Arakcheev

Alexey Andreevich

Battles and victories

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

Aleksey Andreevich Arakcheev called himself "an uneducated Novgorod nobleman", although he collected one of the best libraries in Russia, subscribed to almost all scientific journals of that time, and even started an institute for the training of 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 Patriotic war 1812.

Arakcheev was born on September 23 (October 4), 1769 at his father's estate in the Novgorod province. The exact place of birth is unknown. Some researchers called the family village of his mother Kurgany, other biographers believed that he was born in the village of Garusovo on the shores of Lake Udomlya, Vyshnevolotsky district, Tver province (today Udomelsky district of the Tver region) and even spent his childhood years there. It is apparently impossible to give an exact answer to this question, because no documents about the birth of the count have been preserved. 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, the Minister of War of Russia in 1808 - 1810, who enjoyed the great confidence 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. - the 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 rude military clique. Such associations with the name of the former favorite of the two emperors, as “drill”, “military settlements”, “pacification of rebels”, “temporary worker”, seemed to leave no hope of finding anything positive in the life and work of this remarkable person. The term "Arakcheevism" is used to denote any gross arbitrariness, and was invented by representatives of the progressive public, mainly of the liberal persuasion. Categorically negative - as an ugly manifestation of Russian autocracy - Arakcheev's activity was assessed by socialist and communist historians and publicists. A serious analysis of the activities of Arakcheev as a statesman and military figure, as a rule, was not carried out. Therefore, the term carried a derogatory generalization of the reign of Paul I and Alexander I.

The liberal intelligentsia, of course, treated Arakcheev and his memory rather negatively. Everyone knows the epigram of young A.S. Pushkin on Arakcheev:

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

However, the more mature Pushkin evoked sympathy for the retired Arakcheev. Responding to the death of Count Arakcheev, Pushkin wrote to his wife: "I am the only one who regrets this in all of Russia - I did not manage to see him and talk a lot."

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

Contrary to the generally accepted point of view and his own assertion, Arakcheev was a highly educated person, as well as the owner of one of the largest libraries in Russia at that time. The library he collected, according to the catalog of 1824, consisted of 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 deacon who taught him grammar and arithmetic (by the way, this deacon was the grandfather of the great Russian chemist D.I. Mendeleev). In the future, Arakcheev even seemed to flaunt this circumstance. So, having become the Minister of War in 1808, Alexei Andreevich gathered his subordinates and turned to them with an extravagant statement: “Gentlemen, I recommend myself, please take care of me, I know little about literacy, the father paid 4 rubles in copper for my upbringing.”

It was during his studies "with copper money" that Arakcheev became a great admirer of the 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, i.e. lightened without reducing combat power, a permanent horse composition was introduced in all batteries, guns of the same type and caliber were supplied to all batteries. Thanks to the reform of Arakcheev, the power of Russian artillery has increased, and mobility has increased, and this is without switching to any new technologies. And it was precisely thanks to Arakcheev's reform that the Russian artillery in the war of 1812 not only was not inferior to the French, but even surpassed it. At the same time, Arakcheev managed to inspire extremely serious attitude to artillery to the entire command of the Russian army. Thanks to the work of the so-called. The Arakcheev Commission found out that the effectiveness of fire on the battlefield is 6-8 times greater than the effectiveness of rifle fire.

Being engaged in the military department, he ensured an excellent supply of 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, preparing reserves, and he did an excellent job with this task, i.e. the Russian army had during the war, in fact, everything necessary, which greatly contributed to the victory of Russian weapons; finally, he managed to turn the military settlements invented by Alexander I into something acceptable.

Arakcheev was an honest, conscientious officer, always, with all his might, with full dedication, carried out the order 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 granted Arakcheev his portrait, adorned with diamonds, the count left the portrait (he was usually depicted with it on all portraits of the last period of his life), and sent the diamonds back. Also on 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, the initial education under the guidance of a rural deacon consisted in the study of Russian literacy and arithmetic. The boy felt a great inclination for the latter science and diligently studied it.

Wishing to place his son in a military educational institution, Andrei Andreevich Arakcheev (1732 - 1797) took him to St. Petersburg. In 1783, due to his infancy, 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 with his son, who was already about to leave the capital, went on the first Sunday to the St. Petersburg Metropolitan Gabriel, who distributed to the poor the money sent for this subject by Catherine II. The share of the landowner Arakcheev received from the metropolitan three silver rubles. Having received some more allowance 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 met Mellisino and dutifully waited for an answer to their petition for enrolling the boy in the corps. Once, 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 the elementary classes opened the way to further study and officer service in the Russian army.

Rapid advances in the sciences, especially in mathematics, soon brought him (in 1787) the rank of officer. Later P.I. Mellisino, who especially fell in love with Alexei Andreevich for his "serviceability" in his studies and service, recommended him to the heir to the throne led. book. Pavel Petrovich to head 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 introduced him from the very better side. From September 1792, at the request of the future Emperor Paul I, Arakcheev was sent to Gatchina, and soon, for his diligence and success in the artillery service, he was appointed commander of the Gatchina artillery team. Alexey Andreevich fully justified the recommendation by the exact execution of the instructions assigned to him, tireless activity, knowledge of military discipline, strict obedience to the established order, which soon won over the Grand Duke.

From 1794, Arakcheev was an inspector of the Gatchina artillery, from 1796, at the same time, of the infantry. The new inspector reorganized the Tsarevich's artillery, dividing the artillery team into 3 foot and 1 cavalry squads (corporates), with a fifth of their staff being in auxiliary positions; compiled a special instruction for each officer in the artillery. Arakcheev developed a plan for the deployment of artillery squads into companies and the creation of a four-company artillery regiment, introduced a methodology for the practical training of artillerymen and created "classes for teaching military science", took an active part in the drafting of new charters. The innovations he proposed were subsequently implemented throughout the Russian army.

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

Three emperors of Arakcheev -
Pavel I Petrovich

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

Severity and impartiality, observance of the law and the desire to strictly execute the decisions of the monarch distinguished Arakcheev when restoring order in the troops. But Arakcheev did not have long to enjoy the favor of the emperor, who was fickle in his predilections. On March 18, 1798, Alexei Andreevich was dismissed from service with the rank of lieutenant general.

And then there was a new rise. 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 be a 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 granted the Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and on May 5, 1799 - Count of the Russian Empire for his excellent diligence and work for the benefit of the service. He was ordered to be present at the Military Collegium and to 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 well acquainted in his service. In 1802, Alexander again called him to the service, appointing him a member of the Commission for compiling exemplary states of artillery, and on May 14, 1803, he was again an inspector of all artillery and commander of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion.

The experience of Arakcheev's activities 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 early XIX century - a type of field artillery, in which not only guns and ammunition, but also each number of the gun crew were transported by horses, due to which the servants were trained not only in actions with a gun, but also in horseback combat. Horse artillery was intended for fire support of the cavalry and the creation of a mobile artillery reserve, therefore it was armed with lightweight unicorns and six-pounder guns. In 1803 - 1811. Arakcheev prepared and carried out the reform of the Russian artillery, as a result of which it turned into an independent type of army, its organization was improved (regiments and battalions were replaced by artillery brigades), the first integrated system of artillery weapons was created (field artillery is limited to guns of four calibers of lightweight design, the ammunition load of each gun is determined, the states are revised, unified design documentation is introduced, exemplary reference parts for manufacturers are developed, etc. . P.). Army infantry divisions foot artillery brigades of 3-company composition (battery and 2 light), and cavalry - mounted artillery companies were attached, mobile artillery arsenals were created.

Arakcheev established exams for artillery officers and wrote a series of instructions for them. Even upon arrival in Gatchina to the artillery units of Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich, Arakcheev discovered that there were no instructions: what each number does with a gun. The artilleryman did what the officer, who had two guns, 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 officers of the guard, of course, did not like such a detailed regulation, the observance of which was assigned to them.

The converted artillery proved to be successful during the Napoleonic wars. Strict towards the negligent, he did not skimp on rewards for those who duly performed their service: about 11 thousand rubles were spent on awards in the Artillery Expedition. in year. In December 1807, Arakcheev was appointed to be 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 into the Scientific Committee for Artillery; Artillery magazine began to be published.

In 1805 A.A. Arakcheev was with the sovereign in the battle of Austerlitz.

