Battle of Poltava: how Peter I defeated Charles XII. Great Northern War

One of the most significant events in Russian history is the Battle of Poltava in 1709. Then, at the very beginning of the 18th century - just as during the Patriotic War of 1812, and during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) - the question was acute: was the Russian state destined to exist or not. The victory of the Russian army under the command of Peter the Great gave an unequivocal positive answer.

Sweden in the 17th and 18th centuries

In the 17th century, Sweden was one of the strongest powers in Europe. Under its control was the Baltic States, Finland, the coastal lands of Germany, Poland, Denmark and Russia. The Kexholm district (the city of Priozersk) and Ingermarlandia (the coast of the Gulf of Finland and the Neva) captured from Russia were strategically important territories that opened up access to the Baltic Sea.

In 1660-1661 peace agreements were signed between Sweden and Poland, Denmark and Russia. They summed up the bloody battles between the states, but could not mean complete humility before the lost: in 1700, an alliance was formed between Russia, Denmark and Saxony against the treacherous Sweden.

Many historians argue that the allied countries wanted to take advantage of the moment of accession to the throne of Sweden in 1697, the 14-year-old heir Charles XII. But their hopes were not justified: despite his youth and inexperience in military affairs, the young Swedish king Charles XII proved to be a worthy follower of his father's deeds and a talented commander. He defeated the king of Denmark and Norway, Frederick VI, as a result of which Denmark withdrew from the military alliance. No less successful was the military operation near Narva in 1700, when the Russian troops were defeated. But here the Swedish king made a strategic mistake: he refused to pursue the Russians, getting involved in a war with the Polish-Saxon army of King Augustus II. It was long, but its results were disappointing for Peter the Great: Russia's main allies fell.

Rice. 1. Portrait of the Swedish King Charles XII

Prerequisites

The Russian army retreated. However, the defeat did not stop Peter I, on the contrary, it contributed to the beginning of serious transformations in the state:

When did the battle of Poltava take place

On July 8 (June 27), 1709, a general battle took place near Poltava. The battle lasted two hours and ended in a crushing defeat for the Swedish troops led by Charles XII. Scientists rightly point out that it was this battle that turned out to be a turning point and predetermined the victory of the Russians in the Northern War. The victory of the Russian army was not accidental. It was predetermined for a number of reasons:

Fighters of different spirits : on the one hand, the morally exhausted Swedish army, and on the other, the reformed Russian army. Most of the Swedish army fought for the ninth year away from home and relatives. In addition, the grueling winter of 1708-1709 led to a shortage of food and ammunition among the Swedes;
The numerical superiority of the Russian army : Charles XII approached Poltava with an army of about 31,000 people and 39 guns. On the eve of the battle, Peter the Great had 49,000 soldiers and 130 cannons at his disposal;
Differences in strategy : for two years - 1707-1709 the Russian army was constantly retreating. The task of Peter the Great was to save the army and prevent the enemy from setting foot in Moscow. To do this, he chose the strategy of a well-oiled victory: avoid large battles, and wear down the enemy with small ones;
Differences in tactics : the Swedes in an open battle used a merciless attack using edged weapons, and the Russians - superiority in numbers and a system of earthen fortifications - redoubts. At the last stage of the Battle of Poltava, the Russian army used the tactics of the enemy and went on the attack: the battle turned into a massacre.
Wounding of Charles XII : Swedish soldiers considered their king virtually invulnerable. Before the Battle of Poltava, he was seriously wounded in the leg, which shocked the army: many saw this as a mystical meaning and a bad omen. The patriotic mood of the Russian army was just the opposite: the war was on Russian soil and the fate of the Fatherland depended on its outcome.
Lost moment of surprise : according to the plan, the Swedish infantry was supposed to attack the Russian army at night. But this did not happen: the cavalry, led by Swedish generals, got lost in the vicinity.

Rice. 3. Map-scheme of the Battle of Poltava

The dates of the beginning and end of the Northern War include 1700-1721. The Battle of Poltava is called the most important event of this period. Despite the fact that the war continued for another 12 long years, the clash near Poltava practically destroyed the Swedish army, forced Charles XII to flee in Turkey and predetermined the outcome of the Northern War: Russia expanded its territories, gaining a foothold in the Baltic.

In addition to the main participants in the Battle of Poltava - the Swedes and Russians, an important role was played by the Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa - a protege of the Russian Tsar, who was in secret correspondence with Charles XII and promised him food, fodder and military support for the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks in exchange for the independence of Ukraine. As a result, he was forced to flee to Turkey along with the king of Sweden, where he ended his days in 1709.

Battles and victories

“Peter attracts our attention first of all as a diplomat, as a warrior, as an organizer of the victory,” Academician E. Tarle said about him. Peter the Great created a new regular Russian army and navy, defeated the Swedes and "cut a window" to Europe. From the reign of Peter begins a new - imperial - period of our history.

The entire course of the 21-year war with Sweden was determined by the will and instructions of Tsar Peter. All campaigns and battles took place with his detailed instructions and under his guiding hand. And often - with his direct participation.

Pyotr Alekseevich Romanov, who went down in world history as Emperor Peter I the Great (1682-1725), was born on May 30, 1672 in Moscow in the family of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676) and his second wife Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. The death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the accession of his eldest son Fyodor (from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna, nee Miloslavskaya) pushed Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background. Tsarina Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.

Young Peter had to fight for his right to be the autocrat of Russia. On his way there was a hostile court group, and at first he had to share the kingdom with his half-brother Ivan. The imperious and vain princess Sophia, who took care of the young princes (also Peter's half-sister), herself dreamed of the royal crown. So the young and fragile Peter, before achieving his goal, had to learn early lies, deceit, betrayal and slander and go through a series of intrigues, conspiracies and riots that were most dangerous for his life.

Hence his suspiciousness, distrust and suspicion of others, hence his recurring epileptic seizures from time to time - the result of a fright experienced in childhood. Therefore, distrust of his subjects, who could fail, fail to obey orders, betray or deceive, was simply in Peter's blood. Therefore, he had to control everything, if possible, take everything upon himself and do everything himself.

He is extremely cautious, he calculates his steps forward and tries to foresee the dangers that threaten him from everywhere and take appropriate measures. Peter practically did not receive any education (Nikita Zotov taught him to read and write), and the tsar had to acquire all his knowledge after ascending the throne and in the process of leading the country.

The people gathered on the road and waited for the leader.
Characteristics of pre-Petrine Russia by the historian S.M. Solovyov

The hobbies of the lad Peter were of a constructive nature: his lively mind was interested in military, naval, cannon and weapons business, he tried to delve into various technical inventions, was interested in science, but the main difference between the Russian tsar and all his contemporaries was, in our opinion, in motivation his activities. The main goal of Peter I was to bring Russia out of centuries of backwardness and to introduce it to the achievements of European progress, science and culture and to introduce it on an equal footing into the so-called. European concert.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that the king made a bet on foreigners. Knowledgeable and experienced people were needed to command regiments and study military science. But among the Russian courtiers there were none. The German settlement, which was so close to his palace in Preobrazhensky, was Europe in miniature for young Peter. Since 1683, his entourage includes the Swiss Franz Lefort, the Holsteiner Theodor von Sommer, the Scot Patrick Gordon, the Dutch Franz Timmerman and Carsten Brandt. With their help, "amusing" regiments were created - Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky, which later became the imperial guard, bombardment company, the amusing fortress of Preshburg was built.

Then, in 1686, the first amusing ships appeared near Preshburg on the Yauza - a large shnyak and a plow with boats. During these years, Peter became interested in all the sciences that were associated with military affairs. Under the guidance of the Dutchman Timmerman, he studied arithmetic, geometry, and military sciences. Having discovered a boat in a barn shed in Izmailovo, the sovereign was carried away by the idea of creating a regular fleet. Soon, on Lake Pleshcheyevo, near the city of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, a shipyard was founded and a “funny fleet” began to be built.

Communicating with foreigners, the king became a great admirer of the laid-back foreign life. Peter lit a German pipe, began attending German parties with dancing and drinking, and began an affair with Anna Mons. Peter's mother strongly opposed this. In order to reason with her 17-year-old son, Natalya Kirillovna decided to marry him to Evdokia Lopukhina, the daughter of the okolnichi. Peter did not contradict his mother, but he did not love his wife. Their marriage ended with the tonsure of Empress Evdokia as a nun and her exile to a monastery in 1698.

In 1689, Peter, as a result of a confrontation with his sister Sophia, became an independent ruler, imprisoning her in a monastery.

The priority of Peter I in the first years of autocracy was the continuation of the war with the Ottoman Empire and the Crimea. He decided instead of campaigns against the Crimea, undertaken during the reign of Princess Sophia, to strike at the Turkish fortress of Azov, located at the confluence of the Don River into the Sea of Azov.

The first Azov campaign, which began in the spring of 1695, ended unsuccessfully in September of the same year due to the lack of a fleet and the unwillingness of the Russian army to operate far from supply bases. However, already in the autumn of 1695, preparations began for a new campaign. In Voronezh, the construction of a rowing Russian flotilla began. In a short time, a flotilla was built from different ships, led by the 36-gun ship "Apostle Peter". In May 1696, the 40,000-strong Russian army under the command of Generalissimo Shein again besieged Azov, only this time the Russian flotilla blocked the fortress from the sea. Peter I took part in the siege with the rank of captain in a galley. Without waiting for the assault, on July 19, 1696, the fortress surrendered. So the first exit of Russia to the southern seas was opened.

The result of the Azov campaigns was the capture of the fortress of Azov, the beginning of the construction of the port of Taganrog, the possibility of an attack on the Crimean peninsula from the sea, which significantly secured the southern borders of Russia. However, Peter failed to get access to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait: he remained under the control of the Ottoman Empire. Forces for the war with Turkey, as well as a full-fledged navy, Russia has not yet had.

To finance the construction of the fleet, new types of taxes were introduced: landowners were united in the so-called kumpanships of 10 thousand households, each of which had to build a ship with their own money. At this time, the first signs of dissatisfaction with the activities of Peter appear. The conspiracy of Zikler, who was trying to organize a streltsy uprising, was uncovered. In the summer of 1699, the first large Russian ship "Fortress" (46-gun) took the Russian ambassador to Constantinople for peace negotiations. The very existence of such a ship persuaded the Sultan to conclude peace in July 1700, which left the fortress of Azov to Russia.

During the construction of the fleet and the reorganization of the army, Peter was forced to rely on foreign specialists. Having completed the Azov campaigns, he decides to send young nobles for training abroad, and soon he himself sets off on his first trip to Europe.

As part of the Great Embassy (1697-1698), which had the goal of finding allies to continue the war with the Ottoman Empire, the tsar traveled incognito under the name of Peter Mikhailov.

Peter I with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on a blue St. Andrew's ribbon and a star on his chest
Artist J.-M. Natya. 1717

Peter studied artillery in Brandenburg, built ships at Dutch and English shipyards, visited mines, factories, government agencies, met with the monarchs of European countries. For the first time, the Russian tsar undertook a journey outside the borders of his state. The embassy recruited several hundred shipbuilding specialists to Russia and purchased military and other equipment.

He was primarily interested in the technical achievements of Western countries, and not in the legal system. Having visited the English parliament incognito, where the speeches of the deputies before King William III were translated for him, the tsar said: “It’s fun to hear when the sons of the patronymic tell the king clearly the truth, this should be learned from the British.”

And yet, Peter was an adherent of absolutism, considered himself the anointed of God and vigilantly monitored the observance of his royal privileges. He was a man who early "saw through" life from its negative side, but also early matured from the consciousness of the state burden.

The English historian J. Macaulay Trevenyan (1876-1962), comparing Tsar Peter with King Charles, wrote that "Peter, for all his savagery, was a statesman, while Charles XII was just a warrior and, moreover, not wise."

Peter himself put it this way:
Which one great hero who fights for his own glory, and not for the defense of the fatherland, wanting to be the benefactor of the universe!

Julius Caesar, in his opinion, was a more reasonable leader, and the followers of Alexander the Great, who "wanted to be a giant of the whole world", were waiting for "unfortunate success." And his catchphrase: "Brother Charles always dreams of being Alexander, but I am not Darius."

The Grand Embassy did not achieve its main goal: it was not possible to create a coalition against the Ottoman Empire due to the preparation of a number of European powers for the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). However, thanks to this war, there were favorable conditions for Russia's struggle for the Baltic. Thus, there was a reorientation of Russia's foreign policy from the south to the north.

