Arakcheev Alexey Andreevich (1769-1834), Russian military leader and statesman.
Born on October 4, 1769 in the village of Garusovo, Novgorod province, in the family of a retired lieutenant of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment.
In 1783-1787 studied at the Artillery and Engineering Gentry Cadet Corps. In 1787, with the rank of lieutenant from the army, Arakcheev was left with the corps to teach mathematics and artillery. Here he compiled tutorial"Brief artillery notes in questions and answers."
In 1792, Arakcheev was transferred to serve in the “Gatchina troops” of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. During this period, he became the favorite of the heir to the throne: After the accession of Paul I, Arakcheev was appointed commandant of St. Petersburg, promoted to major general (1796) and received a baronial title. In 1797 he became commander of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment and quartermaster general of the entire army. In 1798, the emperor granted him the title of count with the motto: “Betrayed without flattery.”
In the same year, a theft was committed at the artillery arsenal. Arakcheev tried to hide from the emperor that on the day of the crime his brother commanded the guard. As punishment, Pavel fired him from service. Only in 1803 did Emperor Alexander I accept the general back, appointing him inspector of all artillery and commander of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion.
In 1803-1812. As an artillery inspector and later as Minister of War, Arakcheev carried out a number of fundamental changes in this branch of the military. Arakcheev's system was to provide Russian artillery with a high technical level and independence on the battlefield.
In January 1808, Arakcheev was appointed Minister of War. From that moment on, his influence at court steadily increased until the death of Alexander (1825). In less than two years, the new minister increased the army by 30 thousand people, organized reserve recruiting depots, which in 1812 made it possible to quickly replenish active military units, and brought order to finances and office work.
On the eve of the Patriotic War of 1812, as part of the Imperial Headquarters, he was in Vilna (now Vilnius). After the outbreak of hostilities, Arakcheev, together with Secretary of State Admiral A. S. Shishkov and Adjutant General A. D. Balashov, convinced Alexander I to leave the active army and return to St. Petersburg.
From August 1814, Arakcheev supervised the creation of military settlements, and in 1819 he became the main commander over them (in 1821-1826. main boss Separate building of military settlements). In February 1818, Arakcheev, on behalf of the emperor, drew up a project for the gradual abolition of serfdom. According to the count's proposal, the state had to buy out landowners' estates at prices agreed upon with the owners. Alexander I approved the project, but it was not implemented.
During the reign of Nicholas I, Arakcheev retained only the command Separate building military settlements. In April 1826 he was released on water leave. While abroad, he published letters to him from Alexander I, thereby provoking the wrath of Nicholas. The emperor finally dismissed Arakcheev from service and forbade him to appear in the capital.
2. Brief biography of A.A. Arakcheeva.
Arakcheev Aleksey Andreevich (1769 - 1834) was a prominent military and statesman under Paul I and Alexander I. Born into a family of small landed nobles of the Tver province on September 23, 1769. After learning literacy and arithmetic from a village sexton, he was sent to the gentry artillery in 1783 and the engineering corps in St. Petersburg, where his “successes in teaching” attracted the attention of his superiors. And after 7 months he was transferred to the “upper classes” and was soon brought in to help the corps officers to train “his younger comrades.” In this work, Arakcheev was distinguished by rigor and exactingness. After graduating from the corps in 1787, Arakcheev was retained as an army lieutenant as a teacher of arithmetic, geometry and artillery.
In 1791, Arakcheev, on the recommendation of the head of the corps, General P.I. Melissino was assigned to serve the heir to the throne Paul in Gatchina, where he quickly gained his favor with his stewardship. Pavel entrusted him with the inspection of the Gatchina infantry, artillery and the duties of the commandant of Gatchina. Upon the accession of Paul I to the throne, Arakcheev was promoted to major general and appointed commandant of St. Petersburg, and on the day of coronation (04/05/1797) he was granted the rich estate of Gruzino near St. Petersburg. On the same day, Arakcheev was appointed quartermaster general and received the right to “give orders for the army” on behalf of the emperor, becoming a person close to him. However, despite all the successes in career advancement, Arakcheev fell out of favor twice (in 1798 and 1799): he was removed from business for omissions in his service.
