Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov is a Russian commander, known throughout the world for his military talents and victories. He became the successor to military science founded by Suvorov and Rumyantsev.
Mikhail Illarionovich was a truly outstanding personality, one of the brightest people of his time. His name is familiar to us from the school bench and is associated with many military campaigns and glorious victories that forever left a mark in history.
However, studying his achievements in military affairs, we rarely pay attention to his biography and character traits. For example, he had a surprisingly bright mind, and at the age of 14 he already helped teachers in school.
Being calm, reasonable, cunning, Mikhail Illarionovich remained a talented diplomat, which helped him both in the world arena and in relations with representatives of his native authorities.
We have collected for you 10 more interesting facts about Kutuzov, which will allow you to learn a little more about the outstanding personality of Field Marshal.
10. The son of the lieutenant general
Mikhail Kutuzov belonged to the genus Golenishchev-Kutuzov. There is an opinion that the commander’s ancestors served under Alexander Nevsky and gained fame during the Battle of the Ice.
His father, Illarion Matveevich Kutuzov, served under Peter the Great and created the project of the Catherine’s Canal, which prevented the damage from the Neva flood. Illarion Matveyevich rose to the rank of lieutenant general, participated in the Russian-Turkish war and was a highly respected person.
9. Graduated from artillery and engineering school
Little Michael’s home schooling began when he was seven years old. Thereafter he was sent to the artillery and engineering noble schoolwhich his father graduated from at one time. Learning was given to a capable young man easily, he had a special inclination for mathematics. By the age of 14, he helped teachers by studying with students and explaining algebra and geometry to them.
8. The Russo-Turkish War had a tremendous influence on him.
In the army P.A. Rumyantseva Kutuzov was transferred in 1770, and it was under the leadership of Field Marshal he went through the Russo-Turkish war, which played a key role in shaping the future commander.
One of the most striking cases was the transfer of Mikhail Illarionovich to the 2nd Crimean Army under the command of V.M. Dolgorukova. According to one version, the young lieutenant colonel allowed himself to mimic Rumyantsev in a friendly circle, and when the military commander found out about it, he sent him away; according to another version, he recklessly expressed himself about G.A. Potemkin. In any case, since then Kutuzov has been famous for his caution.
In 1774, Kutuzov was wounded near Alushta. The bullet touched the optic nerve and brain, and the life of the future commander was saved by a French surgeon. He participated in the assault and capture of Ishmael, which seemed almost impossible to him, and managed to distinguish himself so that he was noted by Suvorov.
7. Fluent in many languages
Mikhail Illarionovich was fluent in five foreign languages: French, German, English, Swedish and Turkish. Contemporaries claimed that in French the commander spoke almost better than Bonaparte himself. He also knew Latin and later studied Polish, Italian and Tatar.
6. Was an ambassador to Turkey
When the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1792. were over, the Russian Empire was puzzled by the establishment of friendly relations with the Ottoman Empire. At the same time, everyone perfectly understood that there could be no talk of any trust, therefore an intelligent, cunning and insightful person who could be trusted should have been at the Turkish court. They became M.I. Kutuzov.
There is a legend that during his service in the Ottoman Empire, he was able to go to the Sultan’s harem and stay alive, although anyone who intended to visit the concubines was awaiting execution.
The result of Kutuzov’s diplomatic activity was the signing of an unprecedented Russian-Ottoman treaty, under which the Ottoman Empire took a neutral position in the upcoming war with Napoleon.
5. Napoleon gave him the nickname "Old fox of the North"
M.I. Contemporaries characterized Kutuzov as a secretive, intelligent, reasonable person, able to negotiate with any ruler. And definitely cunning. Napoleon himself called Kutuzov nothing other than the "Old Fox of the North".
According to rumors, when the war with France began, the commander said that he did not intend to win, but to deceive Napoleon, which was completely in the spirit of his character. Bonaparte, on the whole, spoke unflatteringly about the command of the Russian army, although he refrained from openly criticizing Kutuzov himself. The reason for his defeat in 1812 was not considered the military talents of the Russian commanders, but the insidious Russian winter.
4. First Knight of the Order of St. George
M.I. Kutuzov became the first of four full gentlemen of the Order of St. George. He received the 4th class order in 1775 for the courage shown in the Russian-Turkish war at Alushta. The Order of the 3rd class was granted in 1791 for participating in the capture of Ishmael. The Order of the 2nd class was awarded in 1792 for participating in the defeat of the large Turkish army at Machin. And finally, the Order of the 1st class M.I. Kutuzov was awarded in 1812 for his victory over the French army.
3. The biggest defeat suffered at Austerlitz
The beginning of the 19th century was marked by Napoleon's march through Europe. In the war of 1805, Kutuzov led troops to Austria, and Emperor Alexander I and Franz II insisted on attacking immediately, while Kutuzov was inclined to wait for reserves.
But Alexander I gave the order, which the field marshal could not resist. Then the battle of Austerlitz took place, in which the allied army was defeated. This defeat was the largest and bitter in the life of Mikhail Illarionovich.
And it has long been a stumbling block between Kutuzov and the emperor. Alexander I was angry with his field marshal for not being able to insist on his innocence and stop the offensive, and the relationship between them had long gone wrong.
2. Died of a cold during the persecution of Napoleon
Despite the fact that after fierce fighting Maloyaroslavets remained behind the Napoleonic army, the French were forced to turn, go on the Old Smolensk road and begin to retreat.
The Russian army pursued the enemy’s troops to the very border, but Alexander I insisted on the persecution until the French were finally defeated. M.I. Kutuzov was against this idea, believing that the salvation of Europe is the work of Europe itself. However, Emperor Alexander managed to convince the field marshal.
During the persecution of Napoleon, in April 1813 Kutuzov caught a cold and became very weak in Bunzlau (today the territory of Poland). April 16, he died.
Upon the return of the body of the field marshal to the capital, it turned out that the Kazan Cathedral was not ready for burial, and the body of the commander had been waiting in the wings for more than two weeks. Buried M.I. Kutuzov June 13, 1813. The emperor retained his full contents for his family and ordered the repayment of their debts.
1. There is no documentary evidence that he was blind in one eye.
One of the most common myths about Mikhail Illarionovich is that he wore a blindfold in one eye.. Yes, the eye was damaged after being wounded in the Russian-Turkish war, but Kutuzov is depicted without any bandage in all paintings and engravings. Also, there is not a single written mention of the fact that the commander somehow covered his injured eye.
The blindfold is a myth already in the 20th century, when in the Soviet film about Kutuzov he appeared with a black blindfold on his eye, like a pirate. The film was released in 1943, at the height of the war, and was supposed to show that even with a serious wound, you can continue to fight.