After returning from the Grand Embassy, the tsar began to prepare for a war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea. In 1699, the Northern Alliance was created against the Swedish king Charles XII, which, in addition to Russia, included Denmark-Norway, Saxony, and, since 1704, the Commonwealth, headed by the Saxon elector and the Polish king Augustus II. The driving force behind the union was the desire of August II to take away Livonia from Sweden, Frederick IV of Denmark - Schleswig and Skane. For help, they promised Russia the return of lands that previously belonged to the Russians (Ingermanland and Karelia). No one then suspected that the Great Northern War (1700-1721) would last for twenty-one years.

Two giant figures towered in the first quarter of the 18th century, obscuring all the acting characters of both the Northern War and Europe in general - the Russian reformer Tsar Peter I and the Swedish warrior king Charles XII. Each of them in their own country and in their field left an indelible mark in the minds of their descendants, although not always a grateful memory.

Fate brought them into a cruel and uncompromising confrontation, from which one came out victorious and lived to the unanimous and universal reverence and recognition of his subjects, and the second found his premature and dramatic death, either from an enemy bullet, or as a result of an insidious conspiracy, providing his subjects with a pretext for fierce and still ongoing disputes regarding their deeds and personality.

In the confrontation with Charles XII, Peter I demonstrated the genuine art of a talented and cautious (but far from cowardly, as Charles XII erroneously believed) strategist. It seems to us that the king already at an early stage unraveled the explosive and carried away character of the king, who was ready to put everything at stake for the sake of a fleeting victory and satisfaction of his vanity (a vivid example of this is the assault on the insignificant fortress of Veprik), and countered it with cautious maneuvering, far-sightedness and cold calculation. “The search for a general battle is very dangerous, because in one hour the whole thing can be refuted,” he instructs the diplomatic representatives of Baron J.R. who were in Poland. Patkul and Prince G.F. Dolgorukov.

Peter cherishes his army and constantly reminds his generals to be careful in contacts with the Swedish army. “From the enemy to be in fear and to have every caution and send for the sake of conducting frequent parties and having truly found out about the enemy’s condition and his strength and asking God for help, repair the enemy as far as possible,” he teaches the quite experienced General Rodion Bour in 1707 d. “Non-fear harms a person everywhere,” he never tires of repeating on the eve of Poltava.

At the same time, he correctly and boldly recommends to his generals not to sit behind the walls of fortresses, because sooner or later any fortress surrenders or is taken by storm, and therefore it is necessary to seek meetings with the enemy in open battle: “True, the fortress rebuffs the enemy, but the Europeans not for long. Victory will be decided by the art of war and the courage of the commanders and the fearlessness of the soldiers ... It is convenient to sit behind the wall against the Asians.

Peter is a talented diplomat, his policy towards all European powers was balanced and cautious. There is no hint of adventurism in his diplomacy. He knew, for example, that Augustus II was an unreliable ally who deceived him at every turn, but Peter understood that he had no other allies. And he needed August, on the one hand, to distract the Swedes from the invasion of Russia longer, and on the other, as a counterbalance to Stanislav Leshchinsky, the henchman of Charles XII, in order to have at least part of the Poles on his side. After Poltava, he worked hard and hard to recreate the destroyed anti-Swedish coalition and achieved success. He also skillfully played on the interest of Holland and England in trade relations with Russia and significantly neutralized the hostility of these countries to his plans.

And one more thing: Peter was constantly learning, especially from Karl and in general from the Swedish army and state. The Narva of 1700 served him as a great lesson. Peter looked at the war as a school for the people, in which teachers (Swedes) gave hard lessons to Russians, and they severely beat them for a poorly learned lesson, but then the students must study more diligently until they start beating their teachers.

The result of his far-reaching conclusions was the creation of a modern combat-ready army and navy. At the same time, suppressing pride, he was ready to admit his mistakes, as, for example, he did after the unsuccessful Prut campaign: “Now I am in the same condition as my brother Karl was at Poltava. I made the same mistake as he did: I entered the enemy's land without taking the necessary measures to maintain my army.

Peter was a very gifted military leader. Of course, his military abilities were discovered after Narva. Gaining experience, he became more and more convinced that it was dangerous to blindly rely on foreign generals - what a mercenary like Field Marshal de Croix cost him near Narva! In the future, he increasingly began to take on the most important decisions, relying on the advice and recommendations of his associates. After Narva, almost the entire course of the war was determined by the will and instructions of Tsar Peter, and all major campaigns and battles did not take place without his knowledge, detailed instructions and guiding hand.

As the most striking evidence of Peter's talent as a commander, one can cite his idea of building 10 redoubts in the forefield of the Poltava battle, which played an almost decisive role in the defeat of the Swedish army. And his idea of artillery as a particularly important type of weapon? It was thanks to him that powerful artillery appeared in the Russian army, which was given exceptionally great importance both during the sieges of fortresses, and in field and naval battles. Recall what a big role artillery played in Poltava battle, in which the Swedish army was forced to oppose the Russians with only a few guns, and even those without charges.

Of course, the invited foreigners greatly contributed to Peter's victories, but all or almost all military tasks were solved by the tsar himself and only by him. Turenne, as he said, over time he had his own, Russians - only there was not a single Sully!

The enumeration of Peter's military merits could be continued. Peter understood very well: if he died in battle, his whole work would be lost. Nevertheless, we recall that the tsar, already during the capture of Shlisselburg and Noteburg, was nearby, in the same ranks, with the besiegers of these fortresses. Near Poltava, he was ahead of his regiments, repulsing the attack of Levenhaupt's infantrymen, and in the battle they shot his hat. What about Lesnaya, Nyuenschantz, Narva (1704), Gangut (1714)? Was he not there at the head or in front of the troops? Peter took a direct part in naval battles.

In 1710, Turkey intervened in the war. After the defeat in the Prut campaign in 1711, Russia returned Azov to Turkey and destroyed Taganrog, but due to this, it was possible to conclude another truce with the Turks.

On August 30 (September 10), 1721, the Peace of Nystadt was concluded between Russia and Sweden, which ended the 21-year war. Russia received access to the Baltic Sea, annexed the territory of Ingria, part of Karelia, Estonia and Livonia. Russia became a great European power, in commemoration of which, on October 22 (November 2), 1721, Peter, at the request of the senators, took the title of Father of the Fatherland, Emperor of All Russia.

Compared with Charles XII, with the legacy of Peter the Great in Russia, the situation is still more or less unambiguous. With only rare exceptions, he is criticized for carrying out his reforms too quickly and mercilessly, goading and spurring Russia like a driven horse, paying no attention to either human losses or material and moral costs. Now it is easy to say that the introduction of the country to European values could have been carried out more deliberately, systematically and gradually, without the use of violence. But the question is: did Peter have such an opportunity? And would Russia not have slipped to the margins of world development and become an easy prey for its European neighbors, if it were not for Peter with his accelerated and costly reforms?

You are fighting not for Peter, but for the state handed over to Peter. And about Peter, know that life is not dear to him, if only Russia lived, her glory, honor and prosperity!
The famous appeal of Peter to the soldiers in front of Poltava

Peter I, who constantly pushed his ideas to his assistants and ministers, was not truly understood by any of his contemporaries. The king was doomed to loneliness - such is always the lot of people of genius. And he was outraged and unbalanced.

Peter carried out a reform of public administration, reforms were carried out in the army, a navy was created, a reform of church administration was carried out, aimed at eliminating church jurisdiction autonomous from the state and subordinating the Russian church hierarchy to the Emperor. Financial reform was also carried out, measures were taken to develop industry and trade.

Seculars began to appear educational establishments translations of many books into Russian, the first Russian newspaper was founded. Success in the service of Peter made the nobles dependent on education.

Peter was clearly aware of the need for enlightenment, and took a number of decisive measures to this end. On January 14, 1700, a school of mathematical and navigational sciences was opened in Moscow. In 1701-1721. Artillery, engineering and medical schools were opened in Moscow, an engineering school and a naval academy in St. Petersburg, mining schools at the Olonets and Ural factories. In 1705, the first gymnasium in Russia was opened. The goals of mass education were to be served by the digital schools created by decree of 1714 in provincial cities, called upon "to teach children of all ranks to read and write, numbers and geometry." It was supposed to create two such schools in each province, where education was supposed to be free. For soldiers' children, garrison schools were opened, for the training of priests, starting from 1721, a network of theological schools was created. Peter's decrees introduced compulsory education for nobles and clergy, but a similar measure for the urban population met with fierce resistance and was canceled. Peter's attempt to create an all-estate elementary school failed (the creation of a network of schools ceased after his death, most of the digital schools under his successors were redesigned into class schools for the training of the clergy), but nevertheless, during his reign, the foundations were laid for the spread of education in Russia.

Peter created new printing houses, in which for 1700-1725. 1312 book titles were printed (twice as many as in the entire previous history of Russian book printing). Thanks to the rise of printing, paper consumption increased from 4,000 to 8,000 sheets at the end of the 17th century to 50,000 sheets in 1719.

There have been changes in the Russian language, which included 4.5 thousand new words borrowed from European languages.

In 1724, Peter approved the charter of the Academy of Sciences being organized (opened in 1725 after his death).

Of particular importance was the construction of stone St. Petersburg, in which foreign architects took part and which was carried out according to the plan developed by the tsar. He created a new urban environment with previously unfamiliar forms of life and pastime (theatre, masquerades).

The reforms carried out by Peter I affected not only politics, economics, but also art. Peter invited foreign artists to Russia and at the same time sent talented young people to study "arts" abroad. In the second quarter of the XVIII century. "Peter's pensioners" began to return to Russia, bringing with them new artistic experience and acquired skills.

Peter tried to change the position of women in Russian society. He by special decrees (1700, 1702 and 1724) forbade forced marriage and marriage. Legislative prescriptions 1696-1704 about public festivities introduced the obligation to participate in the celebrations and festivities of all Russians, including "female".

From the "old" in the structure of the nobility under Peter, the former serfdom of the service class remained unchanged through the personal service of each service person to the state. But in this enslavement, its form has somewhat changed. Now they were obliged to serve in the regular regiments and in the navy, as well as in the civil service in all those administrative and judicial institutions that were transformed from the old ones and arose anew. The decree on uniform inheritance of 1714 regulated the legal status of the nobility and secured the legal merger of such forms of land ownership as an estate and an estate.

Portrait of Peter I
Artist P. Delaroche. 1838

From the reign of Peter I, the peasants began to be divided into serfs (landlords), monastic and state peasants. All three categories were recorded in the revision tales and subjected to a poll tax. Since 1724, the owner's peasants could leave their villages to work and for other needs only with the written permission of the master, witnessed by the zemstvo commissar and the colonel of the regiment that was stationed in the area. Thus, the landowner's power over the personality of the peasants received even more opportunities to increase, taking both the personality and property of the privately owned peasant into their unaccountable disposal. From that time on, this new state of the rural worker received the name of the "serf" or "revisionist" soul.

In general, Peter's reforms were aimed at strengthening the state and familiarizing the elite with European culture while strengthening absolutism. In the course of the reforms, Russia's technical and economic lag behind a number of others was overcome. European states, access to the Baltic Sea was won, transformations were carried out in many areas of the life of Russian society. Gradually, among the nobility, a different system of values, worldview, aesthetic ideas took shape, which was fundamentally different from the values and worldview of most representatives of other estates. At the same time, the people's forces were extremely exhausted, the preconditions were created (Decree on the succession to the throne of 1722) for the crisis of the supreme power, which led to the "epoch of palace coups". The decree of 1722 violated the usual way of succession to the throne, but Peter did not have time to appoint an heir before his death.

In the last years of his reign, Peter was very ill. In the summer of 1724, his illness intensified, in September he felt better, but after a while the attacks became more painful. (An autopsy after death showed the following: “a sharp narrowing in the region of the back of the urethra, hardening of the neck of the bladder and anton fire.” Death followed from inflammation of the bladder, which turned into gangrene due to urinary retention).

