River. Population: 7,287 (2010 Census); 7,085 (2002 Census); 7,573 (1989 Soviet census).
António Manuel de Vieira, known in Russia as Count Anton Manuilovich Devier, was one of Peter I's foreign associates, who proved to be an efficient administrator in St Petersburg and Siberia. He was St. Petersburg's first chief of police and was identified as a main rival of Alexander Danilovich Menshikov at Catherine I's court. De Vieira was the father of Peter Devier.
Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of Russia was the eldest daughter of Emperor Peter I of Russia and his wife Empress Catherine I. Her younger sister, Empress Elizabeth, ruled between 1741 and 1762. While a potential heir in the reign of her nephew Peter II, she never acceded to the throne due to political reasons. However, her son Peter III became Emperor in 1762, succeeding Elizabeth. She was the Duchess Consort of Holstein-Gottorp by marriage. She was born in Moscow and died in Kiel in her youth, at the age of 20.
The Supreme Privy Council of Imperial Russia, founded on 19 February 1726 and operative until 1730, originated as a body of advisors to Empress Catherine I.
The Imperial Order of Saint Catherine was an award of Imperial Russia. Instituted on 24 November 1714 by Peter the Great on the occasion of his marriage to Catherine I of Russia. For the majority of the time of Imperial Russia, it was the only award for women; the Insignia of Saint Olga existed briefly from 1916 to 1917, but ceased with the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
Archangelgorod Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, which existed from 1708 until 1780. Its seat was in Archangel (Arkhangelsk). The governorate was located in the north of the Russian Empire and bordered Siberia Governorate in the east, Kazan Governorate in the southeast, Moscow and Ingermanland Governorates in the southwest, Sweden in the west, and Norway in north-west. In the north, the governorate was limited by the White and Barents Seas.
Count Nikita Moiseevich Zotov was a childhood tutor and lifelong friend of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. Historians disagree on the quality of Zotov's tutoring. Robert K. Massie, for example, praises his efforts, but Lindsey Hughes criticizes the education that he gave to the future tsar.
During the Great Northern War, the fortress of Tönning in the territory of Holstein-Gottorp, an ally of the Swedish Empire, was besieged twice. Denmark-Norway was forced to lift the first siege in 1700, but a combined force of the anti-Swedish coalition successfully besieged and took Tönning in 1713–1714.
Princess Maria Alexandrovna Menshikova was a daughter of Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov, the favourite of Peter I of Russia.
Prince Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Menshikov was a son of Prince Menshikov who, at one stage, was betrothed to Grand Duchess Natalya Alexeyevna, a granddaughter of Peter the Great. He later served as an officer in the Russian Imperial Army.
Events from the year 1729 in Russia
Varvara Mikhailovna Arsenyeva, was a Russian courtier and mistress of Peter the Great.