Alexey Petrovich Ermolov

Some contemporaries described the appearance of Alexei Petrovich Ermolov as follows: • M. P. Pogodin. “Alexei Petrovich was of extraordinary strength, robust health, and remarkable height. His head, adorned with thick, disheveled hair and armed with small but penetrating and quick eyes, involuntarily resembles the head of a lion.” • M. S. Durnovo, sister of A. S. Griboyedov, who met Ermolov in 1811. “Ermolov’s facial features and physiognomy show a great and unyielding soul • Author of one of the descriptions. “A round face, fiery, gray eyes, gray hair standing on end. A tiger’s head on a Hercules’ torso. An unpleasant smile, because it is unnatural. When he thinks and frowns, he becomes beautiful and strikingly resembles a poetic portrait painted by Dov Ermolov's appearance was described as peculiar, reminiscent of something lion-like: • enormous height, heroic build; • large facial features under a cap of thick hair; • furrowed eyebrows with a deep crease between them gave the face a stern expression; • small fiery gray eyes looked sternly and definitely. Some features of appearance: • A smile did not suit Ermolov. • A thick moustache, which, according to the general, he darkened so as “not to captivate with his name, but not to uselessly frighten with his appearance.” Chestnut-colored, lion-like hair, large, straight nose. Problems with the sense of smell: he could calmly stand near the stench of the dead, near the cannons emitting gunpowder and coal, but, despite his weak sense of smell, he acutely sensed the extracts of rose and mignonette, which Miloradovich used as perfume height 183 cm 8 centimeters shorter than Miloradovich

He was born into a poor noble family in the Oryol province. He was educated at home and studied at the Moscow University boarding school. At the age of 10 he had the rank of non-commissioned officer of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. Military career Some stages of A.P. Ermolov's military career: • Participated in the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1794, for which he received the Order of St. George, 4th degree. • In 1796 he took part in the Persian campaign, where he distinguished himself during the capture of Derbent, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree with a bow, and received the rank of lieutenant colonel • Participated in military campaigns against France (1805–1807). • In the Patriotic War of 1812 he distinguished himself in the battles of Vitebsk, Smolensk, Borodino, Maloyaroslavets, Krasnoye, and Berezina. • After the Patriotic War, he took part in the foreign campaign of the Russian army in 1813–1814, commanded a grenadier corps, distinguished himself in the capture of Paris and was awarded the Order of St. George, 1st degree. • From 1816 to 1827 he was the commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps and commander-in-chief of the civilian unit in the Caucasus and in the Astrakhan province. • In March 1827, Nicholas I dismissed Ermolov from his post as commander-in-chief in the Caucasus. • After retirement, he lived on his estate near Orel, engaged in landscaping and agriculture. • At the beginning of the Crimean War in 1853, Nicholas I invited Ermolov to return to the army, but he refused due to his advanced age. Ermolov died in Moscow at the age of 83. He was buried in Orel next to his father, as he had wished.

Personal life Officially, Alexey Petrovich Ermolov was not married. However, during his stay in the Caucasus, he entered into several "kebin marriages" - temporary marriages with Muslim women. From various relationships, Ermolov had several sons and a daughter

Alexey Petrovich Ermolov was distinguished by his tough and uncompromising character. Because of this, he often had conflicts with his superiors. However, despite his character traits, for the sake of the common cause, Ermolov tried to avoid conflicts and smooth over rough edges in relations with his superiors. Some other character traits of Ermolov: • Independent and proud character. His superiors did not like him for his harshness and directness. • Wit and a sharp tongue. Ermolov had an excellent sense of humor and was angry with his tongue. • The desire to remain fair. While punishing his opponents, Ermolov always sought to remain fair, no matter who was in front of him. High moral qualities, intelligence and decency - that's what he valued in a person. • Participation in the political circle of A. M. Kakhovsky's brother. For this, Ermolov was imprisoned in the Alekseevsky ravelin by order of Emperor Paul I, and then exiled to Kostroma. Disgrace had a strong influence on Ermolov's personality: secrecy, caution, and the ability to maneuver became characteristic features of the commander. He learned to hide his true thoughts. • Study of books of Roman classics in exile. During this period, Ermolov diligently engaged in self-education, learned Latin and read and translated Roman classics in the original. Study of the works of Titus Livy and Cornelius Tacitus later played a significant role in Ermolov's organization of military and civil power in the Caucasus. • Participation in military campaigns. During the Russo-Turkish War, the Polish Campaign and the Persian Campaign, the young Yermolov demonstrated his main qualities: honesty, courage, independence

• Patriotic War of 1812. Ermolov took part in all more or less important battles and fights, and especially distinguished himself in the battles of Vitebsk, Smolensk, Borodino, Maloyaroslavets, Krasny and Berezina. In the most difficult conditions of retreat, Alexei Petrovich learned the science of not just combat, but strategic confrontation. He learned in practice how to make decisions on which the fate of the entire army, and therefore of Russia, depended. Just as Yermolov was visiting the Shah, after which he was supposed to return to his new assignment as commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps, the Chechens attacked his headquarters and captured its chief, Colonel Shevtsov. As is customary in such cases, the Chechens demanded a ransom for his release. But Ermolov did not follow the Russian administration's usual tactics of negotiating with the mountaineers. On his orders, troops attacked a number of villages and took eighteen respected elders hostage. Ermolov ordered an announcement that if Shevtsov was not released by a certain date, all the Chechen hostages would be hanged. Shevtsov was released without any ransom. Following this, Yermolov based his suppression of Chechnya on harsh methods. According to his order, if a Chechen family refused to hand over one of its members who had committed not only an attack on Russian soldiers, but also theft in Russian and Cossack settlements, then the entire family was subject to arrest. If the inhabitants of the village hid such a family or allowed it to escape, then they were obliged to hand over its relatives. If the relatives also hid, then the village was subject to destruction. Moreover, men were not to be taken prisoner. The general summoned the elders of the Chechen villages that were considered peaceful, suspecting them of conniving with the armed gangs, and threatened to burn down all their houses and drive the population into the mountains, where they would be exterminated by hunger and disease. “I would rather leave the scorched desert from the Terek to the Sunzha than suffer murder and looting in the rear of the Russian troops,” he allegedly told them. Ermolov, in order to ensure that his words and actions did not diverge, carried out intimidation campaigns.

In 1819, he ordered the destruction of the village of Dady-Yurt, which had provided shelter to members of what we would now call "illegal armed groups." The villagers were given an ultimatum to voluntarily evict, but they rejected it. After a brutal battle in which a quarter of the Russian troops who took part in it died, the village was wiped off the face of the earth along with most of the population. Historians have different opinions about the results of Yermolov's activities. Some believe that his methods led to the successful conquest of the Caucasus, and only Yermolov's dismissal from office in 1826 extended this process for another four decades. Others claim that it was Yermolov's cruelty that provoked the subsequent surge of fanaticism among the highlanders, the religious movement of Muridism, and the emergence of Shamil. The Native Harem and the General's Illegitimate Children At the same time, Yermolov did not hate the inhabitants of the Caucasus. Especially its female inhabitants. On the contrary. The famous general was never officially married. But in the Caucasus he had a whole harem of local natives. However, here Yermolov was not original, but followed the local fashion of Russian officers, who also openly lived with native concubines. According to Muslim Shiite law, Ermolov was married twice, temporarily, to Kumyk women. However, the fact of the marriage itself is disputed, since the Kumyks are Sunnis. His first wife was Suyda. In 1820, Ermolov had a son with her in Tiflis. Bakhtiyar-Viktor Ermolov (1820-1892) was officially registered as the general's legitimate son and later also became a general. His son Vladimir also chose military service and in 1917 was promoted to general, fighting in the White Army.

The second wife was Totay. They say that the girl's father, having given the commander his consent, then hid her from him, and Ermolov's envoys kidnapped Totay. The general had two sons with Totay, whom he named after the ancient Roman emperors - Claudius and Severus. Claudius Ermolov (1823-1895) also achieved the rank of general in the Russian army. Pyotr, the son of Yermolov's third temporary ("kebin") wife, Sultanum, died in infancy. The daughters of the commander's native wives remained, by agreement, in Islam. Yermolov then sent his wives to their relatives, and they married their coreligionists. The General's Tyranny Some of Yermolov's eccentricities he himself could hardly explain. One such - when he for some reason ordered the regiments under his command to change names - filled the cup of patience of the St. Petersburg dignitaries with a general who was constantly being denounced and complained about. In 1826 he was dismissed from command.

• Reading and binding books. Ermolov read Polybius, Cicero, Tacitus, and translated Julius Caesar’s “Notes” into Russian. Among his preferences was ancient literature about the Roman Empire. • Study of the Caucasus. Ermolov was interested in the features of the landscape, climate, ethnic map, characteristic features of folk psychology, political organisms, patriarchal forms of social structure, religion, economic activities of the urban and rural population, prospects for economic development of the region, trade, and communication routes. • Communication with subordinates. During campaigns, Ermolov found time to communicate with them. He personally met almost all the officers of his corps. • Visiting old veteran soldiers. Ermolov often visited them. • Self-education. In Kostroma, Ermolov studied Latin and learned to play the clarinet. • Military activity. Ermolov enjoyed war and loved danger. • Writing notes. During his thirty-year stay in Moscow, Ermolov devoted a lot of time to putting his notes in order. • Encouraging shipping and fishing. Ermolov was involved in “bringing into order” the Caspian flotilla, and encouraged shipping and fishing in the Caspian Sea.