In October, Peter went to inspect the Ladoga Canal, against the advice of his life physician Blumentrost. From Olonets, Peter traveled to Staraya Russa and in November went to St. Petersburg by water. At Lakhta, he had to, standing waist-deep in water, rescue a boat with soldiers that had run aground. The attacks of the disease intensified, but Peter, not paying attention to them, continued to deal with state affairs. On January 17, 1725, he had such a bad time that he ordered a camp church to be built in the room next to his bedroom, and on January 22 he confessed. The strength began to leave the patient, he no longer screamed, as before, from severe pain, but only moaned.

At the beginning of the sixth hour in the morning on January 28 (February 8), 1725, Peter the Great died in his Winter Palace near the Winter Canal. He was buried in the Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg. The palace, cathedral, fortress and city were built by him.

BESPALOV A.V., Doctor of History, Professor

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Kan A.S. Sweden and Russia in the past and present. M., 1999

Kartsov A. Military-historical review of the Northern War. SPb., 1851

Krotov P.A. Battle of Poltava. To the 300th Anniversary. SPb., 2009

Leer G.A. Peter the Great as a commander. // Military collection. 1865. No. 3

Leonov O., Ulyanov I. Regular infantry 1698-1801. M., 1995

Monakov M.S., Rodionov B.I. History of the Russian fleet, M .: Kuchkovo field - Marine newspaper, Kronstadt, 2006

Molchanov N.N. Diplomacy of Peter the Great. M., 1990

Moltusov V.A. Battle of Poltava: Lessons from military history 1709-2009. M., 2009

Pavlenko N.I. Chicks of Petrov's nest. M., 1985

Pavlenko N.I. Peter the Great. M., 1990

Panov V. Peter I as a commander. M., 1940

Poltava. To the 300th anniversary of the Poltava battle. Collection scientific articles. IRI RAN. M., 2009

Stille A. Charles XII as a strategist and tactician in 1707-1709 SPb., 1912

Tarle E.V. Northern War and the Swedish invasion of Russia. M., 1958

Tarle E.V. Russian fleet and foreign policy of Peter I. St. Petersburg, 1994

Taratorin V.V. Cavalry at War: A History of Cavalry from Ancient Times to the Napoleonic Wars. Minsk, 1999

Tatarnikov K.V. Russian field army 1700-1730. Uniforms and equipment. M., 2008

Telpukhovsky B. Northern War (1700-1721). The military activity of Peter I. M., 1946

Proceedings of the RVIO. T. III. SPb., 1909

Ustryalov N.G. History of the reign of Peter the Great. T. 1-4. SPb., 1863

Theodosi D. Life and glorious deeds of Peter the Great ... T. 1. St. Petersburg, 1774

Tsar Peter and King Charles. Two rulers and their peoples. M., 1999

Shafirov P.P. Reasoning, what are the legitimate reasons for e.v. Peter the Great to start a war against King Charles XII of Sweden in 1700 had ... SPb., 1717

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Internet

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Vatutin Nikolai Fyodorovich

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

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).

Kazarsky Alexander Ivanovich

Captain Lieutenant. Member of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. He distinguished himself in the capture of Anapa, then Varna, commanding the Rival transport. After that, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and appointed captain of the Mercury brig. On May 14, 1829, the 18-gun brig "Mercury" was overtaken by two Turkish battleships "Selimiye" and "Real Bey". Having accepted an unequal battle, the brig was able to immobilize both Turkish flagships, one of which was the commander of the Ottoman fleet himself. Subsequently, an officer from the Real Bey wrote: “In the continuation of the battle, the commander of the Russian frigate (the infamous Raphael, which surrendered without a fight a few days earlier) told me that the captain of this brig would not give up, and if he lost hope, then he would blow up the brig If in the great deeds of ancient and our times there are feats of courage, then this act should overshadow all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy to be inscribed in gold letters on the temple of Glory: he is called Lieutenant Commander Kazarsky, and the brig is "Mercury"

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

A man whose faith, courage, and patriotism defended our state

Bagration, Denis Davydov...

The war of 1812, the glorious names of Bagration, Barclay, Davydov, Platov. An example of honor and courage.

Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich

Commander of the Stalingrad and South-Eastern fronts. The fronts under his command in the summer and autumn of 1942 stopped the advance of the German 6 field and 4 tank armies to Stalingrad.
In December 1942, the Stalingrad Front of General Eremenko stopped the tank offensive of the group of General G. Goth on Stalingrad, in order to unblock the 6th army of Paulus.

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

The great Russian naval commander, who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ioanian Islands) and Corfu. Opened and introduced a new tactic of conducting sea battle, with the rejection of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of "alluvial formation" with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

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

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

A person who combines the totality of knowledge of a naturalist, scientist and great strategist.

Yulaev Salavat

The commander of the Pugachev era (1773-1775). Together with Pugachev, having organized an uprising, he tried to change the position of the peasants in society. He won several dinners over the troops of Catherine II.

Benigsen Leonty

An unfairly forgotten commander. Having won several battles against Napoleon and his marshals, he drew two battles with Napoleon, losing one battle. Participated in the battle of Borodino. One of the contenders for the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812!

Batitsky

I served in the air defense and therefore I know this surname - Batitsky. Do you know? By the way, the father of air defense!

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

One of the most successful Russian generals during the First World War. The Erzurum and Sarakamysh operations carried out by him on the Caucasian front, carried out in extremely unfavorable conditions for the Russian troops, and ending in victories, I believe, deserve to be included in a row with the brightest victories of Russian weapons. In addition, Nikolai Nikolayevich, distinguished by modesty and decency, lived and died an honest Russian officer, remained faithful to the oath to the end.

Minich Burchard-Christopher

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

Golovanov Alexander Evgenievich

He is the creator of the Soviet long-range aviation (ADD).
Units under the command of Golovanov bombed Berlin, Koenigsberg, Danzig and other cities in Germany, attacked important strategic targets behind enemy lines.

Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

Rumyantsev Petr Alexandrovich

Russian military and statesman, during the entire reign of Catherine II (1761-96) who ruled Little Russia. During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For the victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kyuchuk-Kainarji peace, he was awarded the title of "Transdanubian". In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Cavalier of the orders of the Russian St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir I degree, the Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna I degree

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 sudden attack on the USSR, he took effective measures to increase the combat readiness of the fleets, and on the night of June 22 he gave the order to bring them to full combat readiness, which made it possible to avoid the loss of ships and naval aviation.

Uborevich Ieronim Petrovich

Soviet military leader, commander of the 1st rank (1935). Member Communist Party from March 1917. Born in the village of Aptandriyus (now the Utena region of the Lithuanian SSR) in the family of a Lithuanian peasant. He graduated from the Konstantinovsky Artillery School (1916). Member of the 1st World War 1914-18, second lieutenant. After the October Revolution of 1917 he was one of the organizers of the Red Guard in Bessarabia. In January - February 1918 he commanded a revolutionary detachment in battles against the Romanian and Austro-German invaders, was wounded and captured, from where he fled in August 1918. He was an artillery instructor, commander of the Dvina brigade on the Northern Front, from December 1918 the head of the 18 divisions of the 6th Army. From October 1919 to February 1920 he was commander of the 14th Army during the defeat of the troops of General Denikin, in March - April 1920 he commanded the 9th Army in the North Caucasus. In May - July and November - December 1920 the commander of the 14th Army in battles against the troops of bourgeois Poland and the Petliurists, in July - November 1920 - the 13th Army in battles against the Wrangelites. In 1921, assistant commander of the troops of the Ukraine and Crimea, deputy commander of the troops of the Tambov province, commander of the troops of the Minsk province, led the fighting in the defeat of the gangs of Makhno, Antonov and Bulak-Balakhovich. From August 1921 commander of the 5th Army and the East Siberian Military District. In August - December 1922, Minister of War of the Far Eastern Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the People's Revolutionary Army during the liberation Far East. He was commander of the North Caucasian (since 1925), Moscow (since 1928) and Belorussian (since 1931) military districts. Since 1926 he was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, in 1930-31 he was deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR and head of armaments of the Red Army. Since 1934 he has been a member of the Military Council of the NPO. He made a great contribution to the strengthening of the defense capability of the USSR, the education and training of command personnel and troops. Candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) in 1930-37. Member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee since December 1922. He was awarded 3 Orders of the Red Banner and Honorary Revolutionary Weapons.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

"As a military leader, 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 groups of fronts and led them with complete knowledge of the matter, well versed in large strategic questions...
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.)

Baklanov Yakov Petrovich

An outstanding strategist and a mighty warrior, he earned respect and fear of his name from the invincible highlanders who forgot the iron grip of the "Thunderstorm of the Caucasus". At the moment - Yakov Petrovich, a model of the spiritual strength of a Russian soldier in front of the proud Caucasus. His talent crushed the enemy and minimized the time frame of the Caucasian War, for which he received the nickname "Boklu" akin to the devil for his fearlessness.

Romanov Petr Alekseevich

Behind the endless discussions about Peter I as a politician and reformer, it is unfairly forgotten that he was the greatest commander of his time. He was not only an excellent rear organizer. In the two most important battles of the Northern War (the battles of Lesnaya and Poltava), he not only developed battle plans himself, but also personally led the troops, being in the most important, responsible areas.
The only commander I know of was equally talented in both land and sea battles.
The main thing is that Peter I created a national military school. If all the great commanders of Russia are the heirs of Suvorov, then Suvorov himself is the heir of Peter.
The Battle of Poltava was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) victory in Russian history. In all other great predatory invasions of Russia, the general battle did not have a decisive outcome, and the struggle dragged on, went to exhaustion. And only in the Northern War did the general battle radically change the state of affairs, and from the attacking side the Swedes became the defender, decisively losing the initiative.
I think that Peter I deserves to be in the top three in the list of the best commanders of Russia.

It's simple - It was he, as a commander, who made the greatest contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. He saved the army in the most difficult conditions, despite misunderstanding and heavy accusations of betrayal. It was to him that our great poet Pushkin, practically a contemporary of those events, dedicated the verse "Commander".
Pushkin, recognizing the merits of Kutuzov, did not oppose him to Barclay. To replace the common alternative “Barclay or Kutuzov”, with the traditional resolution in favor of Kutuzov, Pushkin came to a new position: both Barclay and Kutuzov are both worthy of the grateful memory of their descendants, but Kutuzov is honored by everyone, but Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is undeserved forgotten.
Pushkin mentioned Barclay de Tolly even earlier, in one of the chapters of "Eugene Onegin" -

Thunderstorm of the twelfth year
It has come - who helped us here?
The frenzy of the people
Barclay, winter or Russian god?...

Paskevich Ivan Fyodorovich

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

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

He defeated the Khazar Khaganate, expanded the boundaries of Russian lands, successfully fought with the Byzantine Empire.

Kolovrat Evpaty Lvovich

Ryazan boyar and governor. During the Batu invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the invasion of the Mongols, he hastily moved to the city. Having caught Ryazan all incinerated, Evpaty Kolovrat with a detachment of 1700 people began to catch up with Batu's army. Having overtaken them, he destroyed their rearguard. He also killed the strong heroes of the Batyevs. He died on January 11, 1238.

Prince Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

The most remarkable of the Russian princes of the pre-Tatar period of our history, who left behind great fame and a good memory.

Senyavin Dmitry Nikolaevich

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

Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich

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

Rurikovich Yaroslav the Wise Vladimirovich

He devoted his life to defending the Fatherland. Defeated the Pechenegs. He established the Russian state as one of the greatest states of his time.

Markov Sergey Leonidovich

One of the main characters of the early stage of the Russian-Soviet war.
Veteran of Russian-Japanese, World War I and Civil War. Cavalier of the Order of St. George 4th class, Orders of St. Vladimir 3rd class and 4th class with swords and bow, Orders of St. Anne 2nd, 3rd and 4th class, Orders of St. Stanislaus 2nd and 3rd th degrees. The owner of the St. George's weapon. Outstanding military theorist. Member of the Ice Campaign. Son of an officer. Hereditary nobleman of the Moscow province. He graduated from the Academy of the General Staff, served in the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade. One of the commanders of the Volunteer Army at the first stage. Died a heroic death.

Gagen Nikolai Alexandrovich

On June 22, trains with units of the 153rd Infantry Division arrived in Vitebsk. Covering the city from the west, the Hagen division (together with the heavy artillery regiment attached to the division) occupied a 40 km long defense zone, it was opposed by the 39th German motorized corps.

