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 byCount Alexander Tormasov
Succeeded byPrince Dmitry Lobanov-Rostovsky
In office
1803–1806
Preceded byPrince Sergei Golitsyn
Succeeded byCount Alexander Tormasov
Governor General of Saint Petersburg
In office
1797–1798
Preceded byNikolai Arkharov
Succeeded byPeter Ludwig von der Pahlen
Personal details
Born13 September [O.S. 2 September] 1750
Muhu, Governate of Riga, Russian Empire
Died4 September [O.S. 23 August] 1811 (aged 60)
Lode Castle, Wiek, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire
EducationSecond Cadet Corps
Military service
Allegiance Russian Empire
Branch/service Imperial Russian Army
Years of service1770–1798, 1802–1810
RankGeneral of Infantry
UnitKexholm Life Guards Regiment
Commands
  • Army of Volyn
  • Army of Finland
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:

Foreign state awards:

See also

References

  1. "Fredrik Vilhelm von Buxhoevden". Biografiskt lexikon för Finland (in Swedish). Helsingfors: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. urn:NBN:fi:sls-4129-1416928956735.
  2. Todd Fisher & Gregory Fremont-Barnes, The Napoleonic Wars: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. p. 52
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