In 1807 Arakcheev was promoted to general of artillery. To restore order in the military department, on January 13, 1808, Alexander I appointed Arakcheev Minister of the Army (until 1810), in addition, on January 17 - inspector general of all infantry and artillery (until 1819), with subordination to him commissariat and provisions departments. January 26, 1808 Arakcheev became the head of the Imperial Military Camping Office and Courier Corps. Under his leadership, the introduction of the divisional organization of the army was completed, its recruitment, supply and training of troops improved. During the administration of the ministry, Arakcheev issued new rules and regulations for various parts of the military administration, simplified and shortened correspondence, established recruit depots and training grenadier battalions prepared reinforcements for line units. Artillery was given a new organization, measures were taken to increase the level of special education for officers, and the material part was streamlined and improved. The positive consequences of these improvements were not slow to show up during the wars in 1812-1814.

Gr. A.A. Arakcheev took an active part in the war with Sweden. Alexander ordered that the theater of war be immediately and decisively transferred to the Swedish coast, taking advantage of the opportunity (the rarest in the history of the usually non-freezing bay) to cross there on the ice. Since a number of generals, in view of the order of the sovereign 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 on February 20, 1809 in Abo, 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 fall behind, Arakcheev, together with Barclay himself, built a complete scheme of not only troops, but also mobile depots, so that they, not lagging behind, would move in sync with the troops.

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

During the movement of Russian troops to the Åland Islands in Sweden, a change in government followed: instead of Gustavus Adolf, who was deposed from the throne, 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 Arakcheev did not approve of Knorring's act and, when meeting with General Debeln, told the latter that he had been sent from 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 the Kvarken, and Shuvalov occupied Torneo. On September 5, the Friedrichsgam peace was signed by Russian and Swedish representatives, according to which Finland, part of Västerbotten up to the Torneo River and the Aland Islands went to Russia. We can safely say that it was the arrival of Arakcheev in the army as a personal representative of the emperor that accelerated the end of the Russian-Swedish war.

On January 1, 1810, Arakcheev left the military 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 in it), with the right to be present in the committee of ministers and the Senate. Leaving this post, Arakcheev recommended Barclay de Tolly to 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 the affairs in the country. On December 7, 1812, it was transformed into His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery - an organ that, as you know, played a huge role in the history of the country. Arakcheev actually stood at its origins, leading it until 1825. In many respects, his efforts Russian army was well prepared for the Patriotic War of 1812.

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

Since that date, the entire French war has gone through my hands, all the secret orders, reports and handwritten orders of the sovereign.

A.A. Arakcheev

Count A.A. Arakcheev.
Artist I.B. Lumpy Senior

During the Patriotic War, the main concern of Arakcheev 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 confidence in Arakcheev increased to the point that he was entrusted with the execution of the highest plans not only in military matters, but also in matters of civil administration. In 1815, Alexei Andreevich was appointed the only reporter 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 legal acts, transforming all military legislation and thereby completing the reform of the army.

It was Arakcheev who managed to persuade the emperor to give up 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.

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

P.A. spoke about the significance of Arakcheev. Kleinmikhel, who was then Arakcheev’s adjutant: “You don’t understand what Arakcheev is to me. Everything that is done badly, he takes upon himself, he attributes everything good to me.

We will do everything: the Russians must demand the impossible from us in order to achieve the possible.

A.A. Arakcheev

He was just as demanding, above all, to himself. This principle allowed Arakcheev to do 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, told by him to General A.P. Yermolov: "Many undeserved curses will fall on me." The phrase turned out to be prophetic.

Arakcheev, all his life, fiercely hated bribery, traditionally rooted in Russian society. Those caught red-handed were immediately expelled from their posts, regardless of their faces. Red tape, extortion for the purpose of obtaining a bribe were pursued by him mercilessly. Arakcheev demanded immediate resolution of issues and strictly monitored the implementation of deadlines, so the clerical community hated him. Why be surprised that the section of this society determined the mood of the writers and publicists who invented "Arakcheevism".

But the main phenomenon in the military life of Russia, with which the name of Arakcheev is associated, is the arrangement of military settlements. Count Alexei Andreevich is usually considered the creator of this system. However, military settlements were proposed by Alexander I himself, while 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 conducting more and more recruiting sets, and the high cost of maintaining the army. The emperor put forward the idea that every soldier should be a peasant, and every peasant should be a soldier. This was originally done through the introduction of soldiers to lodge in the village.

Alexander I was occupied with the idea of ​​organizing military settlements on a vast scale. According to some information, we repeat, Arakcheev at first showed a clear disapproval of this thought. But in view of the inexorable desire of the sovereign - in 1817, Alexander I entrusted him with the development of a plan for the creation of settlements - he led the matter abruptly, with merciless consistency, not embarrassed by the murmur of the people, forcibly torn off 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, relying on which the tsar could carry out liberal reforms.

Arakcheev, a believing 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 own moral duty... such an employee was endlessly needed by Alexander.

A. Zubov

“The emperor was well aware of the weaknesses and shortcomings of his Gatchina friend - lack of culture, touchiness, envy, jealousy of the royal mercy, but all this was outweighed in the eyes of the king by his virtues. Alexander, Arakcheev and Prince A.N. The Golitsyns together made up that powerful lever that almost turned Russia off the path to a national catastrophe, outlined by the deeds 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 whole series of revolts among the military settlers were suppressed with inexorable severity. The outer side of the settlements has been brought to an exemplary order. Only the most exaggerated rumors about their well-being reached the sovereign. Many of the dignitaries, either without understanding the matter or out of fear of a powerful temporary worker, extolled the new institution with exorbitant praise.

Arakcheev and Speransky -
Pushkin's eyes

The idea was the emperor, the design of this idea into a more or less integral picture is the work of Speransky, and only Arakcheev was to blame for everything. He always conscientiously 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 to do so. An honest soldier strictly fulfilled his duty.

The problem was exacerbated by the general bribery of the authorities, starting with the officers: Arakcheev, who demanded from the chiefs, first of all, external order and improvement, could not eradicate the general robbery, and only in rare cases the perpetrators were subjected to well-deserved punishment. It is not surprising that dull discontent increased every year among the military settlers. In the reign of Emperor Alexander I, it was expressed only by single outbursts. At the same time, the indignation among the soldiers and peasants was suppressed by force. In those military settlements that Arakcheev personally dealt with, soldiers and peasants lived more or less tolerably.

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

Arakcheev and Speransky -
through the eyes of a contemporary artist

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 landlord estates together with the peasants “at voluntarily set prices with the landowners” and granting the peasants personal freedom. Of course, this project, like many similar plans of Alexander's reign, remained unrealized.

And, finally, the decency of Arakcheev is evidenced by the clean signed forms of decrees of Alexander I, which the tsar left to Arakcheev when leaving the capital. The temporary worker could use these blank forms for his own purposes to deal with unwanted people, because he had enough enemies. But none of the forms entrusted by the tsar was used by Arakcheev for personal purposes.

Modern researchers often characterize him as one of the most effective administrators in Russian history, and believe that he was an ideal performer, able to realize grandiose plans.

The influence of Arakcheev on affairs and his power continued throughout the reign of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich. Being the most influential nobleman, close to the sovereign, Arakcheev, having the Order of Alexander Nevsky, refused other orders granted to him: in 1807 - from the Order of St.. Vladimir, and in 1808 - from the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, and only left a rescript on the award as a keepsake. He also did not accept the rank of Field Marshal (1814), although his merits in the anti-Napoleonic wars were great. Alexey Andreevich was also awarded the Prussian Orders of the Black and Red Eagle of the 1st class, the Austrian Order of St. Stephen of the 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 state lady. Alexei Andreevich refused this favor as well. The emperor said with displeasure: “You don’t want to accept anything from me!” - “I am pleased with the goodwill of Your Imperial Majesty,” answered Arakcheev, “but I beg you not to favor my parent as a lady of state; she spent her whole life in the country; if he comes here, he will attract the ridicule of the ladies of the court, and for a solitary life he does not need this decoration. Retelling about this event to those close to him, Alexei Andreevich added: “only once in my life, and it was in this case, that I was guilty against the parent, 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 name of Arakcheev was named under his patronage Arakcheevsky, later - Rostov Grenadier Prince Friedrid of the Netherlands Regiment.

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 his service.

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 removed from command over military settlements. He was fired on an indefinite leave for treatment, and was in the service until 1832. Arakcheev went abroad and arbitrarily published an edition 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 in their reign, Arakcheev last years dedicated his life to his estate Gruzino. Returning to the estate in 1827, Alexander Andreevich took up its arrangement, opened a hospital, took care of the peasant loan bank he had previously created, and tried, in accordance with his ideas, to regulate the life of serfs. His desire to create an exemplary economy 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 banks of the river. Not even ruins remained of the Volkhov - all the buildings were destroyed during the hostilities of 1941-1944.

