Military officer.
Kutuzov was the second greatest Russian war commander after Suvorov. He successfully pushed Napoleon out of Russia after the massive Battle of Borodino, that neither side won.
Background
Lived: 1745-1813.
Mikhail Kutuzov was born in a former Peter the Great’s war general’s family. He attended a military engineering school and started his career as early as at 12. He was well educated and spoke altogether six languages.
Kutuzov took part in Russia’s war with Poland (1764-69) as well as in all three Russo-Turkish Wars. There he served under general Pyotr Rumyantsev, his personal tutor being Alexander Suvorov.
In Crimea, Kutuzov was shot two times at the right temple. He lost his right eye and had severe headaches all through his life. Later he also served as an ambassador to Constantinople and Berlin.
Napoleonic Wars
Kutuzov participated in the Battle of Austerlitz (1805), where Russia lost 25,000 men. He thereafter fell out of favour of Emperor Alexander I for some time.
Kutuzov’s time came with the French Invasion of Russia in 1812. Alexander I reluctantly made him his Commander-in-Chief after Barclay de Tolly’s scorched earth tactics was not popular among other leaders.
Battle of Borodino
Kutuzov decided to meet Napoleon near Borodino where the greatest battle of all times took place. Nearly 250,000 men participated. The results were not clear.
After approximately third of the French and half of the Russian army were killed or wounded, Kutuzov retreated. Napoleon entered Moscow only to find that the capital had been completely burned. After spending a month in Moscow, Napoleon returned with the remnants of his army. Only one tenth of his army survived the Russian ordeal. Kutuzov was made Field Marshal.
Death
Early in 1813, Mikhail Kutuzov suddenly fell ill and died in Silesia, Prussia. He was aged 67.
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Mikhail Kutuzov
Military officer.
Kutuzov was the second greatest Russian war commander after Suvorov. He successfully pushed Napoleon out of Russia after the massive Battle of Borodino, that neither side won.
Background
Lived: 1745-1813.
Mikhail Kutuzov was born in a former Peter the Great’s war general’s family. He attended a military engineering school and started his career as early as at 12. He was well educated and spoke altogether six languages.
Kutuzov took part in Russia’s war with Poland (1764-69) as well as in all three Russo-Turkish Wars. There he served under general Pyotr Rumyantsev, his personal tutor being Alexander Suvorov.
In Crimea, Kutuzov was shot two times at the right temple. He lost his right eye and had severe headaches all through his life. Later he also served as an ambassador to Constantinople and Berlin.
Napoleonic Wars
Kutuzov participated in the Battle of Austerlitz (1805), where Russia lost 25,000 men. He thereafter fell out of favour of Emperor Alexander I for some time.
Kutuzov’s time came with the French Invasion of Russia in 1812. Alexander I reluctantly made him his Commander-in-Chief after Barclay de Tolly’s scorched earth tactics was not popular among other leaders.
Battle of Borodino
Kutuzov decided to meet Napoleon near Borodino where the greatest battle of all times took place. Nearly 250,000 men participated. The results were not clear.
After approximately third of the French and half of the Russian army were killed or wounded, Kutuzov retreated. Napoleon entered Moscow only to find that the capital had been completely burned. After spending a month in Moscow, Napoleon returned with the remnants of his army. Only one tenth of his army survived the Russian ordeal. Kutuzov was made Field Marshal.
Death
Early in 1813, Mikhail Kutuzov suddenly fell ill and died in Silesia, Prussia. He was aged 67.
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly