Alexander Menshikov | |
|---|---|
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| Member of theSupreme Privy Council | |
| In office 1726–1728 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vasily Lukich Dolgorukov |
| 1st President of theCollege of War | |
| In office 1717–1724 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Anikita Repnin |
| Member of theGoverning Senate | |
| In office 1711–1728 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| 1stGovernor-General of St. Petersburg | |
| In office 1702–1724 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Pyotr Apraksin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1673-11-16)16 November 1673 Moscow,Tsardom of Russia |
| Died | 23 November 1729(1729-11-23) (aged 56) |
| Spouse | Darya Mikhailovna Arsenyeva |
| Children | Maria Menshikova Alexandra Alexandrovna Menshikova [ru] Alexander Alexandrovich Menshikov |
| Awards | See list: |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Tsardom of Russia Russian Empire |
| Branch/service | Army of Peter Imperial Russian Army Imperial Russian Navy |
| Years of service | 1699–1728 |
| Rank | Generalissimo |
| Battles/wars | |
PrinceAlexander Danilovich Menshikov (Russian:Алекса́ндр Дани́лович Ме́ншиков; 16 November [O.S. 6 November] 1673 – 23 November [O.S. 12 November] 1729) was a Russian statesman, whose official titles includedGeneralissimo, Prince of theRussian Empire and Duke ofIzhora (Duke of Ingria),Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Duke ofCosel. A highly appreciated associate and friend of TsarPeter the Great, he was thede facto ruler of Russia from 1725 to 1727.
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Menshikov was born on 16 November [O.S. 6 November] 1673 in Moscow. Historian Paul Bushkovitch argues that Menshikov was not an aristocrat and was most likely descended from servants of the palace stables, who among others made up the first soldiers of Peter's 'toy armies.'[1] As the legend (dating from around 1710) goes, he was making a living on the streets of Moscow as a vendor of stuffed buns known aspirozhki[2] at the age of twenty. His fine appearance and witty character caught the attention ofFranz Lefort, Peter's first favourite, who took him into his service and finally transferred him to the tsar. On the death of Lefort in 1699, Menshikov succeeded him as Peter's prime favourite and confidant.[3]
He took an active part in theAzov campaigns (1695–1696) against the Ottoman Empire. During the tsar's first foreign tour in the next year, Menshikov worked by his side in the dockyard ofAmsterdam, and acquired a thorough knowledge of shipbuilding and colloquialDutch and German. He acted as subordinate toBoris Sheremetev, who was commander-in-chief during the retreat beforeCharles XII in 1708, subsequently participating in thebattle of Holowczyn, thereduction of Mazepa, and the crowning victory ofPoltava (8 July [O.S. 27 June] 1709), where he won hisfield-marshal's baton.[4]
Around 1706 he had a conflict withAndrew Vinius; Vinius lost all of his land and goods. From 1709 to 1714 he served during theCourland,Holstein andPomeranian campaigns, but then, as governor-general ofIngria, with almost unlimited powers, was entrusted with a leading part in the civil administration. Menshikov understood perfectly the principles on which Peter's reforms were conducted and was the right hand of the tsar in all his gigantic undertakings. But he abused his powerful position, and his corrupt practices frequently brought him to the verge of ruin. Every time the tsar returned to Russia he received fresh accusations of plunder against "hisSerene Highness."[4]
Peter's first serious outburst of indignation (March 1711) was due to the prince's looting inPoland. On his return to Russia in 1712, Peter discovered that Menshikov had turned a blind eye to wholesale corruption in his own governor-generalship. Peter warned him "for the last time" to change his ways. Yet, in 1713, he was implicated in the "Solovey process", in the course of which it was demonstrated that he had defrauded the government of 100,000roubles. He only owed his life on this occasion to a sudden illness. On his recovery Peter's fondness for his friend overcame his sense of justice.[4] In 1714 he was elected aFellow of the Royal Society.[5]
In the last year of Peter's reign new allegations of fraud by Menshikov came to light, and he was obliged to appeal for protection to the empressCatherine. It was chiefly through the efforts of Menshikov and his colleague Tolstoi that, on the death of Peter, in 1725, Catherine was raised to the throne. Menshikov was committed to the Petrine system, and he recognised that, if that system were to continue, Catherine was, at that particular time, the only possible candidate. Her name was a watchword for the progressive faction. Her placement on the throne meant a final victory over ancient prejudices, a vindication of the new ideas of progress, and not least security for Menshikov and his ill-gotten fortune.[4]
During Catherine's short reign (February 1725 – May 1727), Menshikov was practically the absolute ruler of Russia. He promoted himself to the unprecedented rank ofGeneralissimo,[6] and was the only Russian to bear a princedom title. Upon finishing the construction of theMenshikov Palace on theNeva Embankment in St Petersburg (now assigned to theHermitage Museum), Menshikov intended to makeOranienbaum a capital of his ephemeralPrincipality.Pushkin in one of his poems alluded to Menshikov as "half-tsar".[citation needed]
On the whole he ruled well, his difficult position serving as some restraint upon his natural inclinations. He contrived to prolong his power after Catherine's death by means of a forged will and acoup d'état. While his colleaguePeter Tolstoi would have raisedElizabeth Petrovna to the throne, Menshikov set up the youthfulPeter II, son of the tsarevichAlexei, with himself as dictator during the prince's minority.[4]
He now aimed at establishing himself definitely by marrying his daughter Mary to Peter II. But theold nobility, represented by theDolgorukovs and theGalitzines, united to overthrow him, and he was deprived of all his dignities and offices and expelled from the capital (20 September [O.S. 9 September] 1727). Subsequently, he was deprived of his enormous wealth, stripped of the titles, and he and his whole family were banished toBeryozovo inSiberia, where he died on 23 November [O.S. 12 November] 1729.[4] His wife Darya Mikhailovna (born Arseneva) died on their way into exile in 1728 nearKazan.
According toSimon Sebag Montefiore in his bookThe Romanovs 1613–1918 Menshikov was once punched twice by Tsar Peter the Great, once in the nose and once on the side of the head, after Tsar Peter saw Menshikov dancing with his sword still on, which is considered to be highly rude and offensive.[7]
Menshikov built a wooden church in Beryozovo. He buried his daughter who died in exile there. Menshikov's younger children survived the exile and were eventually returned to the court.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Bain, Robert Nisbet (1911). "Menshikov, Alexander Danilovich". InChisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 133–134.| Governors General of Saint Petersburg Governorate(1703–1873) |      | |
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| Gradonachalniks ofSaint Petersburg(1873–1914) andPetrograd(1914–1917) | ||
| Heads ofPetrograd underProvisional Government(1917) | ||
| Chairs ofPetrograd(1917-1924) and Leningrad(1924-1991) Executive Committee | ||
| Governors of Saint Petersburg(since 1991) | ||
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