Having retained the title of a member of the State Council, Arakcheev went to travel abroad; his health was already broken. In 1833, Arakcheev contributed 50,000 rubles to 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 to those who write by 1925 (in Russian) best story 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 two translators in equal parts, who will translate from Russian into German and into French the history of Alexander I, awarded the first prize. Arakcheev built in front of the cathedral church of his the village is magnificent bronze monument Alexander, on which the following inscription is made: "To the Sovereign-Benefactor, after His death."

Arakcheev's last act for the common good was his donation of 300 thousand rubles for the education of the poor nobles of the Novgorod and Tver provinces from the percentage of this capital in the Novgorod Cadet Corps, as well as 50 thousand rubles. Pavlovsk Institute for the education of the daughters of the 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 to it. Back in 1816, Alexander I approved the spiritual will of Arakcheev, entrusting the custody of the will to the Governing Senate. The testator was given the choice of an heir, but Arakcheev did not do so. Nicholas I recognized for the best remedy give forever the Georgian volost and all movable property belonging to it to the complete and indivisible possession of the Novgorod Cadet Corps, so that it turns the income received from the estate to the education of noble youth and takes 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 morbid condition, sent Villiers, a medical doctor, to him in Gruzino, but the latter could no longer help, and on the eve of the Resurrection of Christ, on April 21 (May 3), 1834, Arakcheev died, “without taking his eyes off the portrait Alexander, in his room, on the very sofa that served as a bed for the Autocrat of All Russia. He kept shouting to have his life extended for at least a month, finally, sighing, he said: “Damned death,” and died.

Before the funeral, they put on a canvas shirt, in which Emperor Alexander died, and dressed him 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 Alexei Andreevich took care of his death and burial long before his death. The tomb with the epitaph was prepared inside the metropolitan-looking St. Andrew's Cathedral next to the monument to Emperor Paul. The Arakcheevsky regiment and an artillery battery were called to the funeral.

The remains of Arakcheev 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 the public of the Chudovsky district, on the territory of which Gruzino is located, turned to the regional authorities with a request to transfer the remains for re-burial in the former count's estate.

Gloomy and unsociable from childhood, Arakcheev remained so throughout his life. With a remarkable mind and disinterestedness, he knew how to remember the good that someone had ever done to him. In addition to pleasing the will of the monarchs and fulfilling the requirements of the service, he was not shy about anything. His severity often degenerated into cruelty, and the time of his almost unlimited dominion (the last years, the first quarter XIX c.) was characterized by a kind of terror, since everyone trembled before him. In general, he left a bad memory on his own.

The kings valued his rigidity, which reached the inexorability, experience and knowledge, especially in the field of artillery, using his services when it was necessary to "put things in order." In Soviet times, Arakcheev was constantly defined as "a reactionary, a persecutor of the Suvorov school, a tsar's serf and a saint." But already in 1961, in an article about Arakcheev in the Historical Encyclopedia, several lines appeared about his merits 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, Moscow State University 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 A.A. Arakcheev. Historical Bulletin. 1894 / V. 58, No. 10

Letters 1796. 1797 Message A.I. Maksheev. Russian antiquity. 1891 / V. 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. Borozdin. 2. From the notes of von Bradke. Russian story. Series 1. Issue. 10. M., 1908

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

Bogoslovsky N.G. Arakcheevshchina: Stories. Op. N. Bogoslovsky. SPb., 1882

Bogoslovsky N.G. Tales of the Past: War Times. settlements. Op. Slovsky [pseudo]. Novgorod, 1865

Bulgarin F.G. Trip to Gruzino. SPb., 1861

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

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

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

Davydova, E.E., comp. Arakcheev: testimonies of contemporaries. Comp. HER. Davydova et al. M., 2000

Jenkins M. Arakcheev. Reactionary reformer. M., 2004

Evropeyus I.I. Memoirs of Europeus about the service in the military settlement and about the relationship with Count Arakcheev. Russian antiquity. 1872. Vol. 6, No. 9

Ivanov G. Famous and famous refugees. Issue. 1: From Alexei Arakcheev to Alexei Smirnov. B.m., 2003

Kaigorodov V. Arakcheevshchina. Op. V. Kaigorodova. M., 1912

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

Kovalenko A.Yu. The era of Alexander I in context state activity A. A. Arakcheeva: Proc. allowance. Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 1999

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

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

Panchenko A.M. Library of Count A.A. Arakcheev in Gruzino. A.M. Panchenko. Berkovsky readings. Book culture in the context of international contacts. Central Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus; Moscow: Nauka. Minsk, 2011

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

Pillows D.L. The role of Count A.A. Arakcheev in the Patriotic War of 1812. Local lore almanac "Udomelskaya starina", No. 29, September 2002

Pillows D.L.(compiler), Vorobyov V.M. (scientific editor). Famous Russians in the history of the Udomlya region. Tver, 2009

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

Romanovich E.M. Death Days and the Death of Count Arakcheev. (From the story of a retired staff captain Evgeny Mikhailovich Romanovich). Message P.A. Musatovsky. Russian archive. 1868. Ed. 2nd. M., 1869

Russian conservatives. M., 1997

Sigunov N.G. Features from the life of Count Arakcheev. The stories of Major General Nick. Grigor. Sigunova. Message M.I. Bogdanovich. Russian antiquity. 1870. T. 1. Ed. 3rd. SPb., 1875

Dictionary of Russian generals, participants in the hostilities 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 Count Arakcheev's Biography. Vyacheslav Ulybin. SPb., 2006

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

Shevlyakov M.V., ed. Historical people in jokes: from the life of state and public figures. Ed. M.V. Shevlyakova. SPb., 2010

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

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

Extensive material for characterizing Count Arakcheev and his time is placed 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).

Internet

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

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

Makhno Nestor Ivanovich

Over the mountains, over the valleys
waiting for your blues for a long time
wise father, glorious father,
our kind father - Makhno ...

(peasant song from the Civil War)

He was able to create an army, led successful military operations against the Austro-Germans, against Denikin.

And for * carts * even if he was not awarded the Order of the Red Banner, then this should be done now

Istomin Vladimir Ivanovich

Istomin, Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov - Great people who served and fought in the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol!

Vatutin Nikolai Fyodorovich

Operations "Uranus", "Little Saturn", "Jump", etc. and so on.
A true war worker

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich

The only one of the commanders, who on 06/22/1941 carried out the order of the Stavka, counterattacked the Germans, threw them back in his sector and went on the offensive.

Minich Burchard-Christopher

One of the best Russian generals and military engineers. The first commander who entered the Crimea. Winner at Stavucany.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

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

Kosich Andrey Ivanovich

1. During his long life (1833 - 1917) A. I. Kosich went from non-commissioned officer to general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. He was distinguished by personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, "one of the most educated generals of the Russian army." Left a lot of literary and scientific works and memories. He patronized the sciences and education. He has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the development of many Russian military leaders, in particular, Gen. A. I. Denikin.
4. He was a resolute opponent of the use of the army against his people, in which he disagreed with P. A. Stolypin. "The army should shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."

Khvorostinin Dmitry Ivanovich

Outstanding commander of the second half of the XVI century. Oprichnik.
Genus. OK. 1520, died on August 7 (17), 1591. At the voivodship posts since 1560. A participant in almost all military enterprises during the independent reign of Ivan IV and the reign of Fedor Ioannovich. He has won several field battles (including: the defeat of the Tatars near Zaraisk (1570), the Molodinsky battle (during decisive battle led the Russian detachments in Gulyai-gorod), the defeat of the Swedes at Lyamits (1582) and not far from Narva (1590)). He led the suppression of the Cheremis uprising in 1583-1584, for which he received the boyar rank.
According to the totality of the merits of D.I. Khvorostinin is much higher than M.I. Vorotynsky. Vorotynsky was more noble and therefore he was more often entrusted with the general leadership of the regiments. But, according to the commander's talents, he was far from Khvorostinin.

Dzhugashvili Iosif Vissarionovich

Gathered and coordinated a team of talented military leaders

Skobelev Mikhail Dmitrievich

A man of great courage, a great tactician, organizer. M.D. Skobelev possessed strategic thinking, saw the situation, both in real time and in perspective

Gavrilov Petr Mikhailovich

From the first days of the Great Patriotic War - in the army. Major Gavrilov P.M. from June 22 to July 23, 1941 led the defense of the Eastern Fort of the Brest Fortress. He managed to rally around him all the surviving fighters and commanders of various units and subunits, close the most vulnerable places for the enemy to break through. On July 23, from a shell explosion in a casemate, he was seriously injured and unconsciously captured. He spent the war years in the Nazi concentration camps of Hammelburg and Revensburg, having experienced all the horrors of captivity. Released Soviet troops in May 1945. http://warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=484

Ivan groznyj

He conquered the Astrakhan kingdom, to which Russia paid tribute. Destroyed the Livonian Order. Expanded the borders of Russia far beyond the Urals.

