Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden
Friedrich Wilhelm Graf von Buxhoevden (Russian: Фёдор Фёдорович Буксгевден, Fyodor Fyodorovich Buksgevden; other spellings: Feodor Buxhoeveden, Buxhœwden, Buxhöwden) (September 14, 1750 Võlla, Governorate of Livonia – August 23, 1811 near Kullamaa) was a Russian infantry general and government official. Buxhoeveden commanded the Russian armies during the Finnish War.[1]
Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhöwden | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Vladimir Borovikovsky, c. 1809 | |
| Governor General of Livonia | |
| In office 1808–1809 | |
| Preceded by | Count Alexander Tormasov |
| Succeeded by | Prince Dmitry Lobanov-Rostovsky |
| In office 1803–1806 | |
| Preceded by | Prince Sergei Golitsyn |
| Succeeded by | Count Alexander Tormasov |
| Governor General of Saint Petersburg | |
| In office 1797–1798 | |
| Preceded by | Nikolai Arkharov |
| Succeeded by | Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 September [O.S. 2 September] 1750 Muhu, Governate of Riga, Russian Empire |
| Died | 4 September [O.S. 23 August] 1811 (aged 60) Lode Castle, Wiek, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire |
| Education | Second Cadet Corps |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Russian Empire |
| Branch/service | Imperial Russian Army |
| Years of service | 1770–1798, 1802–1810 |
| Rank | General of Infantry |
| Unit | Kexholm Life Guards Regiment |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | |
Family
The Buxhoevedens, a Baltic German family from Estonia, traced their roots to Bexhövede in Lower Saxony.
Buxhoevden's wife, countess Natalia Alexeyeva, was the illegitimate daughter of Grigory Orlov (1734–1783) by a lady of the court, but her mother – contrary to some claims – was not the Empress Catherine, but a member of the Apraksin family. Buxhoeveden's granddaughter Varvara Nelidova was a mistress of Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855) for 17 years (1832–1855).
Career
In 1805 Buxhoevden took part in the Battle of Austerlitz as a commander, contributing to the Third Coalition's failure to defeat Napoleon by being drunk during the battle.[2] In 1808 he served as Commander-in-Chief in the Russian conquest of Finland, and led Russian troops during the initial battles of the Finnish War (1808-1809).
Estates
Buxhoevden received the castle and lands of Koluvere in western Estonia after Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel had died there in 1788 in suspicious circumstances. He also owned the villa and manor of Ligovo near Saint Petersburg.
Awards
Russian Empire awards:
- Order of Saint George, 4th Degree (26 November 1774)
- Order of Saint George, 3rd Degree (22 August 1789)
- Order of Saint Anna (8 September 1790)
- Cross "For the Capture of Praga" (1794)
- Golden Weapon for Bravery with diamonds (1794)
- Order of Saint Vladimir, 2nd Class (1794)
- Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky (15 February 1797)
- Order of Saint Vladimir, 1st Degree (1806)
- Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (17 September 1807), diamond badges added in 1808
- Order of Saint George, 2nd Degree (27 April 1808)
Foreign state awards:
- Order of the White Eagle, 1795 from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1795, from the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Order of the Black Eagle, from Kingdom of Prussia
- Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, from Kingdom of Prussia
See also
- Albert of Buxhoeveden (c. 1165–1229) - an earlier member of the family
References
- "Fredrik Vilhelm von Buxhoevden". Biografiskt lexikon för Finland (in Swedish). Helsingfors: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. urn:NBN:fi:sls-4129-1416928956735.
- Todd Fisher & Gregory Fremont-Barnes, The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. p. 52
External links
- "Fredrik Vilhelm von Buxhoevden". Biografiskt lexikon för Finland (in Swedish). Helsingfors: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. urn:NBN:fi:sls-4129-1416928956735.
- (in Russian) Biography
- (in English) From Buxhoeveden family tree
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