After 7 days of fierce fighting, the battle formations of the division were not broken through. The Germans no longer contacted the division, bypassed it and continued the offensive. The division flashed in the message of the German radio as destroyed. Meanwhile, the 153rd Rifle Division, without ammunition and fuel, began to break through the ring. Hagen led the division out of the encirclement with heavy weapons.

For the steadfastness and heroism shown during the Yelninskaya operation on September 18, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 308, the division received the honorary name "Guards".
From 01/31/1942 to 09/12/1942 and from 10/21/1942 to 04/25/1943 - commander of the 4th Guards Rifle Corps,
from May 1943 to October 1944 - commander of the 57th Army,
from January 1945 - the 26th Army.

The troops under the leadership of N. A. Hagen participated in the Sinyavino operation (moreover, the general managed to break out of the encirclement for the second time with weapons in his hands), the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, battles in the Left-Bank and Right-Bank Ukraine, in the liberation of Bulgaria, in Iasi-Kishinev, Belgrade, Budapest, Balaton and Vienna operations. Member of the Victory Parade.

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. Participated in almost all military enterprises during the independent reign of Ivan IV and the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich. He has several field battles won (including: the defeat of the Tatars near Zaraisk (1570), Molodinskaya battle(during the decisive battle he 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.

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 most bloody 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.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

General Kotlyarevsky, son of a priest in the village of Olkhovatka, Kharkov province. He went from private to general in the tsarist army. He can be called the great-grandfather of the Russian special forces. He carried out truly unique operations ... His name is worthy of being included in the list of the greatest commanders of Russia

Slashchev Yakov Alexandrovich

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. A native of a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the REV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent commanding the legendary "Iron" brigade, then deployed into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a prisoner of Bykhov. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the All-Russian Union of Youth. For more than a year and a half, having very modest resources and far inferior in number to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, freeing a huge territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in a difficult time for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

"There is a city in vast Russia to which my heart is given, it went down in history as STALINGRAD ..." V.I. Chuikov

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Uvarov Fedor Petrovich

At the age of 27 he was promoted to general. Participated in the campaigns of 1805-1807 and in the battles on the Danube in 1810. In 1812 he commanded the 1st artillery corps in the army of Barclay de Tolly, and later - the entire cavalry of the combined armies.

Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich

The Greatest Commander WWII. 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.

Romanov Mikhail Timofeevich

The heroic defense of Mogilev, for the first time all-round anti-tank defense of the city.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Creator of the modern Airborne Forces. When for the first time the BMD parachuted with the crew, the commander in it was his son. In my opinion, this fact speaks of such a remarkable person as V.F. Margelov, everyone. About his devotion to the Airborne Forces!

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

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

Loris-Melikov Mikhail Tarielovich

Known mainly as one of the secondary characters in the story "Hadji Murad" by L.N. Tolstoy, Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov went through all the Caucasian and Turkish campaigns of the second half of the middle of the 19th century.

Having shown himself excellently during the Caucasian War, during the Kars campaign of the Crimean War, Loris-Melikov led intelligence, and then successfully served as commander-in-chief during the difficult Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, having won a number of important victories over the united Turkish troops and in the third once captured Kars, by that time considered impregnable.

Kappel Vladimir Oskarovich

Without exaggeration - the best commander of the army of Admiral Kolchak. Under his command, in 1918, Russia's gold reserves were captured in Kazan. At the age of 36 - lieutenant general, commander of the Eastern Front. The Siberian Ice Campaign is associated with this name. In January 1920, he led 30,000 "Kappelevites" to Irkutsk to capture Irkutsk and release the Supreme Ruler of Russia, Admiral Kolchak, from captivity. The death of the general from pneumonia largely determined the tragic outcome of this campaign and the death of the Admiral ...

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Stalin during the Patriotic War led all the armed forces of our country and coordinated their combat operations. It is impossible not to note his merits in the competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who skillfully led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who did a great job of increasing the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and war years.

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

Ivan the Terrible

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

Stalin (Dzhugashvilli) Joseph

Platov Matvei Ivanovich

Ataman of the Great Don Army (since 1801), cavalry general (1809), who took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire in the late 18th - early 19th centuries.
In 1771 he distinguished himself in the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. From 1772 he began to command a Cossack regiment. During the 2nd Turkish war, he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakov and Ishmael. Participated in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, defeated the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov's army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the army of Marshal Murat. During the retreat of the French army, Platov, pursuing her, defeated her at Gorodnya, the Kolotsk Monastery, Gzhatsk, Tsarevo-Zaimishcha, near Dukhovshchina and while crossing the Vop River. For merit he was elevated to the dignity of a count. In November, Platov occupied Smolensk from battle and defeated the troops of Marshal Ney near Dubrovna. At the beginning of January 1813 he entered the borders of Prussia and overlaid Danzig; in September, he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig and, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand people. In 1814 he fought at the head of his regiments in the capture of Nemur, at Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne, Villeneuve. He was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

Izylmetiev Ivan Nikolaevich

Commanded the frigate "Aurora". He made the transition from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in a record time for those times in 66 days. In the bay, Callao eluded the Anglo-French squadron. Arriving in Petropavlovsk, together with the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Zavoyko V. organized the defense of the city, during which the sailors from the Aurora, together with the local residents, threw into the sea an outnumbering Anglo-French landing force. Then he took the Aurora to the Amur Estuary, hiding it there .After these events, the British public demanded trial of the admirals who lost the Russian frigate.

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

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

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Well, who else if not him - the only Russian commander who did not lose, who did not lose more than one battle !!!

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

Comrade Stalin, in addition to the atomic and missile projects, together with General of the Army Antonov Alexei Innokentyevich, participated in the development and implementation of almost all significant operations of the Soviet troops in the Second World War, brilliantly organized the work of the rear, even in the first difficult years of the war.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

People's Commissar Defense of the USSR, Generalissimo of the Soviet Union, Supreme Commander. Brilliant military leadership of the USSR in World War II.

Dolgorukov Yury Alekseevich

An outstanding statesman and military leader of the era of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, prince. Commanding the Russian army in Lithuania, in 1658 he defeated hetman V. Gonsevsky in the battle of Verki, taking him prisoner. This was the first time after 1500 when a Russian governor captured the hetman. In 1660, at the head of an army sent under Mogilev, besieged by the Polish-Lithuanian troops, he won a strategic victory over the enemy on the Basya River near the village of Gubarevo, forcing hetmans P. Sapieha and S. Czarnetsky to retreat from the city. Thanks to the actions of Dolgorukov, the "front line" in Belarus along the Dnieper was preserved until the end of the war of 1654-1667. In 1670, he led an army sent to fight against the Cossacks of Stenka Razin, in the shortest possible time suppressed the Cossack rebellion, which later led to the Don Cossacks swearing allegiance to the tsar and the transformation of the Cossacks from robbers into "sovereign servants".

Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich

Kondratenko Roman Isidorovich

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

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

An outstanding member of the Russian Academy of the General Staff. The developer and executor of the Galician operation - the first brilliant victory of the Russian army in the Great War.
Saved from the encirclement of the troops of the North-Western Front during the "Great Retreat" of 1915.
Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 1916-1917
Supreme Commander of the Russian Army in 1917
Developed and implemented strategic plans for offensive operations in 1916-1917.
He continued to defend the need to preserve the Eastern Front after 1917 (the Volunteer Army is the basis of the new Eastern Front in the ongoing Great War).
Slandered and slandered in relation to various so-called. "Masonic military lodges", "conspiracy of generals against the Sovereign", etc., etc. - in terms of emigrant and modern historical journalism.

Platov Matvei Ivanovich

Military ataman of the Don Cossack army. He began active military service at the age of 13. A member of several military companies, he is best known as the commander of the Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon's saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of Cossacks alone, then I would conquer all of Europe.

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."

Oktyabrsky Philip Sergeevich

Admiral, Hero of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War, the commander Black Sea Fleet. One of the leaders of the Defense of Sevastopol in 1941 - 1942, as well as the Crimean operation of 1944. During the Great Patriotic War, Vice Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky was one of the leaders of the heroic defense of Odessa and Sevastopol. Being the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, at the same time in 1941-1942 he was the commander of the Sevastopol Defense Region.

Three orders of Lenin
three orders of the Red Banner
two orders of Ushakov 1st degree
Order of Nakhimov 1st class
Order of Suvorov 2nd class
Order of the Red Star
medals

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General Brusilov A.A., simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the enemy’s defense in depth and advanced 65 km. In military history, this operation was called the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

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.

Minikh Khristofor Antonovich

Due to the ambiguous attitude to the period of the reign of Anna Ioannovna, the largely underestimated commander, who was the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops throughout her reign.

Commander of the Russian troops during the War of the Polish Succession and architect of the victory of Russian arms in the Russo-Turkish War of 1735-1739.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

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

Antonov Alexey Inokent'evich

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

Humble and dedicated. Victorious. The author of all operations since the spring of 1943 and the victory itself. Others gained fame - Stalin and the commanders of the fronts.

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.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Russian admiral who gave his life for the liberation of the Fatherland.
Scientist-oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, leader of the White Movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich

981 - the conquest of Cherven and Przemysl. 983 - the conquest of the Yatvags. 984 - the conquest of the natives. 985 - successful campaigns against the Bulgars, the taxation of the Khazar Khaganate. 988 - the conquest of the Taman Peninsula. 991 - the subjugation of the White Croats. 992 - successfully defended Cherven Rus in the war against Poland. in addition, the saint is equal to the apostles.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

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

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

Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under more than twenty years of Margelov's leadership, the landing troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious service in them, especially revered by the people ... The photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums went from the soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for the Ryazan Airborne School blocked the figures of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who failed their exams for two or three months, before snow and frost, lived in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the stress and it would be possible to take his place .

Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich

Successes in the Crimean War of 1853-56, victory in the Battle of Sinop in 1853, defense of Sevastopol in 1854-55.

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)

Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich

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

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, composed of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle near Moscow, the battles in the North Caucasus, Battle of Stalingrad, battles on Kursk Bulge, battles near Leningrad and many others before the capture of Berlin, success in which was achieved thanks to the monotonous inhuman work of the genius of the Supreme Commander.

Miloradovich

Bagration, Miloradovich, Davydov - some very special breed of people. Now they don't do that. The heroes of 1812 were distinguished by complete recklessness, complete contempt for death. And after all, it was General Miloradovich, who went through all the wars for Russia without a single scratch, who became the first victim of individual terror. After Kakhovsky's shot on Senate Square, the Russian revolution followed this path - right up to the basement of the Ipatiev House. Removing the best.

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

October 3, 2013 marks the 80th anniversary of the death in the French city of Cannes of a Russian military figure, commander of the Caucasian Front, hero of Mukden, Sarykamysh, Van, Erzerum (due to the complete defeat of the 90,000th Turkish army of Russia, Constantinople and the Bosphorus with the Dardanelles retreated), the savior of the Armenian people from the complete Turkish genocide, holder of three orders of George and the highest order of France, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, General Nikolai Nikolayevich Yudenich.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 At one time they called the Caucasian Suvorov. On October 19, 1812, at the Aslanduz ford across the Araks, at the head of a detachment of 2221 people with 6 guns, Pyotr Stepanovich defeated the Persian army of 30,000 people with 12 guns. In other battles, he also acted not by number, but by skill.

Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich

He managed to bring his subordinate troops to the Don in full force, fought extremely effectively in the conditions of the civil war.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and military documentary.
Member of the Russo-Japanese War. One of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th Rifle "Iron" Brigade (1914-1916, since 1915 - deployed under his command into a division), 8th Army Corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a member of the Berdichevsky and Bykhov sittings of generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. The author of the memoirs "Essays on Russian Troubles" (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, the memoirs "The Old Army" (1929-1931), the autobiographical story "The Way of the Russian Officer" (published in 1953) and a number of other works.

Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich

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

Romodanovsky Grigory Grigorievich

An outstanding military leader of the 17th century, prince and governor. In 1655, he won his first victory over the Polish hetman S. Pototsky near Gorodok in Galicia. Later, being the commander of the army of the Belgorod category (military administrative district), he played a major role in organizing the defense of the southern border of Russia. In 1662, he won the biggest victory in the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine in the battle of Kanev, defeating the hetman-traitor Y. Khmelnitsky and the Poles who helped him. In 1664, near Voronezh, he forced the famous Polish commander Stefan Czarnecki to flee, forcing the army of King Jan Casimir to retreat. Repeatedly beat Crimean Tatars. In 1677 he defeated the 100,000-strong Turkish army of Ibrahim Pasha near Buzhin, in 1678 he defeated the Turkish corps of Kaplan Pasha near Chigirin. Thanks to his military talents, Ukraine did not become another Ottoman province and the Turks did not take Kyiv.