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.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as head of General Staff(1942-1945) took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945 he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front, led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, the commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops on Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of World War II.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).

Olsufiev Zakhar Dmitrievich

One of the most famous commanders of Bagrationov's 2nd Western Army. He always fought with exemplary courage. He was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree for heroic participation in the Battle of Borodino. He distinguished himself in the battle on the Chernishna (or Tarutinsky) River. The award to him for participating in the defeat of the vanguard of Napoleon's army was the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. He was called "general with talents". When Olsufiev was captured and was delivered to Napoleon, he said to his entourage the famous words in history: "Only Russians know how to fight like that!"

Kondratenko Roman Isidorovich

Warrior of honor without fear and reproach, the soul of the defense of Port Arthur.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

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

In the conditions of the decomposition of the Russian state during the Time of Troubles, with minimal material and human resources, he created an army that defeated the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists and liberated most of the Russian state.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

"As a military figure I.V. Stalin, I studied thoroughly, since I went through the whole war with him. I.V. Stalin mastered the organization of front-line operations and operations of front groups and led them with full knowledge business, well versed in big strategic issues ...
In leading the armed struggle as a whole, JV Stalin was assisted by his natural mind and rich intuition. He knew how to find the main link in a strategic situation and, seizing on it, to counteract the enemy, to conduct one or another major offensive operation. Undoubtedly, he was a worthy Supreme Commander"

(Zhukov G.K. Memoirs and reflections.)

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich

Perhaps the only bright spot against the background of the Soviet commanders of the armored forces. A tanker who went through the entire war, starting from the border. The commander, whose tanks always showed their superiority to the enemy. His tank brigades were the only (!) in the first period of the war that were not defeated by the Germans and even inflicted significant damage on them.
His first guard tank army remained combat-ready, although it defended itself from the very first days of the battles on the southern face of the Kursk Bulge, while exactly the same Rotmistrov’s 5th Guards Tank Army was practically destroyed on the very first day it entered the battle (June 12)
This is one of the few of our commanders who took care of his troops and fought not by numbers, but by skill.

Rurikovich (Grozny) Ivan Vasilyevich

In the variety of perceptions of Ivan the Terrible, they often forget about his unconditional talent and achievements as a commander. He personally led the capture of Kazan and organized military reform, leading the country, which simultaneously waged 2-3 wars on different fronts.

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

The great commander of the ancient Russian period. The first Kiev prince known to us, having a Slavic name. The last pagan ruler 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 vassalage from 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 Arcadiopol, 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 didn’t carry carts or cauldrons behind him, he didn’t cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or beast, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate like that; he didn’t have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors... And sent to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: "I'm going to you!" (According to PVL)

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Victory in the Great Patriotic War, saving the entire planet from absolute evil, and our country from extinction.
Stalin from the first hours of the war exercised control over the country, front and rear. On land, at sea and in the air.
His merit is not one or even ten battles or campaigns, his merit is the Victory, made up of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle of Moscow, the 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.

Grachev Pavel Sergeevich

Hero of the Soviet Union. May 5, 1988 "for the performance of 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, to occupy the strategically important pass Satukandav (Khost province) during the military operation" Highway " "Received the Gold Star medal No. 11573. Commander Airborne troops THE USSR. Total time military service made 647 parachute jumps, some of them while testing new equipment.
He was shell-shocked 8 times, 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 task that few people had in the history of Russia. Only because of the collapse of the army and a decrease in the number of military equipment in the Armed Forces, he could not end the Chechen war victoriously.

Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich

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

Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich

Member of the Russian-Japanese and World War I, one of the main leaders (1918−1920) of the White movement in the years civil war. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in the Crimea and Poland (1920). General Staff Lieutenant General (1918). Georgievsky Cavalier.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

A commander who has not lost a single battle in his career. He took the impregnable fortress of Ishmael, the first time.

Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero Russo-Persian War 1804-1813
"General Meteor" and "Caucasian Suvorov".
He fought not in numbers, but in 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 over the Araks. More than 700 enemies were exterminated, only 2,500 Persian fighters managed to escape from ours.
In both cases, our losses are less than 50 killed and up to 100 wounded.
Further, in the war against the Turks, with a swift attack, 1000 Russian soldiers defeated the 2000th garrison of the Akhalkalaki fortress.
Then, again in the Persian direction, he cleared Karabakh of the enemy, and then, with 2,200 soldiers, defeated Abbas-Mirza with a 30,000-strong army near 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 were 30 killed and 100 wounded.
Kotlyarevsky won most of his victories in night assaults on fortresses and enemy camps, preventing the enemies from coming to their senses.
The last campaign - 2000 Russians against 7000 Persians to the fortress of Lankaran, where Kotlyarevsky almost died during the assault, lost consciousness at times from blood loss and pain from wounds, but still, until the final victory, he commanded the troops as soon as he regained consciousness, and after that he was forced to be treated for a long time and move away from military affairs.
His feats for the glory of Russia are much cooler than the "300 Spartans" - for our generals and warriors have repeatedly beaten a 10-fold superior enemy, and suffered minimal losses, saving Russian lives.

Prophetic Oleg

Your shield is on the gates of Tsaregrad.
A.S. Pushkin.

Osterman-Tolstoy Alexander Ivanovich

One of the brightest "field" generals of the early 19th century. Hero of the battles of Preussisch-Eylau, Ostrovno and Kulm.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

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

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

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

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

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

He made the greatest contribution as a strategist to the victory in the Great Patriotic War (it is also the Second World War).

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

During his short military career, he practically did not know failures, both in battles with the troops of I. Boltnikov, and with the Polish-Liovo and "Tushino" troops. The ability to build a combat-ready army practically from scratch, train, use Swedish mercenaries on the spot and during the time, select successful Russian command personnel to liberate and protect the vast territory of the Russian northwestern region and liberate central Russia, persistent and systematic offensive, skillful tactics in the fight against the magnificent Polish-Lithuanian cavalry, undoubted personal courage - these are the qualities that, despite the little-knownness of his deeds, give him the right to be called the Great Commander of Russia.

Dovator Lev Mikhailovich

Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. Known for successful operations to destroy German troops during the Great Patriotic War. The German command appointed a large reward for the head of Dovator.
Together with the 8th Guards Division named after Major General I.V. Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General M.E. Katukov and other troops of the 16th Army, his corps defended the approaches to Moscow in the Volokolamsk direction.

Kuznetsov Nikolai Gerasimovich

He made a great contribution to the strengthening of the fleet before the war; conducted a number of major exercises, became the initiator of 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 avoided the loss of ships and naval aviation.

Dovmont, Prince of Pskov

On the famous Novgorod monument to the Millennium of Russia, he stands in the section "military people and heroes."
Dovmont, Prince of Pskov, lived in the 13th century (he died in 1299).
Descended from the family of Lithuanian princes. After the assassination of the Lithuanian prince Mindovg, he fled to Pskov, where he was baptized under the name of Timothy, after which the Pskovites elected him their prince.
Soon Dovmont showed the qualities of a brilliant commander. In 1266 he utterly defeated the Lithuanians on the banks of the Dvina.
Dovmont participated in the famous Rakovor battle with the crusaders (1268), where he commanded the Pskov regiments as part of the united Russian army. When the Livonian knights besieged Pskov, Dovmont, with the help of the Novgorodians who came to the rescue, managed to defend the city, and the Grand Master, wounded in a duel by Dovmont himself, was forced to make peace.
To protect against attacks, Dovmont fortified Pskov with a new stone wall, which until the 16th century was called Dovmontova.
In 1299, the Livonian knights unexpectedly invaded the Pskov land and devastated it, but were again defeated by Dovmont, who soon fell ill and died.
None of the Pskov princes enjoyed such love among the Pskovites as Dovmont.
Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint in the 16th century after the Batory invasion on the occasion of some miraculous phenomenon. The local memory of Dovmont is celebrated on May 25. His body was buried in the Trinity Cathedral in Pskov, where his sword and clothes were kept at the beginning of the 20th century.

“The oppressor of all Russia, the tormentor of the governors ...
Full of malice, full of revenge, without mind, without feelings, without honor ... ".

Epigram A.S. Pushkin on A.A. Arakcheev.

Russian military man (artilleryman), general, confidant of the Emperors: Paul I And Alexander I. On his coat of arms was inscribed "Without flattery betrayed." The tough domestic policy pursued by him was called "Arakcheevshchina". In all his life, he did not participate in a single military battle.