In 1803, Alexander I summoned Arakcheev to St. Petersburg and again appointed him inspector of all artillery. In this post, Arakcheev did a lot to reorganize the artillery and modernize its logistics. In 1807, Arakcheev was appointed general inspector of all infantry and artillery, and in 1808 - minister of war, but in October 1810 he voluntarily resigned and settled on his estate. At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Arakcheev again began to be constantly under Alexander I, actually performing the duties of the chief of the main staff.
In 1816, on the initiative of Alexander I, military settlements began to be introduced in Russia, headed by Arakcheev, who brutally pacified the peasants and Cossacks who protested against the conversion of military settlers. In 1819, he carried out a brutal massacre of military villagers in Chuguev.
At the end of the reign of Alexander I, Arakcheev became an all-powerful temporary worker with the broadest powers. He served as chairman of the military department of the State Council (from 1810), chairman of the Committee on the Wounded and head of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery (from 1814), “chief of military settlements” (from 1819), and headed the Committee of Ministers .
Since 1822, Arakcheev became the only rapporteur on most ministries and departments, and even on the affairs of the Holy Synod. In 1818, on behalf of the Emperor, Arakcheev participated in the development of a project for the liberation of serfs (he proposed gradually buying them out with small plots to the treasury). In 1825, Arakcheev was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the secret case of uncovering the Decembrist conspiracy based on the denunciations received against them, but “due to family circumstances” at the end of 1825 he withdrew from all matters.
At the beginning of 1826, Nicholas I sent Arakcheev on leave “due to illness.” And Arakcheev left for Carlsbad, upon his return, in 1826, he received complete resignation. Arakcheev settles on his Gruzine estate, where he organizes his farm.
3. State activities of M.M. Speransky
during the reign of Alexander I.
3.1. State structure project.
The years 1807 - 1812, constituting the second period of the reign of Emperor Alexander, are characterized within the state by the influence of Speransky.
One of the greatest statesmen Russia XIX c., Speransky under Alexander acquired an extremely versatile meaning. In the first days of his closeness to the sovereign, he was intended, apparently, to replace the fallen intimate committee. A practical worker and even a clerk, he seemed capable of actually carrying out the reform that Alexander I dreamed of. Alexander handed him the papers of the committee, outlined his intentions and gave him the authority from a huge number of thoughts, speeches and projects to create a business-like plan for transforming the state order, adapted to Russian practice. . This is how Speransky’s famous “project” arose. At the same time, the versatility of Speransky’s talents, who combined the mind of a theorist - taxonomist with the abilities of an administrator - practice, led to the fact that all current government activities came under his influence. foreign policy inclusive. Speransky was a codifier and financier; he was entrusted with the organization of Finnish affairs; he designed individual events of the most varied content; he reviewed and restructured existing institutions. In a word, he was involved in everything that interested the sovereign, and became an influential favorite, who, however, knew how to behave not only modestly, but even in solitude.
Speransky’s project of state structure, or “Introduction to the Code of State Laws,” has the task of reform social order and public administration.
3.1.1. Division of society according to Speransky.
Speransky divides society on the basis of differences in rights. “From a review of civil and political rights, it is revealed that all of them, in terms of their membership, can be divided into three classes:
1. Civil rights are general, belonging to all subjects;
2. Civil private rights, which should belong only to those whose way of life and upbringing will be prepared for them;
3. Political rights, belonging to topics who have property.
From this comes the following division of states:
1. Nobility;
2. People of average wealth;
3. Working people."
Speransky assigns all categories of rights to the nobility, and political rights “only on the basis of property.”
People of average wealth have general civil rights, but no special ones, and have political rights based on their property. The working people have general civil rights, but do not have political rights.
If we remember that Speransky means by general civil rights civil freedom of the individual, and by political rights - participation in public administration, then we will understand that Speransky’s project corresponded to Alexander’s liberal aspirations: he denied serfdom and walked towards the representative office. But at the same time, drawing two “systems” of fundamental laws, Speransky depicted one of them as destroying autocratic power in its essence, and the other as investing autocratic power with external forms of law while preserving its essence and strength. Pointing out that the second system existed in France (which Alexander I was then keen on), Speransky seemed to seduce Alexander to follow this particular system, because under it the government created by law would in fact be under the influence and completely dependent on the autocratic power. On the other hand, in the sphere of “special” civil rights, belonging to the same nobility, Speransky retained the right to acquire real estate, but manage it only in accordance with the law. These reservations gave the future system flexibility and uncertainty, which could be used in any direction. Establishing “civil freedom for landowner peasants,” Speransky at the same time continues to call them “serfs.” Speaking about the “popular idea”, Speransky, even with him, is ready to define the essence of the supreme power as a true autocracy. It is obvious that Speransky’s project, which was very liberal in its principles, could have been very moderate and cautious in its execution.