Studied at the Noble Boarding School at Moscow University (1784–1791). In military service since 1791, in the 44th Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. In 1793, he transferred to artillery, taught at the artillery and engineering gentry cadet corps. He took part in the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1794 and in the Persian campaign of 1796. In 1798, for the creation and active participation in the activities of the Smolensk officers' political circle, he was arrested, dismissed from service, and then exiled to Kostroma. In 1801, he was pardoned, returned to service, and appointed commander of a horse artillery company in Vilna. During the Patriotic War of 1812, Ermolov was the Chief of the General Staff of the 1st Western Army. He contributed to the normalization of relations between Barclay de Tolly and the Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Western Army, General P. I. Bagration, and participated in the development of virtually all major operations of the Russian army in the Patriotic War of 1812. In the summer of 1816, he was appointed commander of the Separate Caucasian Corps, chief administrator of the civilian part in Georgia, Astrakhan and Caucasian provinces, and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Persia. Wars with Persia in 1804-1813 and with Turkey in 1806-1812. As a result, Russia acquired the Karabakh, Ganja, Sheki, Derbent and Quba khanates. Imperial orders were established in these territories. International factors of the early 19th century. The positions of European states, primarily England and France, were strengthening in the Near and Middle East, which caused concern for Russia. At the same time, interest in Russia was growing among a number of Caucasian peoples who suffered from civil strife and attacks from Ottoman Turkey and the Shah's Iran. The policy of predecessors. Ermolov became convinced of the failure of the soft and passive policy of his predecessors and proclaimed a transition to building relations with the highlanders on a new principle - blood for blood.

Alexey Petrovich Ermolov, commanding Russian troops in the Caucasus, Circassian Chekmen In 1831, when Ermolov was in Moscow, Emperor Nicholas I personally placed epaulettes on him, since the general was wearing a “retired” uniform without epaulettes. Ermolov arrived at the Moscow Assembly of the Nobility in a black tailcoat with one St. George's Cross in his buttonhole (Ermolov received the cross from Suvorov's hands and never parted with it) Alexey Petrovich Ermolov, who was under the command of Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich, respected the general. In one of his letters, Ermolov wrote to Miloradovich: "To always be with Your Excellency, you need to have a spare life." This was not a routine guards compliment - Ermolov was assessing Miloradovich's bravery, his ability to inspire troops and restore self-control. According to Ermolov, it was Miloradovich and Bagration who “were responsible for protecting the army” in the 1812 campaign. At the same time, Ermolov noted that Miloradovich was distinguished by his speed and efficiency, thought quickly and acted hastily, without wasting a second. Ermolov and Miloradovich liked each other, as both were distinguished by their courage, kindness and gentleness in dealing with their subordinates. At the same time, Leskov noted that Ermolov was deeper and more serious than Miloradovich, and the sympathies that Ermolov’s character evoked were more solid than the sympathies generated by the romantic-chivalrous Miloradovich. In particular, Ermolov wrote to Miloradovich when he was his boss: “In order to be everywhere with your Excellency, you need to have a spare life.” Alexey Petrovich Ermolov enjoyed the trust and favor of Alexander I and considered the emperor his patron. In 1812, at the personal request of Alexander I, Ermolov wrote to him about everything that was happening and did a lot for the successful unification of the Russian armies near Smolensk.

Ermolov enjoyed the trust and favor of Alexander I and considered the emperor his patron. In 1812, at the personal request of Alexander I, Ermolov wrote to him about everything that was happening and did a lot for the successful unification of the Russian armies near Smolensk. Alexander I, in turn, valued Yermolov’s professionalism and in 1818 appointed him General of Infantry.

Independence and pride. The authorities did not like Ermolov for the harshness with which he expressed his opinions. Sharp tongue. Ermolov had a sharp tongue and could successfully "cut off" both the all-powerful temporary worker Arakcheev and Emperor Alexander himself. Straightforwardness. Intimidation was part of Yermolov's tactics, which is why he is remembered as the embodiment of evil. Ambition. Yermolov's hypertrophied ambition was combined with everyday simplicity and indifference to wealth. Friendliness to subordinates. Ermolov was friendly to his subordinates, and found time to communicate with them during campaigns. Striving for justice. Punishing his opponents, Ermolov always strived to remain fair, no matter who was in front of him. According to people who knew Yermolov, he combined high courage and energy with great insight, tireless activity and unwavering selflessness. He speaks little, but does much.

Alexey Petrovich Ermolov (May 24, 1777, Moscow – April 11, 1861, Moscow) – Russian military leader and statesman, hero of the war of 1812, general of infantry (1818), general of artillery (1837). Born in 1777 in 1787 he was 10 years old in 1797 he was 20 years old in 1807 he was 30 years old in 1817 he was 40 years old in 1827 he was 50 years old in 1837 he was 60 years old in 1847 he was 70 years old in 1857 he was 80 years old