He learned writing and arithmetic from the parish deacon.

Served in the garrison Paul I in Gatchina, where he attracted the attention of diligence and service zeal.

At Paul I A.A. Arakcheev led the transformations in the army: introduced the Prussian military order, cane discipline, linear tactics, etc.

It was known that A.A. Arakcheev did not take bribes, but...

“The sovereign considered him an incorruptible, faithful and tireless worker. As a result, he entrusted him with the main state affairs, not heeding public opinion and the warnings of his oldest servants.
Arakcheev had a mistress worthy of him.
With her cruel, tyrannical treatment, she brought out of patience the inhabitants of Gruzin, the estate received by Arakcheev from the royal generosity.
The poor, desperate people, having killed this woman, did not hide their crime, did not evade the operation of the laws, and during the ongoing searches behaved with imperturbable composure.
Their calm firmness horrified Arakcheev.
In its extremes, malice is always accompanied by a certain insanity, which was revealed in the expressions of grief that took possession of this almighty man. He left business, locked himself up and ordered to bury his mistress in the very place that he intended for himself, and it was at the foot of the monument that he erected to the emperor Paul I.
His friends and henchmen believed that he had gone mad.
When these details were communicated to the sovereign, he sent to him General Kleinmichel, whom Arakcheev had long loved, so that he could persuade him to calm down and get down to business again. The emperor even called him to his place in Taganrog and, out of his extraordinary kindness, he himself found a comfortable room for him.
But Arakcheev did not go. It is not known what was in his mind. Not knowing what to think, the sovereign demanded a search file and, to his horror, read such details that should have exposed before him the person he placed so highly. One can imagine how this discovery affected his noble and pure soul.
Meanwhile, Arakcheev, still beside himself, began to look into the things that belonged to his mistress, and found a lot of money and precious trinkets brought to her by persons who sought the favors of her master through her.
Probably, out of fear that they would not think that he himself accepted gifts, he hastened to send these things to those from whom they were delivered, and this mailing was accompanied by circular letters, which served to the general temptation, since very respected names were involved here. .

Countess Roxandra Edling, Notes, in Sat: Sovereign Sphinx: History of Russia and the House of Romanov in the memoirs of contemporaries, XVII-XX centuries, M., "Sergei Dubov Fund", 1999, p. 239-240.

At Alexandra I, c 1815 A.A. Arakcheev in fact, he led the State Council, the Committee of Ministers and His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery and was the only speaker to the Emperor on most departments.

Since 1817 A.A. Arakcheev was engaged in the organization of military settlements on state lands, with the aim of creating a new soldier-peasant class in Russia.

Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev.
Engraving by N.I. Utkin from the original by G. Wagner. 181 Cutter.
Reproduced by G.Scamoni. 1876
GBM-2041\G-129.
From the book. Russian antiquity. T. XV. St. Petersburg, 1876.

Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev 1769-1834 - General of artillery. Since the time of Pushkin, who wrote a caustic epigram against A.A. Arakcheev, "Arakcheevshchina" has entered Russian history as a symbol of reaction. Meanwhile, the famous "reactionary", as historians testify, had undoubted state and military merits, was distinguished by extraordinary honesty and diligence. It is believed that Arakcheev could have remained in the memory of posterity as a more attractive personality, if the autocrats, whom he selflessly served, did not use his abilities one-sidedly.

The formation of his personality, perhaps, was affected by the difficulties and humiliations that he faced when he came as a young man from the Novgorod province to St. Petersburg to enter the Artillery and Engineering Cadet Corps. Being the son of a poor landowner, having no means and connections, Alexei Arakcheev was accepted there only thanks to the mercy of the director of the corps, who took pity on the impoverished young men and his father in the inhospitable capital. In the corps, Arakcheev quickly moved into the ranks of the best cadets, upon graduation he received the rank of officer and was left at the corps as a teacher-repetiteur, and soon became the head of the grenadier team there. As a capable officer, he was recommended to Count N. Saltykov, President of the Military Collegium, who, in turn, recommended him as an assistant to the Grand Duke-Heir Pavel, who created his troops in Gatchina "for exercises". In 1792 - 1796. Arakcheev led Pavel's artillery, and then all the ground forces. In Gatchina, the skills of the Prussian system of training troops, before which the prince-heir bowed, became the skills of Arakcheev.

Upon accession to the throne (1796) Pavel I granted his assistant the rank of major general, the order of St. Anna 1st degree, the estate of Gruzine in the Novgorod province and appointed him commandant of St. Petersburg. The following year, he honored him with the title of baron, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and entrusted him with two more positions - the quartermaster general of the entire army and the commander of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Arakcheev's relationship with the quick-tempered and unbalanced Pavel was nevertheless uneven. In February 1798, he fell into disgrace (when an offended officer shot himself) and was dismissed from service with the award of the rank of lieutenant general. But already in May, Pavel returns him to his place, appoints him to his former position as quartermaster general, entrusts him with the post of inspector of all artillery, and bestows the title of count. Arakcheev helped Pavel to carry out a number of measures that improved the organization of the Russian army, especially artillery, but, following the example of the emperor, he was zealous in imposing severe forms of military discipline and Prussian methods of training troops. He was meticulously demanding and exacting, but without the sadism that rumor attributed to him. “I know that many people don’t like me, because I’m cool,” said Alexei Andreevich, “but what can I do? God created me like that.” In October 1799, he again fell into disgrace (for trying to avert punishment from his brother in the service), received his resignation and left for his Georgian estate.

Alexander Pavlovich, who ascended the throne in 1801, surrounded himself with new people, but did not forget Arakcheev, whose advantages and disadvantages he knew well. In 1803, he called him out of retirement and appointed him inspector of all artillery. In this post, General Arakcheev diligently introduced a new organization of artillery and developed a system for its supply. In the military campaign of 1805, he was able to quickly organize the delivery of artillery ammunition to the army; being in the retinue of the king, he was present at the battle of Austerlitz. After the campaign, he focused on improving the training of artillery personnel, compiled the "Instruction for battery commanders", which contributed to the improvement of the tactics of Russian artillery in the war of 1806 - 1807. In 1807, Alexei Andreevich was promoted to general of artillery, in January of the following year he was appointed minister of war, as well as inspector of all infantry and artillery.

War Minister Arakcheev took an active part in the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-1809. He spent a lot of effort on manning the army and providing it with all the necessary means. In February 1809, Arakcheev went to the Finnish theater of war and, despite the resistance of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Knorring, organized the most difficult winter crossing of troops through the Gulf of Bothnia in order to transfer hostilities to the territory of Sweden. This decided the outcome of the war. The Minister of War refused to accept the highest award from the Tsar - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, referring to the fact that he did not take direct part in the campaign. Alexander found another way to reward him: he ordered the troops to give the minister of war the honors due to him in the places where the king was.

In 1808 - 1810. Arakcheev actively participated in the implementation of military reforms, which helped the Russian army to successfully prepare for the Patriotic War of 1812. Especially much was done for artillery: it was separated into a separate branch of the military, consisting of companies and brigades, a system of exams, training sessions and combat firing was introduced, the material part was improved, a scientific and technical department was created under the artillery administration, and the publication of the "Artillery Journal" was launched.

Offended by the fact that the establishment of the State Council took place without any agreement with him, Arakcheev in January 1810 asked to leave the post of Minister of War, arguing that the time required "more enlightened ministers." The tsar, having accepted his resignation, considered it necessary to appoint Alexei Andreevich to the State Council as chairman of the department of military affairs.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, Arakcheev was vigilantly engaged in the preparation of reserves for the army and its food supply. Leaving in December 1812 to the army, Alexander 1 took Arakcheev with him and did not part with him until the end of hostilities in Europe. In Paris, on March 31, 1814, he prepared a decree on promotion to field marshals, along with Barclay de Tolly and Arakcheev, but he refused such an honor, considering it too high for himself.

At the end of 1815, Count Arakcheev was entrusted with the "supervision of the progress of affairs" in the Committee of Ministers, and he actually led internal politics, remaining a faithful assistant to the king, trying to fulfill his will in everything. An example of this was the system of military settlements created on the initiative of Alexander 1. They were arranged starting from 1810. After the war, in order to reduce military spending, such settlements were formed following the example of the Cossack regiments and were located along the western borders. Appointed head of the corps of military settlements, Alexei Andreevich earned himself a sad reputation in this position, since the tsar's idea was unviable from the very beginning and required coercive measures. The system of military settlements nevertheless outlived its creators and finally died out only under Alexander II.