Russian statesman and military leader, baron (1797), count (1799), artillery general (1807).
Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev was born on September 23 (October 4), 1769 in the family of a poor landowner Andrei Andreevich Arakcheev, a retired lieutenant of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. The exact place of his birth is unknown. Most likely, we are talking about one of the parents' estates - the village of Vyshnevolotsky district of the Tver province (now in) or the village of Bezhetsky district of the Tver province (now). His childhood passed in rural estates, as well as in the Arakcheevs’ house in the city.
In 1783-1787, A. A. Arakcheev studied at the Artillery and Engineering Gentry Corps, from where he was released with the rank of second lieutenant. He was left in the building by the teacher and head of the library.
Since 1790, A. A. Arakcheev was the senior adjutant of the inspector of all artillery. In 1792, he was sent as a practical artilleryman to serve in the troops of the Tsarevich. Convinced of A. A. Arakcheev’s experience in artillery, the heir to the throne appointed him commander of an artillery company and promoted him to artillery captain. IN short term A. A. Arakcheev brought all the Gatchina artillery and the economic part of the troops into exemplary order. In 1793 he was promoted to major of artillery. In 1796 he became a lieutenant colonel and commandant.
With his accession in 1796, A. A. Arakcheev was promoted to colonel, five months later to major general, awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree, and appointed governor general. On the occasion of his coronation in 1797, he was awarded the title of baron and the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. After a short disgrace in 1798, he was returned to service with the rank of lieutenant general, became commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and received count's title. As inspector of all artillery, A. A. Arakcheev did a lot of work to strengthen discipline, improve supplies and modernize this type of troops. His style of activity was distinguished by strict demands, pedantry and extreme discipline, personal self-restraint, and incredible efficiency. Despite the enormous influence and awards, A.A. Arakcheev was again dismissed in October 1798.
In 1803, A. A. Arakcheev was reinstated by the emperor as inspector general of artillery. In this post, he made a significant contribution to the reorganization of the entire artillery business in the Russian army. Under his leadership, first-class artillery for that time was created, which showed itself excellently in the Napoleonic wars. In 1805, he was in the emperor's retinue on the day of the Battle of Austerlitz. In 1807 he was promoted to artillery general. In 1808-1810, A. A. Arakcheev served as Minister of War, and from 1810 he was chairman of the Department of Military Affairs of the State Council.
IN initial period During the Patriotic War of 1812, he was in the retinue and was the emperor’s personal rapporteur on militia affairs. He was a member of the Emergency Committee that elected Commander-in-Chief. In 1813-1814 he took part in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army. In the summer of 1814, he wanted to award A. A. Arakcheev with the title of Field Marshal General for his success in organizing the Russian army, but he categorically refused.
In 1815-1825, A. A. Arakcheev became the de facto leader of the state, concentrated in his hands the leadership of the State Council, the Committee of Ministers and His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery, and was the only rapporteur for most departments.
In 1817-1825, on behalf of A. A. Arakcheev, he was involved in organizing military settlements, being appointed their commander. Initially he was opposed to the creation of military settlements, but then he submitted to the will of the monarch. Military settlements, according to plan, were supposed to significantly reduce government spending on the maintenance of the army, eliminate recruitment in peacetime and thereby facilitate economic situation country, create a prosperous military-agricultural class, ensure border coverage and reduce the redeployment of troops in the event of hostilities. In the management of military settlements, purely military functions (combat training of troops) were combined with economic ones (organization of construction and reclamation work, transport, industry and Agriculture). At the same time, during their creation, extreme forms of coercion were used (forcibly attaching villagers to the land, depriving them of the right to engage in trade, labor and crafts, regulation of many aspects of life, etc.), which led to the ruin of the settlement peasants, and sometimes to quite large-scale unrest and uprisings.