Dragomirov Mikhail Ivanovich

Brilliant crossing of the Danube in 1877
- Creation of a tactics textbook
- Creation of the original concept of military education
- Leadership of the NAGSH in 1878-1889
- Huge influence in military matters for the whole 25th anniversary

Yaroslav the Wise

Kovpak Sidor Artemevich

Member of the First World War (he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front, a member of the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II. In total, he was awarded St. George's crosses III and IV degrees and medals "For Courage" ("George" medals) III and IV degrees.

During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German invaders together with the detachments of A. Ya. Parkhomenko, then was a fighter of the 25th Chapaev division on Eastern Front, where he was engaged in the disarmament of the Cossacks, participated in battles with the armies of Generals A.I. Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.

In 1941-1942, Kovpak's formation carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests on the Right-Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr and Kiev regions; in 1943 - the Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of Kovpak fought over 10 thousand kilometers in the rear of the Nazi troops, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union:
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown in their performance, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708)
The second medal "Gold Star" (No.) Major General Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid
four Orders of Lenin (18.5.1942, 4.1.1944, 23.1.1948, 25.5.1967)
Order of the Red Banner (24.12.1942)
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 1st class. (7.8.1944)
Order of Suvorov, 1st class (2 May 1945)
medals
foreign orders and medals (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia)

Donskoy Dmitry Ivanovich

His army won the Kulikovo victory.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

Successfully commanded Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War. Among other things, he stopped the Germans near Moscow, took Berlin.

Prophetic Oleg

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

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Soldier, several wars (including World War I and World War II). passed the way to Marshal of the USSR and Poland. Military intellectual. not resorting to "obscene leadership." he knew tactics in military affairs to the subtleties. practice, strategy and operational art.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

The commander, under whose leadership the white army with smaller forces for 1.5 years won victories over the red army and captured the North Caucasus, Crimea, Novorossia, Donbass, Ukraine, the Don, part of the Volga region and the central black earth provinces of Russia. He retained the dignity of the Russian name during the Second World War, refusing to cooperate with the Nazis, despite his uncompromisingly anti-Soviet position

Kornilov Lavr Georgievich

KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (08.18.1870-04.31.1918) Colonel (02.1905). Major General (12.1912). Lieutenant General (08.26.1914). Infantry General (06.30.1917). with a gold medal from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1898). Officer at the headquarters of the Turkestan Military District, 1889-1904. Participant in the Russian-Japanese war of 1904 - 1905: headquarters officer of the 1st rifle brigade (at its headquarters). When retreating from Mukden, the brigade got surrounded. Having led the rearguard, he broke through the encirclement with a bayonet attack, ensuring the freedom of defensive combat operations of the brigade. Military attache in China, 04/01/1907 - 02/24/1911. Participant in the First World War: commander of the 48th Infantry Division of the 8th Army (General Brusilov). During the general retreat, the 48th division was surrounded and General Kornilov, who was wounded on 04.1915, was captured near the Duklinsky Pass (Carpathians); 08.1914-04.1915. Captured by the Austrians, 04.1915-06.1916. Dressed in the uniform of an Austrian soldier, he escaped from captivity on 06.1915. Commander of the 25th Rifle Corps, 06.1916-04.1917. Commander of the Petrograd Military District, 03-04.1917. Commander of the 8th Army, 04.24-07.08.1917. On 05/19/1917, by his order, he introduced the formation of the first volunteer "1st Shock Detachment of the 8th Army" under the command of Captain Nezhentsev. Commander of the Southwestern Front...

Chapaev Vasily Ivanovich

01/28/1887 - 09/05/1919 life. Head of a division of the Red Army, participant in the First World War and the Civil War.
Cavalier of three St. George's crosses and the St. George medal. Cavalier of the Order of the Red Banner.
On his account:
- Organization of the county Red Guard of 14 detachments.
- Participation in the campaign against General Kaledin (near Tsaritsyn).
- Participation in the campaign of the Special Army against Uralsk.
- An initiative to reorganize the Red Guard detachments into two regiments of the Red Army: them. Stepan Razin and them. Pugachev, united in the Pugachev brigade under the command of Chapaev.
- Participation in battles with the Czechoslovaks and the People's Army, from whom Nikolaevsk was recaptured, renamed in honor of the brigade in Pugachevsk.
- Since September 19, 1918, the commander of the 2nd Nikolaev division.
- From February 1919 - Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Nikolaevsky district.
- From May 1919 - brigade commander of the Special Alexander-Gai Brigade. Cavalry General A. A. Brusilov showed the ability to manage large operational military formations - the army (8th - 05.08. May 21, 1917), a group of fronts (Supreme Commander-in-Chief - May 22, 1917 - July 19, 1917).
The personal contribution of A. A. Brusilov manifested itself in many successful operations of the Russian army during the First World War - the Battle of Galicia in 1914, the Battle of the Carpathians in 1914/15, the Lutsk and Czartoryi operations in 1915 and, of course, in the Offensive of the South-Western Front in 1916 city (the famous Brusilovsky breakthrough).

M.D. Skobelev

Why was he called the "white general"? The simplest explanation is a uniform and a white horse. But he was not the only one who wore a white general's military uniform ...

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich

He commanded a tank corps, the 60th Army, from April 1944 - the 3rd Belorussian Front. He showed a bright talent and especially distinguished himself during the Belarusian and East Prussian operations. Distinguished by the ability to conduct highly maneuverable combat operations. Mortally wounded in February 1945.

Chapter 5

a) NARV CONFUSION

On August 9, 1700, the day after receiving the notice of the Treaty of Constantinople concluded with the Turks, the Russian regiments set out on a campaign to the northwestern borders. 10 thousand carts loaded with provisions, ammunition, equipment, slowed down the movement of the army. And only on September 23, its 10,000th advance detachment reached Narva. The siege of the fortress began. Peter and his generals (officially commanded by a mercenary - the Austrian commander - Duke von Krui) did not yet know that Russia's ally - the Danish king Frederick IV had already capitulated after a sudden attack by Charles XII's squadron on Copenhagen. Thus, the only coalition power with a strong navy was out of the game. The 15,000th Swedish corps, led by the king himself, landed without obstacles on the territory of modern Northern Estonia and immediately moved to the rescue of the Narva garrison.

The Russian bombardment of the well-fortified walls and towers of the fortress lasted exactly two weeks (from October 20 to November 4). By that time, the stocks of gunpowder and cores had run out, and the number of all arriving troops had reached 35,000. In the conditions of the approaching winter, when the problems of fodder and food became more acute, the chances of a successful completion of the siege became more and more elusive. Meanwhile, 10 thousand soldiers of Karl in a skirmish near Wesenberg managed to throw back the noble militia of B.P. Sheremetev, who covered the road to Revel, and on November 18 secretly approach the Russian camp ...

The battle took place the next day. The day before, Peter left the location of his army, leaving to meet the division of A.I. Repnin, who was still concentrating near Novgorod. With a swift attack, the Swedes broke through the thin and extended line of Russian positions in a number of places. Panic among poorly trained soldiers and the transfer of mercenaries with all artillery to the side of the enemy aggravated the situation. The bridge over the Narova River collapsed at the time of the retreat of the division of F.A. Golo-vin along it. Sheremetev's local cavalry suffered heavy losses while swimming across. Only two guards regiments, Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky, and one army regiment, Lefortovsky, offered staunch resistance. The terms of surrender, signed on the night of November 20 by a part of the Russian generals (FAGolovin, N.Yu. Trubetskoy, Georgian Tsarevich Alexander), were grossly violated by the triumphant winners: only the guardsmen crossed into their territory without hindrance, with their banners unfurled and drumming. The rest of the troops, as well as the entire senior and middle command staff, were captured.

The results of the Battle of Narva were truly catastrophic for Peter. Losses in killed, dead and drowned amounted to 6 thousand people, the army lost 135 artillery pieces and almost the entire command staff. In essence, the army had to be created anew. But only 2 years remained before the first victories over the Swedes near Erestfer and Gumelshof.

Armament and ammunition of the Russian regular army. The numbers indicate: 1 - a cocked hat with a hoop-casket, 2 - a fuselery bag with a sling and cartridges, 3 - an officer's protazan, 4 - a sergeant's halberd, 5 - a fusee with a baguette of 1701, 6 - a fusel with a bayonet of 1709, 7 - fusee with a shoulder strap of 1723, 8 - a cavalry pistol with a wheel lock, 9 - an officer's sword, 10 - a dragoon broadsword, 11 - a soldier's sword, 12 - a grenade (Grenada), 13 - a dragoon mortar, 14 - a pistol with a flintlock, 15 - Dragoon olstra, 16 - Dragoon cartridge box.

“... Sergei Bukhvostov was also transferred to the company of scorers, already existing under the Preobrazhensky Regiment. It was he who was considered the first Russian soldier. Peter then gave the order to the sculptor Rastrelli to cast the figure of Bukhvostov in bronze, as the first Fuselier soldier.

Bukhvostov, a participant in many battles of the Northern War, in 1706 received the officer rank of second lieutenant, and ended his days as an artillery major in the St. Petersburg garrison ”(A. Begunova.“ The Way Through the Ages ”). “They caught up with half a company of soldiers ... bunches of hay and straw were tied to their feet. Sergeant: Smir-rna! Left leg - hay, right leg - straw. Remember science ... Step by step - hay - straw, hay - straw ... "

(A. Tolstoy. "Peter the Great").

b) “FOR THE ENEMY WITH A SMALLER NUMBER ...”

The battle, later called "the mother of the Poltava battle", took place on September 28, 1708. The army of Charles II, moving to the Russian border without convoys and supplies, did not wait for the 16,000-strong detachment of General A. Levengaupt, who left Riga with everything necessary. In order to prevent their meeting, Peter divided his army: most of them under the command of B.P. Sheremetev followed parallel to the movement of the Swedish king, and a specially formed flying corvolant (a mobile horse-foot formation of about 15 thousand soldiers under the command of the sovereign himself) rushed towards Levengaupt and overtook him, despite a series of deceptive maneuvers by the latter.

At first, the Russians managed to push the enemy back, and he was forced to retreat behind the fortifications of the Wagenburg - tightly packed wagons. After a two-hour respite, the battle resumed. The decisive blow to the Swedes was delivered by the dragoon units of General Bour, who broke through their "defensive belt". Levengaupt, who fled, lost half of his personnel and the entire convoy, which Peter got as a trophy.

A field courier service operated in large military formations. It consisted of: a postmaster, two clerks and several couriers. The first (on the right) was in charge of receiving and issuing correspondence, the clerks (one of them in the center) performed their direct duties and registered mail. Reliable and hardy soldiers were assigned as couriers (on the left), who had to ride for days on end, in any weather, and sometimes even engage in duels with the enemy who had broken through to our communications. Often packages with reports were delivered covered in the blood of a courier. On the personal instructions of the sovereign, the most frisky and strong horses were issued to military postmen, the courier's armament consisted of a pair of dragoon pistols and a sword.

In fact, after the Battle of Lesnaya, the scales began to tilt towards Russia and its allies during the course of the war. Remaining in the depths of foreign territory without strong rears, Charles's army fell into a disadvantageous strategic position.

The “History of the Svean War” cites the words of Peter I, which determine the place of this battle in the course of twenty years of hostilities: “This victory can be called the first for us, because this has never happened over the regular army, besides being in front of the enemy in a much smaller number, and truly it is the fault of all the prosperous followings of Russia, because here the first sample of the soldier was, and of course he approved the people, and the mother of the Poltava battle both with the encouragement of people and with time, for by the nine-month time this baby of happiness was uttered, always for the sake of curiosity someone wants to calculate from September 28, 1708 to June 27, 1709."

c) “SWEDS, STOP! SWEDS, STOP!"