Severe and rude Arakcheev was strict with himself and guarded his honest name. An example of this was once a note pinned to the door of his waiting room and intended for visitors to read: "I, Vlas Vasiliev, Alexei Andreevich's valet, I confess that on New Year's Day I went to many gentlemen with congratulations, and they granted me in the form of gifts ..." and then it was listed by name who exactly and how much money gave Vasilyev. Following the valet, those who were included in this list had to bitterly repent.

In 1825, Arakcheev survived two strokes of fate. First, he lost his closest friend, housekeeper N. Minkina, who had been his favorite for more than 25 years (she was killed by yard people). In November, Alexander 1 died unexpectedly in Taganrog. Being depressed, Alexei Andreevich made no attempts to get closer to the new Emperor Nicholas 1. He, in turn, did not forgive him for his inactivity on December 14, when the Decembrist rebellion threatened the fate of the throne. On December 20, Arakcheev was released from managing the affairs of the Committee of Ministers and ceased to be a member of the State Council, and in April of the following year he was also dismissed from the post of head of military settlements.

After the death of Alexander 1, Arakcheev made a will in the amount of 50 thousand rubles to write a book about the life and work of his patron, which should have been published in 100 years, so that this book was as truthful as possible.

In recent years, Aleksey Andreevich has been organizing his estate, taking care of its profitability. He died on April 21, 1834 and was buried with full military honors. Dying, he said: "Now I have done everything and can return to Emperor Alexander." Arakcheev did not leave direct heirs. Decree Nicholas I the estate and capital of Alexei Andreevich were transferred to the disposal of the Novgorod Cadet Corps, a significant part of the rich library of the deceased was also given here. On the world map there are the Arakcheev Islands (as part of the Marshall Archipelago), discovered in 1817 by the navigator O.E. Kotzebue.

Used materials of the book: Kovalevsky N.F. History of Russian Goverment. Biographies of famous military leaders of the 18th - early 20th centuries. M. 1997

ARAKCHEEV Alexey Andreevich, Count (1799), Russian statesman and military leader, artillery general (1807). Nobleman. He graduated from the artillery and engineering gentry cadet corps (1787). From September 1792, at the request of Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich (the future Emperor Paul I), he was sent to Gatchina and soon, for diligence and success in artillery service, he was appointed commander of the Gatchina artillery team. Since 1794, the inspector of the Gatchina artillery, since 1796, at the same time, the infantry. Arakcheev reorganized the Tsarevich's artillery, dividing the artillery team into 3 foot and one cavalry squads (corporate), with a fifth of their staff being in auxiliary positions. Compiled special instructions for each officer in the artillery. Arakcheev developed a plan for deploying artillery squads into companies and creating a 4-company artillery regiment. He introduced the method of practical training of artillerymen and created "classes for teaching military science." He took an active part in the drafting of new statutes. The innovations he proposed were subsequently implemented throughout the Russian army.

Arakcheev enjoyed the boundless confidence of the heir to the throne. After the accession of Paul I on November 7 (18), 1796, he was appointed commandant of St. Petersburg (until 1797), the next day he was promoted to major general, 5 days later he was awarded the Order of St. Anna, 1st degree, and in December he was presented with the Gruzino estate. Commander of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment (1797-98), baron (April 1797), holder of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (April 1797), quartermaster general of the army (April 1797 - February 1798, December 1798 - October 1799 of the year). Inexorable strictness and impartiality, observance of the law and the desire to strictly execute the decisions of the monarch distinguished Arakcheev when restoring order in the troops. In 1798, he was enrolled in the retinue of Emperor Paul I. 4 (15) .1.1799 was appointed commander of the Life Guards artillery battalion and inspector of artillery; 4 days later he was awarded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He was ordered to be present at the Military Collegium and to restore order in the artillery expedition. In September 1799, when reporting to Paul I about the theft that occurred during brother Arakcheev's duty at the Arsenal, he distorted the facts, blaming another officer. As a result, in October, “for a false report,” he was dismissed by the emperor, 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.

In 1802, the new emperor Alexander I, who had been on friendly terms with Arakcheev since 1794, again called him to the service, appointing him a member of the Commission for compiling exemplary states of artillery, and in 1803 he was again inspector of all artillery and commander of the Life Guards artillery battalion.

In 1803-11, Arakcheev prepared and implemented the reform of Russian artillery, as a result of which it turned into an independent branch of the armed forces, its organization was improved (regiments and battalions were replaced by artillery brigades), the first integrated system of artillery weapons was created (field artillery is limited to 4 caliber guns lightweight design, the ammunition load of each gun was determined, the states were revised, a unified design documentation was introduced, exemplary reference parts for manufacturers were developed, etc.), army infantry divisions were given 3-company foot artillery brigades (battery and 2 light), and cavalry - cavalry companies, mobile artillery arsenals were created. Arakcheev established exams for artillery officers and wrote a series of instructions for them. The artillery he transformed proved to be successful during the Napoleonic wars. Strict towards the negligent (his credo is “He is my enemy who does not do his job properly”), he did not skimp on rewards for those who performed their service properly: about 11 thousand rubles a year were spent on awards in an artillery expedition. In December 1807, Arakcheev was appointed to be under Alexander I "in the artillery unit", and 2 days later the emperor ordered that his orders, announced by Arakcheev, be considered as personal decrees of the emperor. In 1804, on the initiative of Arakcheev, a Provisional Artillery Committee was formed to consider scientific and technical issues, renamed in 1808 into the Scientific Committee for Artillery, the Artillery Journal began to be published.

To restore order in the military department on 13 (25) .1.1808 Alexander I appointed Arakcheev Minister of the Army (until 1810), 4 days later - Inspector General of all infantry and artillery (until 1819), and on January 26 - Chief of the Military - the marching office of the sovereign and the courier corps. Under his leadership, the introduction of the divisional organization of the army was completed, its recruitment, supply and training of troops improved, recruit depots and training grenadier battalions were created to prepare reinforcements for line units.

The arrival of Arakcheev in the army as a personal representative of the emperor hastened the end of the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-09. It was he who insisted on the passage of Russian troops through the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia, which forced the Swedes to enter into peace negotiations.

In 1810, Arakcheev was appointed a member of the State Council (chairman of the Department of Military Affairs in 1810-12 and 1816-26), a senator, while remaining a member of the Committee of Ministers. In many ways, thanks to his efforts, the Russian army was well prepared for the Patriotic War of 1812. With the outbreak of war, Arakcheev was the manager of the office of Emperor Alexander I (since December 1812, His Imperial Majesty's own office; he remained in this position until 1825). During the war, he was also in charge of recruiting troops and replenishing artillery parks, organizing militias, etc. In 1815, he was appointed the only reporter to the emperor on the affairs of the Committee of Ministers and the State Council. Since that time, Alexander I led the country through Arakcheev, who regularly reported to the emperor (some historians believe that he actually transferred the leadership of the country to Arakcheev). Arakcheev carried out the development of the necessary legal acts, transforming all military legislation and thereby completing the reform of the army.

The creation of military settlements is associated with the name of Arakcheev. Initially, he objected to this project (he was engaged in it back in 1810-11), but after the decision was made by the emperor, he put it into practice. Since 1819, Arakcheev was the head of military settlements, since 1821 - the chief head of the Separate Corps of military settlements. He created for them his own special militarized economy, a special administrative system, a set of necessary regulations that recorded all the rights and obligations of military settlers, a network of educational institutions and hospitals where free medical care was provided.

Arakcheev, on behalf of Alexander I, in 1818 developed one of the projects for the liberation of the peasants: he provided for the purchase by the treasury of landowners' estates together with the peasants "at voluntarily set prices with the landowners" and the provision of personal freedom to the peasants (not implemented).

In April 1826, Emperor Nicholas I was dismissed on indefinite leave for treatment (he was in the service until 1832). Returning to the Gruzino estate in 1827, Arakcheev took up its arrangement, opened a hospital, was engaged in the peasant loan bank he had previously opened, and tried, in accordance with his ideas, to regulate the life of serfs. The library collected by Arakcheev according to the catalog of 1824 consisted of 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 contributed 50 thousand rubles to the State Bank as a prize for the author of the best history of the reign of Alexander I, donated 50 thousand rubles to the Pavlovsk Institute for the education of the daughters of the nobles of the Novgorod province. After the death of Arakcheev, the Novgorod Cadet Corps was named Arakcheevsky in connection with the transfer of Arakcheev's estate and capital in the amount of 1.5 million rubles to it.

