Military officer.
Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev was one of the most distinguished Russian military commanders of the 18th century. He was the hero of the Seven Years’ War and the Russo-Turkish War.
Background
Lived: 1725-1796.
Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev came from a very noble family. His mother Maria Rumyantseva was an alleged mistress of Peter the Great and Pyotr himself was rumoured to be the illegitimate son of Emperor Peter the Great.
Seven Years’ War
As a young boy, Pyotr participated in many campaigns against Sweden together with his father. He became a skillful war commander. In the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) Rumyantsev led the cavalry regiment and famously besieged the fortress of Kolberg. That opened the path for the Russian army to Berlin in 1761.
Catherine the Great promoted him governor of Ukraine. He held this post for 32 years.
Russo-Turkish War
The height of his career came with the First Russo-Turkish War (1768-74). Rumyantsev headed for Azov and won the battles of Larga and Kagula. He then crossed Danube to Romania and forced the Turks to accept the Küçük Kaynarca Peace Treaty (1774).
He was promoted Field Marshal and honored with the name Zadunaisky (“across the Danube”).
Pyotr Rumyantsev was overshadowed in the Second Russo-Turkish War (1787-92) by Grigory Potemkn. He was also played off by other jealous war commanders. He led his final military campaign in 1794 against Tadeusz Kosciusko.
Death
Rumyantsev is said to have grown enormously fat in his Ukrainian mansion, and he rejected his own sons out of avariciousness. He died a month after Catherine II in 1796.
Pyotr Rumyantsev
Military officer.
Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev was one of the most distinguished Russian military commanders of the 18th century. He was the hero of the Seven Years’ War and the Russo-Turkish War.
Background
Lived: 1725-1796.
Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev came from a very noble family. His mother Maria Rumyantseva was an alleged mistress of Peter the Great and Pyotr himself was rumoured to be the illegitimate son of Emperor Peter the Great.
Seven Years’ War
As a young boy, Pyotr participated in many campaigns against Sweden together with his father. He became a skillful war commander. In the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) Rumyantsev led the cavalry regiment and famously besieged the fortress of Kolberg. That opened the path for the Russian army to Berlin in 1761.
Catherine the Great promoted him governor of Ukraine. He held this post for 32 years.
Russo-Turkish War
The height of his career came with the First Russo-Turkish War (1768-74). Rumyantsev headed for Azov and won the battles of Larga and Kagula. He then crossed Danube to Romania and forced the Turks to accept the Küçük Kaynarca Peace Treaty (1774).
He was promoted Field Marshal and honored with the name Zadunaisky (“across the Danube”).
Pyotr Rumyantsev was overshadowed in the Second Russo-Turkish War (1787-92) by Grigory Potemkn. He was also played off by other jealous war commanders. He led his final military campaign in 1794 against Tadeusz Kosciusko.
Death
Rumyantsev is said to have grown enormously fat in his Ukrainian mansion, and he rejected his own sons out of avariciousness. He died a month after Catherine II in 1796.
Peter III