The turning point of the entire war took place on June 27, 1709. The armies of Charles XII (30 thousand people with 39 guns) were opposed by the regiments of Peter I (about 40 thousand soldiers with 102 guns). For the first time, earthen fortifications were used on the battlefield - redoubts dug by the Russians in front of the expected enemy attack front. The attacks of the Swedes bogged down under intense fire from the redoubts. The success of the Russian troops was predetermined already in the prologue of the battle, when the energetic actions of the cavalry Menshikov managed to overturn the enemy cavalry. But after receiving the order to withdraw, the "most luminous" took his dragoons to the edge of the forest. The Swedes rushing forward were caught in the crossfire of artillery, and some of them (under the command of Generals Rosen and Schlippenbach) were captured.

In the second phase of the battle, the Carolinians managed to break through the line of fortifications and reach the Budishchi forest, where the Russian camp was located. The main blow was delivered by the army commander (in the absence of the wounded Karl), General Renshield, to the poorly trained soldiers of the Novgorod regiment. Holding the line, Peter's soldiers went on the offensive. It turned out to be so powerful and swift that the Swedish army faltered. The disorderly retreat turned into a rout. The winners got all the carts and artillery, managed to capture almost the entire headquarters of the king.

d) “WHERE SO MUCH WORK AND LOSSES ARE PLACED”

Military operations unfolded in the summer of 1711 in the basin of the Prut, Dniester and Seret rivers. Under an agreement with the Moldavian ruler Cantemir and the Wallachian ruler Brankovan, Peter, responding to the challenge of the Ottoman Porte, undertook to send troops to the territory of these principalities and restore their independence. The 40,000-strong Russian army under the command of the tsar himself and Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev set out on a difficult, poorly prepared campaign. The slow advance of the troops, caused by a lack of provisions, lack of food for the cavalry, violated the original plans. The betrayal of Brankovan, who did not allow Peter's army to join the Serb detachments and handed over the shops to the Turks, put our command in a difficult position. On July 8, the vizier's army of 200,000 surrounded the Russian camp. For two days, in conditions of intense heat and lack of water, bloody unequal battles went on. Heavy artillery fire managed to stop the first onslaught of the Ottomans. But the position of Peter's troops by July 10 became catastrophic. Vice-Chancellor P.P. Shafirov went to the headquarters of the vizier with the order of the sovereign to make peace at any cost. The day of July 11 passed in tense anticipation, not a single shot was fired from either side. By evening, the situation was defused. Shafirov said that at the cost of minor territorial concessions (the transfer of the Azov fortress, the demolition of the ramparts of Taganrog) and the destruction of the Azov flotilla (by that time obsolete), the truce was signed. Historians explain the loyalty of the Turks by their heavy losses from cannon fire in the battle of July 10, the diplomatic art of the vice-chancellor, who bribed the enemy commander, and the sudden appearance in the rear of the Janissaries of the Russian corps of General Rennes, sent with a raid to the Danube. Summing up the results of the campaign, Peter wrote: “This is the case ... although not without sadness, that the deprivation of those places where so much labor and losses are due ...” The atmosphere of disappointment with the results of the campaign of 1711 was vividly expressed by the eyewitness of the events Feofan Prokopovich in his poems:

Behind the Ryaboya Grave, over the Prutova River, there was an army in a terrible battle. On a weekly afternoon, the hour became very difficult for us, Turchin came crowded. The Cossacks went to meet, the hair regiments went, the Don corrals went.

Guards and infantry regiments.

From left to right: chief officer of the Semyonovsky regiment (1705), grenadier of the Preobrazhensky regiment (1712), infantry headquarters officer, infantry regiment fuseler, fuseler in karpus, epanche, cloth mittens and leggings (winter uniform), chief officer infantry regiment, pike non-commissioned officer, army grenadier, grenadier of the Preobrazhensky regiment (1709).

Nikita (Anikita) Ivanovich Repnin (1668 - 1726), prince, field marshal general, one of the most prominent associates of Peter I. Participated in the Northern War from its first day, but played an active role only from 1704, after the promotion of the Russian corps to the limits of Rech Commonwealth. Together with A.D. Menshikov, he led the army out of the Grodno "cauldron" in 1706. After an unsuccessful Golovchinsk battle, he was demoted to the rank and file, but by his heroic behavior in the Battle of Lesnaya (G708) he returned all his former regalia. He fought at Poltava, commanded detachments of the Russian army in the European campaigns of 1711-1724. 1724 - President of the Military Collegium.

e) PERSIAN CAMPAIGN

Busy "cutting a window to Europe", Peter did not give up his attempts to establish trade and economic relations with India, the Arab countries, and the peoples of the Caucasus. The implementation of these plans was hindered by the aggressive policy of Persia. The Georgian king Vakhtang and the head of the Armenian Church have long been asking for help in getting rid of the cruel yoke of the Tehran rulers. The reason for the war was the attack of the Shah's subjects on Russian merchants in Shamakhi. The army, composed of 22,000 infantrymen, 9,000 dragoons, 40,000 Cossacks and Kalmyks, and led personally by the emperor, set off on a campaign from Astrakhan on July 18, 1722. She was accompanied along the coast by the ships of the Caspian flotilla. The advance of the troops was hampered by heat and starvation.

In August, the most important Persian fortresses Tarki and Derbent fell. Further, the army was led by General M AMatyushkin. The allied Georgian and Armenian detachments were defeated and retreated to the mountains, but the Russian army continued to move south. Parts of General Shilov took Gilan and Rasht, and Matyushkin captured Baku. In September 1723, the shah went to the world. Persia ceded to Russia the western and southern coasts of the Caspian Sea with the important cities of Derbent, Baku, Lankaran and Astrabad. Later, when the need arose for the allied services of the Persians against Turkey, the occupied territories were returned to Tehran.

repulse an enemy attack. From left to right - a Fuselier of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, a pikeman, a Fuselier of an Army Regiment, a Horse Guardsman with a cavalry blunderbuss. Ao we got a description of three methods of rifle fire on an attacking enemy: volleys from a deployed formation, platoons and "niederfalen". When firing "niederfalen" from 6 ranks, the first 5 knelt down, and the last hit the enemy. Then they got up and fired in turn 5th, 4th, etc. The platoons fired sequentially, and the deployed formation was formed when rebuilding from 6 ranks to 3. In the latter case, fire was opened simultaneously.

From the book about the war author Clausewitz Carl von

Chapter two. The Nature of Modern Combat According to the definitions we have given to tactics and strategy, it goes without saying that a change in the nature of tactics must also affect strategy. Since the tactical phenomena in one case have a completely different character,

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Peter I Great

Peter I the Great (Peter Alekseevich Romanov). Peter was born on the night of May 30(June 9), 1672 in the Terem Palace of the Kremlin (in 7180 according to the then accepted chronology “from the creation of the world”). He died on January 28 (February 8), 1725 in St. Petersburg. He was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Peter I - Russian Tsar from April 27, 1682, the first All-Russian Emperor from October 22, 1721.

Statesman and military leader, commander and diplomat, founder of the regular Russian army and navy.

Father - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov - had numerous offspring. Peter was the 14th child, but the first from his second wife, Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina. On June 29, on the day of St. Peter and Paul, he was baptized in the Miracle Monastery (according to other sources, in the church of Gregory of Neocaesarea, in Derbitsy, by Archpriest Andrei Savinov) and named Peter. In the 4th year of Peter's life, in 1676, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich died. The guardian of the prince was his half-brother, godfather andnew tsar Fedor Alekseevich. Clerk N. Zotov taught Peter the letter from 1676 to 1680.

Pedigree of the Romanovs

The death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the accession of his elder brother Fyodor(from Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya) pushed Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna and her relatives, the Naryshkins, into the background. Tsarina Natalya was forced to go to the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow.

On April 27 (May 7), 1682, after 6 years of reign, the sickly Tsar Fyodor Mikhailovich died. Enlisting the support of Patriarch Joachim, the Naryshkins and their supporters elevated Peter to the throne on the same day. The Miloslavskys, relatives of Tsarevich Ivan and Princess Sophia by their mother, saw in the proclamation of Peter the Tsar an infringement of their interests. Streltsy, of which there were more than 20,000 in Moscow, incited by the Miloslavskys, on May 15 (May 25), 1682, came out openly: shouting that the Naryshkins had strangled Tsarevich Ivan, they moved to the Kremlin. Natalya Kirillovna, hoping to calm the archers, together with the patriarch and the boyars, led Peter and Ivan to the Red Porch.

Natalya Kirillovna on the Red Porch with Peter and Ivan

However, the uprising was not over. In the first hours, the boyars Artamon Matveev and Mikhail Dolgoruky were killed, then other supporters of Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, including her two brothers Naryshkins.

The murder of Artamon Matveev

On May 26, elected representatives from the archery regiments came to the palace and demanded that the elder Ivan be recognized as the first tsar, and the younger Peter as the second. Fearing a repetition of the pogroms, the boyars agreed, and Patriarch Joachim immediately performed a solemn prayer service in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin for the health of the two named kings, and on June 25 crowned them to the kingdom.

On May 29, the archers insisted that Princess Sofya Alekseevna take over the government (regent) under the brothers.

Princess Sophia

Already in his youth, Peter's character traits, outstanding abilities, and interest in military and especially maritime affairs were clearly manifested. For the military games of Peter near Moscow in the village of Preobrazhenskoye on the banks of the river. Yauza created a “amusing fortress” and organized “amusing” regiments - Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky, which later became the core of the Russian regular army. The aggravation of relations between various factions fighting for power led to the preparation of Sophia's military action against Peter in August 1689. Warned by his supporters, Peter hastily left for the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, where the troops loyal to him were gathered. As a result of the decisive actions of Peter's supporters, Sophia was exiled to the Novodevichy Monastery under strict supervision, her closest adherents were executed.

Execution of archers in Moscow

After the death of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich on January 29 (February 8), 1696, Peter I became the sole ruler. Subsequent attempts by Sophia's supporters to overthrow Peter I by organizing a new reactionary streltsy rebellion ended in failure, and the streltsy army was liquidated.

The priority of Peter I in the first years of autocracy was the continuation of the war with the Crimean Khan. Since the 16th century, Muscovite Russia has been fighting the Crimean and Nogai Tatars for possession of the vast coastal lands of the Black and Azov Seas. During this struggle, Russia clashed with the Ottoman Empire, patronizing the Tatars. One of the strongholds on these lands was the Turkish fortress of Azov, located at the confluence of the river. Don to the Sea of Azov and closing the exit to Sea of Azov.

To accomplish this task, Peter I formed an army of about 31,000 people, with 114 mortars, 12 howitzers, 44 squeakers. To master military equipment, Peter I carried out maneuvers near Kozhukhov, near Moscow. To divert the attention of the Turks and Tatars from the impending attack on Azov, a cavalry under the command of B.P. was sent to the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Sheremetev.

B.P. Sheremetiev

In the spring of 1695, Russian troops were moved to the fortress of Azov. “We were joking near Kozhukhov,” wrote Peter I, “now we are going to play near Azov.” The vanguard of the Russian army set out from Moscow in early March and camped at Azov on June 27. On the way he was joined by the Don Cossacks. On April 28, the main forces moved on the ships “smoothly” (along the Volga, then along the Don). With them was Peter I and his military consultant F.Ya. Lefort. On July 5, the entire army was concentrated in the Azov region. Peter I decided to take the fortress by storm. On August 5, the first assault on Azov took place, but was repulsed. The second assault on September 25 was also unsuccessful. Great losses and the approaching autumn forced Peter I to lift the siege of Azov and return back. The outcome of unsuccessful actions was largely influenced by the lack of a Russian fleet on the Sea of Azov, as a result of which the fortress was not isolated from outside help and received reinforcements from Turkey by sea.

F.Ya. Lefort

The failure did not break the will of Peter I. It was decided to act against Azov not only with ground forces, but also with a fleet that could cut off the fortress from the sea. For this, it was decided to build a fleet. The Boyar Duma, at his request, decided: “There will be sea vessels.” This was the basis for the creation, for the first time in Russia, of a regular Navy. The construction was carried out at the established shipyards in Voronezh, the village of Preobrazhensky, Kozlov and other places. The Admiralty was transferred to Tavrov on the Sea of Azov, and a port was created in Taganrog. Most ships were built flat-bottomed; they included various ships, including those with weapons from 44 to 58 guns. 2 battleships, 4 fireships, 23 galleys, a large number of transport ships were built. Flagship - 36-gun ship "Apostle Peter"

Fleet under Peter I

Simultaneously intensified ground troops. The number of the army prepared for the new campaign amounted to 75,000 people under the command of Generalissimo A.S. Sheina (the first generalissimo of Russia, the title was awarded after the successful capture of Azov).