The accession to the throne of an emperor who did not favor A. A. Arakcheev meant the end of him government activities. In April 1826, Arakcheev resigned and went on indefinite leave abroad.
A. A. Arakcheev spent the last years of his life in the village of Novgorod district, Novgorod province. He died in his estate on April 21 (May 3), 1834, and was buried there.
Alexey Andreevich Arakcheev was born in September 1769 in the family of a retired guards lieutenant. Thanks to his diligence in science while studying in the cadet corps, he soon received the position of officer, and later joined the army created by Paul 1 during the reign of Catherine 2 the Great.
Arakcheev's biography and his career success are associated with the ascension to the throne of Paul 1. Thanks to his efficiency and diligence, he was appointed commandant of Gatchina, and soon the commanders of all the land forces of Paul 1. While touring the troops, Arakcheev mercilessly punished for the slightest violation of the rules. However, at the same time, he did not forget to take care of the soldier’s life. He checked whether the soldiers were taken to the bathhouse, whether they were fed well, and punished officers for stealing soldiers’ money. It is also known that Arakcheev did not take bribes, despite rather tight financial circumstances.
By the beginning of the reign of Paul 1, Arakcheev had the rank of colonel. And in 1796, on November 7, he was granted the commandant of St. Petersburg. On November 8 of the same year, he received the rank of major general, and on the 9th - major of the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment. On November 12, Arakcheev became a Knight of the Order of St. Anna 1st degree. On April 5 of the following year, Arakcheev was elevated to baronial dignity and awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. The emperor also granted an estate, which Arakcheev personally chose.
After a short disgrace in 1798, Arakcheev was awarded the title of count for his zeal and zeal. But soon he again found himself in disgrace, which lasted until the end of the reign of Paul 1. It must be said that in his village of Gruzina, Arakcheev took up farming with the same zeal with which he had previously carried out reforms in the army, arranging even the personal lives of the peasants at his own discretion . In 1806, Arakcheev married Natalya Khomutova, the general's daughter. But a year later, his young wife left his house, unable to bear the rudeness.
After the accession of the new emperor to the throne, in 1803 the count returned to service. On January 13, 1808, Arakcheev was appointed Minister of War. It should be noted that he simplified and shortened correspondence between battalions, gave new organization artillery, significantly improved the material part. The changes made by Count Arakcheev had a positive impact already in 1812.
The favor and trust of the emperor soon led to the fact that it was the count who was entrusted with the most responsible and important tasks. One of them was the creation of the notorious military settlements of Arakcheev. By the way, the initiative to create them came from the emperor, and Arakcheev turned out to be the ideal executor for bringing the project to life. The innovation caused riots, which were brutally suppressed by troops. But, assessing Arakcheev’s activities objectively, it is worth saying that many of the settlements flourished.
During the reign of Alexander Pavlovich, Arakcheev reached the pinnacle of power. One of Arakcheev’s most important affairs in that period was the investigation of denunciations and the arrest of the conspirators in 1825. But, in the same year, the emperor died. His death greatly influenced the count, who, having never appeared at the court of his successor, retired from business. Arakcheev died in 1834, on April 21.
About some statesmen will always be remembered. One of these odious figures was Arakcheev. A short biography will not reveal all the facets of this reformer and close associate of Alexander the First, but will allow you to get acquainted with the main areas of activity of the talented Minister of War. Usually his surname is associated with drill. He really loved order.
Arakcheev Alexey Andreevich was born into a noble family. For a long time, his place of birth was not fully established. Today they believe that this happened in Garusovo on September 23, 1769.
Primary education was provided to the young Arakcheev by a rural sexton. In order to enter the artillery cadet corps, two hundred rubles were required. This amount was unaffordable for an impoverished family. Help was provided by Peter Ivanovich Melissino.
The young man not only studied. He gave lessons to the sons of Count Saltykov. This helped him in his future career. It was Saltykov who recommended Alexei Andreevich as an artillery officer for the heir to the throne. Pavel Petrovich valued him as a “master of drill.”
When Pavel Petrovich ascended the throne, Arakcheev’s biography changed significantly. Briefly, we can say that he received a new rank, was awarded several awards, and was granted baronial dignity.