The personality of Arakcheev caused conflicting assessments of contemporaries: “the oppressor of all Russia ... full of malice, full of revenge, without mind, without feelings, without honor” (A. S. Pushkin); at a time when "the powerless gerontocracy was dozing at the state helm... one hated Arakcheev was awake for everyone" (F. F. Vigel); “the secret of his success was exemplary diligence and straightforward perseverance” (V. M. Gribovsky); "a man of remarkable intelligence" (N. F. Dubrovin). IN Soviet time Arakcheev was called "a reactionary, a persecutor of the Suvorov school, a tsar's serf and a saint." Modern researchers characterize him as “one of the most effective administrators in Russian history” (V. A. Tomsinov) and believe that he was “an ideal performer capable of realizing grandiose plans” (V. A. Fedorov).

Lit .: Count A. A. Arakcheev // Emperor Alexander I and his associates in 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815. SPb., 1850. T. 6; Ratch V.F. Information about gr. A. A. Arakcheev. [St. Petersburg, 1864]; Otto N.K. Features from the life of gr. A. A. Arakcheeva // Ancient and New Russia. 1875. Vol. 1-3; Strukov D. P. Arakcheev Count Alexei Andreevich. SPb., 1894; Kizevetter A. A. Emperor Alexander I and Arakcheev // Kizevetter A. A. Historical essays. M., 1912; Bogdanovich P. N. Arakcheev - Count and Baron of the Russian Empire (1769-1834). Buenos Aires, 1956; Yachmenikhin K. M. A. A. Arakcheev // Russian Conservatives. M., 1997; Fedorov V. A. M. M. Speransky and A. A. Arakcheev. M., 1997; Tomsinov V. A. Arakcheev. M., 2003.

"Arakcheev A.A." from the "New Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron" (1911-1916).

Childhood and education of Alexei Arakcheev

Graph. He was born on September 23, 1769 on the estate of his father, a retired military man and the owner of 20 souls of peasants in the Bezhetsk district, Tver province. The father was a soft and weak person, he did not educate his son, and Alexei's character developed under the influence of his mother, Elizabeth Andreevna Vitlitskaya, women pedantic, dry and cruel.
Having learned literacy and arithmetic from a rural sexton, Alexei was sent to the St. Petersburg gentry artillery and engineering cadet corps, where he turned out to have the ability and taste for mathematical sciences. Success in learning, along with exemplary diligence, drew the attention of the authorities to Arakcheev and created for him a privileged position among his comrades. From the age of 15, he helped corps officers in training cadets and kept order, etc.
Comrades did not like him for his cruel treatment. The head of the corps P. I. Melissino wrote (April 4, 1787) to Alexei Arakcheev, who had not yet completed the course, that he “has the power to attend classes or study at his own place” and can himself draw up a plan of sciences for himself. The same Melissino was recommended by Arakcheev to Count N. I. Saltykov, who invited him to teach artillery and fortification to his sons. In addition, Arakcheev taught arithmetic and geometry in the Corps. When the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich, turned to Saltykov with a demand to give him an efficient artillery officer, Saltykov pointed him to Arakcheev, recommending him from the best side.

Arakcheev and Pavel I

Soon Arakcheev transferred to the Gatchina army and won the sympathy of Pavel Petrovich with his unquestioning diligence and the imposition of external discipline. Arakcheev's zeal reached the point that the soldiers had sometimes plucked mustache, bitten off ear and so on.
Arakcheev was appointed commandant of Gatchina and acted as chief of the heir's land forces. With accession to the throne Paul I(November 6, 1796) Arakcheev is transferred to St. Petersburg.
On November 7 he was appointed commandant of St. Petersburg, on November 8 he was promoted to major general, on November 9 he was promoted to major of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, on November 12 he received the Order of St. Anna 1st degree, 13 he is entrusted with the supervision of a tactical class established in the palace for staff and chief officers.
On April 5, 1797, he was granted the baronial dignity. Emperor Pavel gave Arakcheev 2000 peasant souls leaving him to choose a province. Thus, he got the village of Gruzino, Novgorod province, which later became a historical monument of Arakcheevshchina.
On March 18, 1798, Arakcheev was dismissed from service with a promotion to lieutenant general, due to unrest in the Rochensalm artillery companies and complaints that reached Paul about his cruelty. Soon, however, Pavel returned (December 22, 1798) Arakcheev to the service, appointing him quartermaster general.
January 4, 1799 Arakcheev was appointed commander of the guard artillery battalion and inspector of all artillery. On May 5 he was granted the Count of the Russian Empire.
A small but extremely characteristic fact for Arakcheev led to his second resignation. There was a petty theft in the arsenal, when Arakcheev's brother kept guard there. Aleksey Arakcheev reported to Pavel that another officer was guarding the guard, and all of Pavel's anger threatened to fall on the innocent. The deception was revealed thanks to Kutaisov, and Arakcheev was immediately (October 1, 1799) dismissed from service, with a ban on entering the capital.
The regicide on March 11, 1801 took place when Arakcheev was not in St. Petersburg. They say that Arakcheev, called Paul I, was not allowed into the city by the conspirators, who had reason to be afraid of his appearance there that day.

Arakcheev and Alexander I

The first years of the new reign (the era of the “Intimate Committee”) Arakcheev continued to retire, but on April 26, 1803, Emperor Alexander I summoned him to St. battalion. Alexander's sympathies for Arakcheev were formed at the time of the Gatchina parade grounds and turned out to be almost the only ones to which Alexander remained faithful until the end of his life. The disgrace of Arakcheev in 1799 caused general pleasure among the officers. Alexander I he hastened to express his sympathy to Arakcheev in writing. Returning him to serve in St. Petersburg, the emperor acquired a person personally, as he thought, to him - and only to him - a devotee, ready to fulfill everything that was required of him, not embarrassed by means. Arakcheev's predilection for military drill most suited the tastes of Alexander I and made Arakcheev indispensable.
In 1805, Arakcheev was in the retinue of the sovereign near Austerlitz, but Alexander's attempt to offer him command over one of the columns in the battle brought Arakcheev into great agitation: he refused this honor, referring to "irritability of the nerves". Since then, Arakcheev did not appear in the line of shots, even in the imperial retinue. Nevertheless, the foreign campaigns of 1805-1806 served to elevate him. Alexander I was satisfied with artillery alone: ​​on December 14, 1807, it was prescribed " the Imperial decrees announced by Arakcheev should be considered our nominal decrees».
January 13, 1808 Arakcheev was appointed Minister of War. He demanded the removal from the report on military affairs of the Adjutant General Count Lieven, the transfer of the military field office at his disposal and the subordination of the commanders-in-chief of the armies to his orders. Then he was appointed inspector general of all infantry and cavalry. Dissatisfied with the course of the war with Sweden and the slowness of the commander-in-chief of the army, Knorring, Alexander I sent (February 1809) to Finland Arakcheev, providing him "power unlimited throughout Finland". His stay there was accompanied by a number of military successes, and Alexander I sent Arakcheev his personal order of St. Andrew the First-Called. However, Arakcheev, who used to write down all the remarkable events for him on sheets pasted into the Gospel, noted on one of them that he "begged the sovereign to take the order back, which was graciously fulfilled". The compensation was a rescript ordering the troops “to give Arakcheev the following honors to him in the places of the highest residence”.
During the administration of Arakcheev, the ministry issued new rules and regulations for various parts of the military administration, simplified and shortened correspondence, established reserve recruiting depots and training battalions. The artillery was reorganized, measures were taken to increase the level of special education for officers, and the material part was streamlined. According to military historians, here Arakcheev succeeded achieve positive results discovered in the wars of 1812-1814.
In 1809, when the high position of Arakcheev and the confidence in him of Alexander I were beyond any doubt (Arakcheev, for example, alone knew about the preparation by Speransky of a decree on the ranks of civilians and did not fail to procure the cherished ranks for some of his close associates in a timely manner), Arakcheev, offended by that the project for the transformation of the State Council, drawn up by Speransky, was considered by the emperor without his knowledge and was communicated to him only almost on the eve of its publication, raised the question of his resignation. He wrote Alexander I(December 24) a caustic letter in which he stated that after reading this draft he had “only consider your own knowledge with the mind of these wise ordinances” and resign from the rank of minister. Alexander I expressed to him in writing his surprise that the man "who so often repeated to him about his affection", prefers "personal ambition, imaginary touched", the benefit of the Empire, and postponed the question of resignation until a personal meeting. Arakcheev insisted on his own and, at the suggestion of Alexander I, chose for himself the chairmanship of the military department of the state council, saying that “it’s better to be an uncle yourself than to have an uncle over yourself”. This appointment took place on January 1, 1810. The conflict was resolved successfully for Arakcheev, but he could not forgive Speransky for the preference shown to him by Alexander. At the same time, Arakcheev was given the right to be present in the Committee of Ministers and the Senate.
On June 14, 1812, when Alexander, due to the approach of Napoleon, had to hastily leave Vilna, Arakcheev was again called to manage military affairs. " From that date, - according to Arakcheev, - the whole French war went through my hands, all the secret orders, reports and handwritten orders of the sovereign ". During the war, Arakcheev was almost inseparably with the sovereign, who became even more attached to him. After the end of the war, he was dismissed on leave "to improve his health."
On August 6, 1814, Alexander summoned Arakcheev from Gruzino to Petersburg. "It's time for us to get down to business, and I'm looking forward to you," he wrote to Arakcheev. At first, Arakcheev was instructed to receive through a special committee requests for assistance from generals and officers who had suffered in the wars (August 18). In fact, the scope of Arakcheev's duties was very wide: all cases of state administration were considered and prepared for the report personally by him. It so happened that Alexander I received only Arakcheev with reports, through whom the presentations of all ministers and even the opinions of the state council ascended to the sovereign. Heavy were the humiliations that all the petitioners of the emperor had to undergo.
On December 24, 1815, the sovereign, dissatisfied with the course of affairs in the committee of ministers, officially entrusted Arakcheev with a report and supervision of these cases.
In 1818 (August 26), the office of the committee also came under the jurisdiction of Arakcheev, which opened up the possibility of his direct influence on committee decisions. In office work, he introduced a strict order. This state of affairs caused (1818) a protest at a committee meeting (albeit a very indecisive one) from the Minister of Finance, Count Guryev, but this did not lead to anything. Finally, from May 15, 1824, when Archimandrite Photius, with the support of Arakcheev, managed to overthrow the Minister of Spiritual Affairs, Prince A.N. the role of "George the Victorious", in the words of Archimandrite Photius.