In the spring of 1696, the 2nd Azov campaign began, the army and navy under the general command of Peter I were concentrated in Voronezh. At the end of April, 8 regiments, including the guards, went to Azov on transport ships. The rest of the troops moved on land. Sheremetyev's cavalry (70,000 men) was again sent to the lower reaches of the Dnieper. On May 3 (13), a galley flotilla sailed in detachments of 5-8 ships. The Russian fleet (under the command of Admiral F.Ya. Lefort) went to sea to blockade Azov. Peter I participated in the blockade with the rank of captain of the galley Principium.

A.S. Shein

On May 27, the Russian fleet entered the Sea of Azov, drove back Turkish ships, and in early June blocked Azov from the sea. The Russian army laid siege to the fortress from land. By joint efforts of the army and navy, on July 18, Azov was taken by storm.

Assault on the fortress of Azov

The Azov campaigns hastened the end of the war between Russia and Turkey and the conclusion of the Constantinople peace treaty of 1700. They fortified the southern borders of the country. The experience of the Azov campaigns was used by Peter I in carrying out military reforms and reorganizing the armed forces of Russia, showed the increased role of the fleet in the war and were the beginning of Russia's transformation into a maritime power.

In March 1697, the Great Embassy was sent to Western Europe through Livonia, the main purpose of which was to find allies against the Ottoman Empire. General-Admiral F.Ya. Lefort, General F.A. Golovin, head of the Ambassadorial order P.B. Voznitsyn. In total, the embassy included 250 people, among whom, under the name of the constable of the Preobrazhensky regiment Peter Mikhailov, was Tsar Peter I himself. For the first time, the Russian Tsar undertook a trip outside his state. Peter visited Riga, Koenigsberg, Brandenburg, Holland, England, Austria.

Peter I in Holland

The embassy recruited several hundred shipbuilding specialists to Russia and purchased military and other scientific equipment. In addition to negotiations, Peter devoted a lot of time to the study of shipbuilding, military affairs and other sciences. Peter worked as a carpenter at the shipyards of the East India Company, with his participation a ship was built"Peter and Paul" In England he visited the foundry, the arsenal, the Parliament, the University of Oxford, the Greenwich Observatory, and the Mint, which Isaac Newton was the caretaker at the time.

The Great Embassy did not achieve its main goal, but as a result,Peter I there was a reorientation of Russia's foreign policy from the southern direction to the north.

After returning from the Great Embassy, Peter I began to prepare for a war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea. In 1699, the Northern Alliance was created against the Swedish king Charles XII, which, in addition to Russia, included Denmark, Saxony and the Commonwealth.

Military weakness and lack of coordination at the beginning of the war doomed the allies to major defeats. Charles XII defeated the opponents one by one with the help of quick landing operations. Shortly after the bombardment of Copenhagen, Denmark on August 8, 1700 withdrew from the war. The attempt of the Polish king Augustus II to capture Riga ended in failure. Peter I only on August 19 (30), 1700, after making peace with Turkey, was able to declare war on Sweden and send troops (35,000 people, 145 guns) to Narva, the siege of which dragged on until late autumn. Upon learning of the withdrawal of the troops of August II from Riga to Kovno, Charles II landed about 32,500 people with 37 guns in Pernov and on November 19 (30), 1700, attacked the camp of Russian troops with 8,500 soldiers and completely defeated it. Peter I himself left for Novgorod two days before.

Map of the Northern War

The defeat of the Russian army near Narva

Charles XII

However, with energetic measures, Peter I restored the regular army (up to 40,000 people, 300 guns) according to the European model, created a navy, and took hasty measures to develop industry.

Talented Russian military leaders were nominated by Peter I: A.D. Menshikov, B.P. Sheremetev and others.

HELL. Menshikov

In 1701, the active operations of the Russian troops in the Baltic region resumed.

On December 9 (21), 1701, the dragoon regiments of B.P. Sheremetev won the first victory over the Swedish corps of General V.A. Schlippenbach at Erestfer and a larger defeat near Gumelsgorf on July 18 (30), 1702, the remnants of the Swedish troops took refuge in Pernov. At the same time, the troops of F.M. Apraskin pushed the Swedes back from the Russian base - Novaya Ladoga, breaking them on the river. Izhora and forcing them to retreat to the Nyenschanz fortress at the mouth of the Neva. The flotilla of ships under the command of I. Tyrnov twice defeated the Swedish ships in Lake Ladoga, near Kexholm and forced them to leave for Vyborg. October 11 (22) Peter I captured the Notenburg (Shliselburg) fortress. In the spring of the following year, he occupied Nyenschantz, Yamburg and Koporye.

Assault on Notenburg

Blocking the path to the Neva for the Swedish fleet, Peter I erected the mouth of the river near the southern navigable channel, near about. Kotlin, Fort Kronshlot (Kronstadt). In 1703, at the mouth of the river. The city of St. Petersburg was founded on the Neva, which became the capital of Russia since 1712.

Peter I in St. Petersburg

In 1704, Derpt, Narva and Ivan-gorod were taken, which led to the consolidation of Russia on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

After the deposition of the Polish king August II in 1706 and his replacement by Stanislav Leshchinsky, Charles XII launched a fatal campaign against Russia in the summer of 1708, intending to reach Moscow through Smolensk. However, having met the resistance of the Russian troops, Karl turned from the Starishi region to Ukraine, where he expected to receive help from the traitor of the Ukrainian people, Hetman I.S. Mazepa.

Charles XII and hetman I.S. Mazepa

At the end of September, the Swedes went to Kostenichi (on the way to Starodub) and stopped in anticipation of A. Levenhaupt's corps. However, in the battle near the village of Lesnaya on September 28 (October 9), 1708, Peter I (16,000 people and 30 guns) utterly defeated the Lewenhaupt corps (16,000 people and 30 guns, a convoy with food and ammunition - 7,000 wagons). Peter I sent A.D. to the Forest Corvolant (flying corps). Menshikov, consisting of 10 dragoon and 3 infantry regiments mounted on horses (11,600 people in total). Russian troops pushed back the Swedish vanguard. Corvolant formation in 2 lines attacked the main forces of the Swedes. The stubborn battle lasted several hours, but in the end the Swedes, having suffered heavy losses, retreated to Wagenburg. As Bour's cavalry approached the Russians, the Russians attacked again. At night, Levengaupt, leaving all the artillery and the convoy retreated down the river. Sozh. The Swedes lost 8,000 killed, 1,000 prisoners, convoy, banners. Russian troops lost over 1,000 killed and 3,000 wounded.

Battle of Lesnaya

The defeat of the corps of A. Lewenhaupt deprived Charles XII of the reinforcements he needed, food, and frustrated his plans for a campaign against Moscow.

An acute shortage of food and fodder forced Charles XII in the spring of 1709 to turn south to Poltava region, which had not yet been devastated by the war. In April 1709, the Swedish army concentrated in the Poltava region.

The general battle between the Russian and Swedish armies during the Northern War took place near Poltava on June 27 (July 8), 1709.

In the spring of 1709, after an unsuccessful winter campaign in Ukraine, Charles XII(35,000 soldiers and 32 guns) laid siege to Poltava. In April-June, the Poltava garrison (4,200 soldiers, 2,500 armed citizens, 29 guns), led by commandant Colonel A.S. Kelin, supported from the outside by the approaching cavalry of Field Marshal A.D. Menshikov, successfully repelled several enemy assaults. On June 16 (27) at the military council, Peter I decided on a general battle. On June 20 (July 1), the main forces of the Russian army (42,000 soldiers and 72 guns) crossed to the right bank of the river. Vorskla. June 25 (July 6) Peter I placed the army in position near the village of Yakovtsy (5 km north of Poltava), placing it in a fortified camp.

The field in front of the camp, about 2.5 km wide, covered from the flanks by dense forest and thickets, was fortified with a system of field engineering structures of 6 frontal and 4 quadrangular redoubts perpendicular to them. The redoubts were located at a distance of a rifle shot from each other, which ensured tactical interaction between them. The redoubts housed 2 battalions of soldiers and grenadiers, behind the redoubts - 17 cavalry regiments under the command of A.D. Menshikov. The idea of Peter I was to wear down the enemy in the forward position of the redoubts, and then defeat him in an open field battle.

June 27 (July 8) at 2 am, the Swedish army under the command of Field Marshal K.G. Renshild (Karl XII was wounded in the leg on June 17 (28) during reconnaissance) numbering about 20,000 people and 4 guns (28 guns without ammunition were left in the wagon train, and the rest of the troops - up to 10,000 people were near Poltava in reserve and guarding communications) The 4th columns of infantry and 6 columns of cavalry moved towards the position of the Russians. At the first stage of the battle, the battles went for the advanced positions. At 3 o'clock the Russian and Swedish cavalry started a stubborn battle at the redoubts. By 5 o'clock the Swedish cavalry was overturned, but the infantry following it captured the first two redoubts. Menshikov asked for reinforcements, but Peter I, adhering to the plan of the battle, ordered him to retreat beyond the line of redoubts. At the sixth hour, the Swedes, advancing behind the retreating Russian cavalry, fell on their right flank under cross rifle and cannon fire from the Russian fortified camp, suffered heavy losses and fled in a panic to the forest near Small Budishchi.

Russian artillerymen near Poltava

At the same time, the right-flank Swedish columns of Generals Ross and Schlippenbach, cut off from the main forces during the battle for the redoubts, were destroyed by Menshikov's cavalry in the Poltava forest by order of Peter I.

Poltava battle

At the second stage of the battle, the struggle of the main forces unfolded. At about 6 o'clock in the morning, Peter I built an army in front of the camp in 2 lines, placing infantry in the center under the command of General R.Kh. Bour and Field Marshal A.D. Menshikov, artillery under the command of General Ch.V. Bruce. A reserve was left in the camp - 9 battalions. Part of the infantry and cavalry Peter I detached for reinforcements in Malaye Budishchi and the Poltava garrison in order to cut off the retreat paths for the Swedes and prevent them from capturing the fortress during the battle. The Swedish army lined up against the Russians also in linear order.

At 9 o'clock the Swedes went on the offensive. Met by strong Russian artillery fire, they rushed into a bayonet attack. In a fierce hand-to-hand fight, the Swedes pushed the center of the Russian first line. But Peter I, who was watching the course of the battle, personally led the counterattack of the Novgorod battalion and threw the Swedes back to their original positions. Soon the Russian infantry began to push the enemy, and the cavalry to cover his flanks. By 11 o'clock the Swedes began to retreat, which turned into a stampede. Charles XII with Hetman Mazepa, abandoning their troops, fled from the battlefield (in Ottoman Empire). The remnants of the Swedish army retreated to Perevolochna, where they were overtaken and laid down their arms. In the Battle of Poltava, the Swedes lost more than 9,000 people killed, over 18,000 prisoners, 32 guns and the entire convoy. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to 1345 people killed and 3290 people wounded.

Beginning of the Battle of Poltava

Captured Swedes near Poltava

The battle of Poltava predetermined the victorious outcome of the long Northern War and raised the international prestige of Russia.

Having defeated the elite troops of Charles XII in Ukraine, Russian troops in 1710 captured Riga, Revel, Kexholm, Vyborg and about. Ezel. With the help of English and Austrian diplomacy, Charles XII managed to draw Turkey into the war, which in 1710 declared war on Russia. Despite the failure in the Prut campaign of 1711, Peter I achieved a truce with Turkey at the cost of ceding Azov to them.

In 1713, Peter I, with the help of a special Ingrian corps (over 65,000 people), with the assistance of a galley squadron (over 200 ships with 870 guns) and a sailing fleet (7 ships of the line, 4 frigates with 900 guns), launched a decisive offensive against the Swedish troops in Finland. During the summer of 1713, Helsingfors and Abo (Turku) were occupied, and a major defeat was inflicted on the Swedish troops in the battle of October 6 (17) near Pelkin. In February (March) 1714 M.M. Golovin defeated the Swedes near Lappala and occupied the city of Vaza.

Thanks to the dominance of Sweden in the Baltic Sea, the Northern War dragged on. The Russian Baltic Fleet was just being created, but managed to win its first victory in the Gangut naval battle.