The most important reward was the provision of land with two thousand peasants. Alexey Andreevich chose the village of Gruzino, where he spent last years life.
The ruler's favor was short-lived. In 1798, Arakcheev was removed from service and made a lieutenant general. Relations with the emperor can hardly be called stable. Arakcheev was suspended and reinstated every now and then. In 1799 he was granted the title of count.
During his service, Alexey Arakcheev, short biography whom we are considering, became close to Alexander Pavlovich. In 1801 he ascended the throne.
Arakcheev became chairman of a special commission for the transformation of artillery. The guns were improved.
In 1805, he personally took part in the Battle of Austerlitz. His infantry division attacked Murat's lancers. The mission was failed, and the commander was wounded.
In 1808 he was appointed Minister of War. Arakcheev's brief biography and reforms were related to military affairs. So he simplified and shortened correspondence, established training battalions, raised the level special education artillery officers, improved the equipment of the troops. All these actions had a positive impact on the wars of subsequent years.
Patriotic War with Napoleon, Arakcheev’s biography did not pass by. Briefly, we can say that he was involved in supplying the Russian army with food and reserves. It was he who provided the rear with everything necessary. The secret commands of the sovereign passed through the hands of the count. He was the one who organized the militias.
Arakcheev was able to persuade the emperor not to become the supreme commander of the Russian army. Perhaps he was one of those who influenced the sovereign’s decision to have Kutuzov become commander. There is information that the count treated Kutuzov very well.
A short biography of Arakcheev would not be complete without mentioning military settlements. It is he who is credited with this crazy idea. In fact, it was Alexander the First who proposed it. Speransky formalized the idea. Arakcheev, contrary to his opinion, was entrusted with bringing it to life. Why were military settlements needed?
The War of 1812 showed how important it was to have a trained reserve force. But this was very costly for the state. And it was becoming more and more difficult to recruit recruits. The emperor decided that a soldier could become a peasant and vice versa.
In 1817, Arakcheev began to make the emperor’s wishes come true. He did this with merciless consistency, without worrying about people's gossip.
Many military settlements were created according to the same type of plan. People with families settled in them. Life was strictly regulated, that is, planned down to the smallest detail. People had to wake up at a strictly designated time, eat, work, and so on. The same applied to children. Men had to undergo military training and run the household, providing themselves with food. They always had to live in settlements, and if necessary, they went to war.
The problem was that artificially created settlements were not taken into account human factor. People could not live under constant control. Many found a way out in alcohol, others committed suicide.
The idea failed not only because all the details were not thought through. There has always been a problem of bribery in Russia. Arakcheev was unable to eradicate it. In those settlements that he personally dealt with, soldiers and peasants lived quite well, but in the rest there were often riots due to hunger, humiliation, and poverty. They were suppressed by force. After a while, Count Kleinmichel was appointed to manage everything.
Alexander the First died in 1825. Nicholas the First came to power. His reign began with the Decembrist uprising. Some officers wanted to prevent the troops and the Senate from swearing allegiance to the Tsar. This would prevent Nicholas the First from ascending the throne and would allow the establishment of a provisional government. So the rebels wanted to begin the liberalization of the Russian system.
Count Arakcheev, whose brief biography is discussed in the article, refused to take part in the suppression of the uprising. As a result, the king dismissed him. Participants in the uprising were sent into exile, and five of the most ardent activists were executed.
The Count was dismissed on indefinite leave for treatment. He was in service until 1832.
The count's personal life did not work out. In 1806, he married Natalya Khomutova from a noble family. But they soon broke up. In Gruzino, he cohabited with Nastasya Shumskaya, who ran the entire household on the estate while the owner was away from home. She was killed by peasants in 1825 for countless abuses.
Since 1827, he took care of his estate in Gruzino. Arakcheev opened a hospital there and improved the life of the peasants.
Alexey Andreevich passed away on April 21, 1834. The ashes were buried in Gruzino. The estate itself was completely destroyed during the Great Patriotic War.
Arakcheev, whose brief biography and activities are connected with the reign of Alexander the First, was distinguished by his honesty and integrity. He fought against bribery.
The main directions of its activities:
IN different time the personality was assessed as a cruel executor of the monarch's will, a royal servant, and a reactionary. Over time, this opinion has changed. Today he is considered a worthy military figure in Russian history.