Arrangement of military settlements by Arakcheev

Along with the general supervision of internal administration, Arakcheev undertook the implementation of the idea of ​​​​military settlements, which had occupied Alexander I since 1810. According to an unverifiable legend, Arakcheev reacted negatively to this idea and initially refused to put it into practice. However, be that as it may, a letter from Alexander (June 28, 1810), in which he entrusted the construction of military settlements exclusively to Arakcheev, delighted him, about which he hastened to inform the sovereign. It was decided to start a wide planting of military settlements in 1815. According to the words Alexander I, What settlements "will be at all costs, even if they had to lay the road from St. Petersburg to Chudov with corpses", Arakcheev led the case abruptly, not paying attention to the grumbling of the people, brutally suppressing the open revolts of the settlers. The external side of the settlements was brought to an exemplary order, the cost of which Arakcheev was well aware of: his extensive correspondence with Alexander is full of assurances that the establishment of such and such a settlement passed "God gave it safely and peacefully" - in the obvious assumption that the "settled" undertaking should cause protests from its victims. All this reform by the end of the reign, a third of the army was "settled") was carried out in addition to the highest state institutions, solely by Arakcheev, and so captivated Alexander I that Arakcheev did not find a better opportunity to touch him, how to notify, for example, that he celebrated His Majesty's birthday with a review of a military settlement and offered up prayers for the health of the author such a beneficial thought for the people. It even became a special sign of trustworthiness to visit the place of the count's labors. Speransky, for example, had to write a pamphlet about the settlements kindly shown to him by Arakcheev. Laying the foundation, in this way, of a new form of serfdom, Arakcheev turned out to be, at the same time, the author of the project for the liberation of the landlord peasants, drawn up by him on behalf of Alexander I in 1818, with the reservation that the project would not include any measures that were embarrassing for the landlords, and that these the measures did not represent anything violent on the part of the government.
Arakcheev's project involved the redemption of peasants and courtyards either on voluntary terms, if the landowners wished to sell their estates in full force, or on the basis of special rules, if part of the land was sold along with the peasants. The landowner could demand the purchase of peasants from him with an allotment of up to 2 acres per capita, and the assessment of the land belonged to the local noble commission. For the acquisition of estates, 5 million rubles would be allocated annually. In the absence of money, the treasury would issue special tickets that bring 5% income. The interests of the nobility would be protected, according to Arakcheev, by the fact that it would receive cash capital to pay off debts and develop the economy on the remaining free lands, which would be leased to unsecured 200-ruble allotment peasants at any price. This project remained unfulfilled, coinciding with political unrest in southern Europe and with a change in mood Alexander I.

Orders in Arakcheev's own estate and the last years of his life

Meanwhile, in the patrimony of Arakcheev himself, cruel serfdom dominated. His "caring" for the well-being of his peasants took on peculiar forms: everything was determined by written regulations, the violation of which was strictly punished. The houses in the village were built according to a monotonous plan. To avoid dirt on the streets, peasants are forbidden to keep pigs. Regulations were issued on street sweepers, bed curtains, roof painting, the duties of each member of a peasant family, etc. An order was issued according to which "every woman should give birth every year, and a son is better than a daughter." A fine was imposed for a daughter, a fine for a miscarriage, and if she did not give birth at all, ten arshins of canvas. On January 1, every year, lists of the unmarried and unmarried were presented to Arakcheev, and notes were made of whom to marry and with whom. The behavior of the peasants was secretly monitored. The strict system of corporal punishment, created by Arakcheev, was crowned with a “moral” punishment: the punished had to write a repentant letter to the count, with a promise to improve. The severity of the existence of the peasants under the hand of Arakcheev was further aggravated by the mistress of Arakcheev who reigned (since 1800) in Gruzino, Nastasya Minkina. The irritation that had accumulated against her for years was resolved on September 10, 1825: she was killed by the servants. Arakcheev rode furiously to Gruzino and with furious cruelty dealt with the "guilty". The impression made on him by this incident can be judged not only by the desperate letters that he wrote to Alexander I in Taganrog, but also by the fact that such a formalist and "faithful servant" of the sovereign allowed himself the next day after the assassination: he himself appointed his own deputies for the corps of military settlements (General Eilert) and for the committee of ministers (Secretary of State Muravyov). According to a contemporary, only the exceptional disposition of Alexander I can explain that these "impermissible" orders were a gift to Arakcheev. A well-known informer in the secret society conspiracy case, Sherwood, writes that the courier who was supposed to receive from him important information to introduce them to Arakcheev, I was late for the meeting place for several days because Arakcheev (it was September 20) "was like a lunatic". Until the very of death Alexander I (November 19, 1825) Arakcheev did not return to business, referring to "severe health disorder". This did not prevent him on November 30, after taking the oath to Emperor Constantine, to inform the latter that, "having received relief from his illness," he "took command of a separate corps of military settlements."
The intention to return to business, declared by Arakcheev with such haste in Warsaw, was not realized thanks to his own tactlessness in Petersburg, which forever barred his way to a new reign.
On December 12, 1825, Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, who was already ready to take the throne, wrote to Dibich: “ On the third day I saw Count Arakcheev for the first time. He mentioned this case (conspiracy) to me, not knowing where it stopped(Sherwood began his denunciations through Arakcheev), and talking about it, because he considers it very important. I then informed Miloradovich about this, who wanted to see Arakcheev; but as the count made it a rule to see no one at his place and not to see anyone anywhere, even in the service, he did not let Miloradovich in, although he ordered me to say that he was from me". Soon on December 20, 1825, followed dismissal of Arakcheev from managing the affairs of the committee of ministers. Arakcheev retained only the title of a member of the State Council and went to travel abroad (there he published a collection of letters to him from Alexander I). Upon his return from abroad, he lived in Gruzino, where he arranged for himself an atmosphere that was supposed to remind him of his "benefactor": he erected a bronze monument to Alexander I in front of the church, ordered a clock from abroad with his bust, with music that plays once a day, at 11 hours of the day (the time when Alexander died), the prayer "God rest with the saints."
On April 21, 1834, Arakcheev died and was buried in the Gruzino church. In 1833, he deposited 50,000 rubles in banknotes into the state loan bank so that this amount would remain in the bank for 93 years intact with all interest: 3/4 of this capital is intended for the one who writes to 1925 year in Russian the best history of the reign of Emperor Alexander I, the remaining 1/4 of the capital goes to the publication of this work, to the second prize and to two translators (into French and German languages) of rewarded labor. Arakcheev donated 300 thousand rubles to the Novgorod corps for the education of the poor nobles of the Novgorod and Tver provinces from the interest from this capital. The village of Gruzino also passed to the Novgorod Corps, which then received the name of Arakcheevsky (now Nizhny Novgorod). Arakcheev had no children-heirs.