Gangut naval battle

The Gangut naval battle between the Russian and Swedish fleets took place on July 26-27 (August 6-7) north of the Gangut (Hanko) peninsula on the Baltic Sea. At the end of June 1714, the Russian rowing fleet (99 galleys and scampaways with 15,000 troops) under the command of Admiral General F.M. Apraksina concentrated off the eastern coast of the Gangut Peninsula in order to break through to the Abo-Aland skerries and land troops to reinforce the Russian garrison in Abo (100 km northwest of Cape Gangut). The way for Apraksin's fleet was blocked by the Swedish fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Vatrang (15 battleships, 3 frigates and a detachment of rowing vessels), which took up a position at the southwestern tip of the Gangut Peninsula. Peter I carried out reconnaissance and ordered the construction of a perevolka (wooden flooring) across the narrow isthmus of the peninsula (2.5 km) for the transfer of galleys along it to the skerry area located north of the Gangut peninsula. The sudden actions of these ships behind enemy lines were supposed to divert his attention from the breakthrough of the main forces of the Russian fleet. Having learned about the construction of the portage, the commander of the Swedish fleet immediately sent a detachment of ships (1 frigate, 6 galleys, 3 skherboats) under the command of Rear Admiral N. Ehrenskiöld to the northern coast of the peninsula. At the same time, he sent a detachment of Vice Admiral Lillier(8 linear and 2 bombarding ships) to strike at the main forces of the Russian fleet in the area of its concentration. The enemy forces were dismembered. Peter I immediately took advantage of this. On the morning of July 25 (August 6), when the Swedish sailing ships could not maneuver due to lack of wind, the vanguard of the Russian fleet was 20 scampaways) under the command of Captain-Commander M.Kh. Zmaevich began a rapid breakthrough, bypassing the Swedish squadron more seawardly out of reach of its artillery fire. Following him, a guard detachment (15 scampaways) made a breakthrough to the western part of the crossing. The daring actions of the Russian rowboats caught the Swedes by surprise. Bypassing the Gangut peninsula, Zmaevich's detachment met and fired at the detachment of Shautbenacht Taube (1 frigate, 5 galleys, 6 skherbots), who were going to join the main forces of the Swedish fleet. Having discovered the Russian ships that had broken through, Shaktbenakht Taube turned to the Aland Islands. On the same day, Russian ships blocked the Ehrenskjöld detachment. Believing that the following detachments of Russian ships would continue to break through the previous route, the commander of the Swedish fleet withdrew the Lillier detachment, and he himself moved away from the coast, freeing the coastal fairway. Apraksin took advantage of this, breaking through the coastal fairway with the main rowing forces to his vanguard, which continued to block the Swedish ships. Ehrenskiold refused the offer to surrender. Then the vanguard of the Russian fleet attacked the Swedes. The first two attempts were repulsed, but the third was successful. All 10 Swedish ships, led by Ehrenskjöld, were taken prisoner. The Swedes lost 361 people killed, 350 people wounded, 237 prisoners, 10 ships with 116 guns went to the Russians as trophies. The Russians lost 127 killed and 342 wounded.

The victory at Gangut (the first victory of the Russian regular fleet) was of great military and political significance. It ensured the successful operations of the Russian troops in Finland and created the conditions for the transfer of hostilities to the territory of Sweden.

The brilliant victories of the Russian fleet in the Ezel naval battle on May 24 (June 4) near about. Ezel (Saaremaa island) and about. Grengam July 27 (August 7), 1720 showed the complete superiority of the Russian navy over the Swedish.

Ezel naval battle

In 1720, Sweden began peace negotiations with Russia, culminating in the Treaty of Nystadt in 1721. The victory in the Northern War crowned Russia's age-old struggle for access to the Baltic Sea and, together with the major internal transformations of Peter I, contributed to its transformation into one of the great powers.

The largest foreign policy event of Peter I after the Northern War was the Caspian (or Persian) campaign of 1722-1724. On June 18, 1722, after the Persian Shah Tokhmas Mirza appealed for help, 22,000 Russian detachments sailed across the Caspian. In August, Derbent surrendered, after which the Russians returned to Astrakhan due to problems with provisions. In 1723, the western coast of the Caspian Sea was conquered with the fortresses of Baku, Rasht, Astrabad. On September 12, 1723, the Petersburg Treaty was concluded with Persia, according to which the western and southern coasts of the Caspian Sea with the cities of Derbent, Baku and the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad were included in the Russian Empire.

Persian campaign of Peter I

During his reign, Peter I showed a deep understanding of the state tasks facing Russia, and carried out major reforms aimed at overcoming Russia's backwardness from the advanced countries of Europe and using its huge natural resources. His activity in restructuring the state apparatus was aimed at strengthening the absolutist state, strengthening the feudal-serf system, the rule of the nobility class and the emerging bourgeoisie.

Instead of the Boyar Duma in 1711, the Governing Senate was created, to which the boards were subordinate. The independent position of the church was largely limited: the activities of the created synod were controlled by a government official - the chief prosecutor, the patriarchate was liquidated in 1721. Instead of the previous division of the country into counties and voivodship administration, 8 provinces headed by governors were created. The provinces were divided into 50 provinces. Transformations in the field of public administration ended in 1721 with the proclamation of Russia as an empire.

As a military leader, Peter I is among the most educated and talented builders of the armed forces, commanders and naval commanders of Russian and world history of the 18th century. The business of his whole life was to strengthen the military power of Russia and increase its role in the international arena.

Under Peter I, the army and navy received the same type and harmonious organization, regiments, brigades and divisions were formed in the army, squadrons, divisions and detachments in the navy, a single dragoon-type cavalry was created.

The basis for the organization of the armed forces was the recruitment service introduced by him (1705) and the mandatory military service nobles. The position of commander-in-chief (general field marshal) was introduced to manage the army in the field, and general admiral in the navy. At the field headquarters, a military council (“council”) was established as an advisory body. In the period 1701-1719, navigation, artillery, engineering schools and a naval academy were opened in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Military regulations were approved, military ranks established orders and medals.

Weapons of the army of Peter I

Grenadiers and dragoons of Peter I

For all the inconsistency of his nature, Peter I entered the history of Russia as a progressive statesman and military leader who managed to deeply and comprehensively understand the urgent problems of Russia's development and did a lot to turn it into a great world power.

Monuments to Peter I were erected in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, Arkhangelsk, Taganrog, Petrodvorets, Tula, Petrozavodsk.

Monument to Peter I in Moscow

Monument to Peter I in St. Petersburg (Bronze Horseman)

In the spring of 1708 Charles XII invaded Russia. With him were 24 thousand infantry and 20 thousand cavalry. They were selected warriors who knew their job perfectly. In Europe, there were legends about them as about invincible soldiers. The Swedish king initially intended to go to Moscow through Smolensk, but this direction was covered by a strong army led by Boris Sheremetev. Charles XII turned south, went to Ukraine. He was in secret correspondence with the Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Mazepa. Many in the Cossack officers were dissatisfied with the position of Ukraine within Russia. They believed that the liberties of the foreman and the Little Russian gentry were curtailed. The hardships of the Northern War also affected. 20 thousand Cossacks fought in the "Livonian region". Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa dreamed of Ukraine, a vassal of Sweden. Mazepa promised Charles XII apartments for the army, food, fodder (fodder for horses), military support for the 30,000th Zaporizhian army.

FROM THE RELATION ON THE BATTLE OF POLTAVA

“And so, by the grace of the Almighty, a perfect victory, which the like is little heard and seen, with easy work against a proud enemy, through his royal majesty, a glorious weapon and a personal brave and wise drive was won. For in this His Majesty truly showed his courage, wise generosity and military skill, without fear of any fear to his royal person, in the highest degree, and, moreover, his hat was pierced by a bullet. Under his lordship, Prince Menshikov, who also showed his courage quite well, three horses were wounded. At the same time, this must be known that from our infantry only one line, in which ten thousand were found, was with the enemy in battle, and the other did not reach that point; for the enemies, having been refuted from our first line, ran and were tacos beaten<…>News was received from those sent to bury the dead in the battle that they counted and buried the Swedish dead bodies of 8519 people in the battlefield and circle of it, except for those who were chasing through the forests in different places beaten."

"I PLEASE YOU WELCOME TO MY TENT"

On the eve of the Battle of Poltava, King Charles XII, promising his officers and soldiers a quick victory, invited the Russian Tsar to a sumptuous dinner in the tent. “He prepared many dishes; go where your glory leads you." Peter I really arranged a feast for the winners, where he invited captured Swedish generals. At the same time, the Russian monarch, not without irony, said: “Yesterday my brother King Charles called you to dine in my tent, but today he didn’t come and didn’t keep his word, although I really expected him. But when His Majesty did not deign to appear, then I ask you to come to my tent.

ORDER FOR A TRAITOR

After Poltava, Peter I sent the following command to Moscow: “Upon receipt of this, immediately make a silver coin weighing ten pounds, and order Judas to be cut on it, hanging on an aspen, and thirty pieces of silver lying below and a bag with them, and behind this inscription:“ The pernicious son Judas is cursed, hedgehog for the love of money chokes. And for that coin, to make a chain of two pounds, send it to us by express mail immediately. It was the Order of Judas, made especially for the traitor Hetman Mazepa.

Tests on the history of the Fatherland

VICTORY PARADE

The event turned out great. The order of the parade can be judged from the engravings by P. Picard and A. Zubov.

The victorious sounds of twenty-four trumpeters and six timpani players who led the column flew from the Serpukhov Gates. The procession of the Life Guards Semyonov Regiment in equestrian formation was opened, led by Prince M.M. Golitsyn. The Semyonovites rode with unfolded banners and drawn broadswords.

Trophies taken near Lesnaya were carried next, followed by Russian soldiers again, now dragged across the snow, 295 banners and standards captured at Lesnaya, near Poltava and Perevolnaya. (by the way, at the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, 200 fascist banners and standards were thrown to the foot of the mausoleum of V.I. Lenin). Such dragging of enemy trophy banners on land and water (if it was in the port) became a kind of traditional part of the victorious events in the Petrine era. Next came the Swedish prisoners. On December 21, a huge number of prisoners of war were held in the Russian capital - 22,085 Swedes, Finns, Germans and others taken over 9 years of the war.

First, the captured non-commissioned officers of the "Courland Corps" were led on foot. After the victories at Lesnaya and Poltava, the Swedes were not considered a formidable opponent, and as a mockery, 19 reindeer and horse-drawn sleighs of the “Samoyed King” of the half-crazy Frenchman Udder with Nenets dressed in reindeer skins were missed behind them. Behind them on horseback they carried the stretcher of the Swedish king captured near Poltava. They were kept in the Armory for some time, until the fire of 1737 destroyed them...

After the Swedes followed the grenadier company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, again Swedish officers and trophies taken already near Poltava. Then Levengaupt was led on foot along with Rehnskiöld and Chancellor K. Pieper.

Following the generals, the Colonel of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Peter the Great himself, rode on a horse in a uniform torn by fragments of Swedish nuclei, in a saddle shot through by a Swedish bullet, in a cocked hat pierced by it. He rode on the same horse, on which, in difficult moments of the Poltava battle, he led the second battalion of Novgorodians into the attack. The tsar was now being followed by Field Marshal Alexander Menshikov. The Preobrazhenians followed them and a huge convoy began.

Swedish regimental music was carried on 54 open wagons, accompanied by 120 Swedish musicians. Among the trophies were silver timpani of the Swedish Life Regime. By the “oral” order of Tsar Peter Alekseevich, as a mark of distinction in the Battle of Poltava and with the obvious traditional meaning of the leader’s commander’s kleinod, they were granted by Field Marshal General, His Serene Highness Prince A.D. Menshikov to the General or Life Squadron - the ancestor of the Horse Guards, becoming a precedent when a trophy turned into a military award. The prisoners were led along the city streets through all 8 triumphal gates, erected "to the shame and disgrace of the Swedes."

Bells rang in all the churches, people yelled, shouted curses, and in general, there was “such a roar and noise that people hardly heard each other on the streets,” wrote Corporal Erik Larsson Smepust. However, all participants in the procession were treated to beer and vodka. The Swedish generals, as after the Battle of Poltava, were invited to a feast at Menshikov's house. The Moscow Victory Parade, organized by Peter the Great, was one of the most magnificent during his reign. And it was held not only for the edification of one's own and other people's contemporaries, but also for descendants. A tradition was born that must be preserved.