Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden

Count
Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden
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
Born(1750-09-13)September 13, 1750
Muhu, Governate of Riga, Russian Empire
DiedSeptember 4, 1811(1811-09-04) (aged 60)
Lode Castle, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire
EducationSecond Cadet Corps
Military service
Allegiance Russia
Branch/service Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Austrian Army[2]
Years of service1770–1798, 1802–1810
RankGeneral of Infantry
UnitKexholm Life Guards Regiment[ru] (1783–1787)[1]
CommandsArmy of Volhynia (1805)
Finland Corps (1808)[1]
Battles/wars

Friedrich Wilhelm Graf von Buxhoeveden[a] (Russian: Фёдор Фёдорович Буксгевден, romanized: Fyodor Fyodorovich Buksgevden; September 13 [O.S. September 2] 1750 – September 4 [O.S. August 23] 1811) was a Baltic German general of the infantry and government official in Russian service. He participated in several of Russia's wars in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. During the Finnish War of 1808–09 he served as commander-in-chief of the Russian forces and was simultaneously responsible for the civil administration of occupied Finland, a role for which he is remembered with appreciation in Finland.[3]

Family

The Buxhoevedens, a Baltic German family, traced their roots to Bexhövede in Lower Saxony, from where they moved to Livonia in the 13th century. During the period of Swedish rule over Livonia the family served Sweden, but when Sweden lost Livonia they remained in their home region and became Russian subjects.[3]

Buxhoevden's wife, countess Natalia Alexeyeva, was a daughter of the imperial court; her exact parentage has been disputed by historians.[b] Buxhoeveden's granddaughter Varvara Nelidova was a mistress of Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855) for 17 years (1832–1855).

Career

Early career

Buxhoeveden entered Russian military service in 1764 and took part in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774).[3] He married Natalia Alexeyeva in 1777, a connection that proved highly advantageous for his advancement at the Russian imperial court.[3] He was promoted to colonel in 1783 and major general in 1789. His rapid rise owed more to his social connections than to his abilities as a commander.[3]

During the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790) he participated in the first Battle of Svensksund in August 1789. In the Polish–Russian wars of 1792–1794 he served as a divisional commander, and in 1795 was appointed military governor of the recently captured Warsaw, where he actively worked to prevent violence against the city's population by Russian troops.[3] He was granted a hereditary countship by the King of Prussia, a title subsequently also conferred on him in Russia.[3] In 1797 he was appointed Governor General of Saint Petersburg, but fell out of favour with Tsar Paul I the following year and was exiled to his estates.

Napoleonic Wars

In 1805, Buxhoevden commanded the left wing of the allied Russo-Austrian army at the Battle of Austerlitz.[3][1] The battle ended in defeat for the coalition forces.

On 9 October [O.S. 27 September] 1806, during the War of the Fourth Coalition, Buxhoeveden was entrusted with a corps of four divisions. Tensions arose between him and Bennigsen, and when Bennigsen's army fought the French at Pultusk and Golymin, Buxhoeveden remained inactive near Maków Mazowiecki.[1] He was subsequently relieved of command and replaced by Bennigsen.

Finnish War 1808–09

In 1808, Buxhoeveden was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian forces invading Swedish Finland and simultaneously placed in charge of the civil administration of the occupied territories.[3] Former members of the Anjala league – officers who had conspired against the Swedish king during the 1788–90 war – served on his staff and were tasked with the political incorporation of the territory, including issuing a proclamation promising to convene the Finnish Estates in Turku.[3]

After besieging Sveaborg, Buxhoeveden advanced with his main force to Turku within a month, establishing his headquarters there. He devoted more attention to the administration of the occupied territory than to military operations. The occupation compared favourably with the earlier Russian occupation during the Lesser Wrath of the 1740s: Buxhoeveden investigated incidents of violence by Russian troops and paid compensation from Russian imperial funds to those who had suffered harm.[3]

On 29 September he concluded the Armistice of Lohtaja with the Swedish forces, a decision that caused considerable displeasure in Saint Petersburg, where he was considered to have exceeded his authority.[3] He subsequently confirmed the Convention of Olkijoki in November. Citing poor health, he relinquished command and was replaced as commander-in-chief by General Bogdan von Knorring.

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. He died at Lode Castle (now Koluvere) in Estonia in 1811.

Legacy

Buxhoeveden's reputation in Finland is largely positive. His conduct as commander of the occupying army compared favourably with that of earlier conquerors, and he is remembered for his efforts to protect the civilian population. From a Russian perspective, however, he was regarded as a weak commander who gave the Swedish forces respite when they should have been pressed hardest, and whose campaign ended in a failed armistice agreement.[3]

Awards

Russian Empire awards:

Foreign state awards:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Other spellings include Feodor Buxhoevden, Buxhœwden, and Buxhöwden.
  2. ^ The Biografiskt lexikon för Finland identifies her as a daughter of Empress Catherine the Great, while other sources identify her as an illegitimate daughter of Grigory Orlov by a member of the Apraksin family.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Novitsky 1911.
  2. ^ Battle of Austerlitz order of battle
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Fredrik Vilhelm von Buxhoevden". Biografiskt lexikon för Finland (in Swedish). Helsingfors: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland. urn:NBN:fi:sls-4129-1416928956735.

Sources

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