There are several hypotheses regarding the origin of A.D. Menshikov. They all, however, agree on one thing - his ancestors did not occupy a high social position. According to one version, A.D. Menshikov’s father served at the royal stables and was enlisted in the “amusing” regiments.

In his youth, A.D. Menshikov was in the service of, and later became an orderly. Over time, he became one of the people closest to the king. A.D. Menshikov participated in the creation of “amusing” troops in the village of Preobrazhenskoye (since 1693 he was listed as a bombardier of the Preobrazhensky regiment). He was constantly with the tsar, accompanying him on trips around, in the Azov campaigns of 1695-1696, in the “Great Embassy” of 1697-1698. After the death of A.D. Menshikov became the tsar's first assistant and remained his favorite for many years.

A.D. Menshikov showed himself brilliantly during the Northern War of 1700-1721. He played an important role in the capture of Noteburg (later) in 1702, and was appointed commandant of this fortress.

In the spring of 1703, acting together with the mouth of the Neva, he won the first naval victory over the Swedes, capturing two enemy ships with a bold boarding attack. The reward for A.D. Menshikov’s courage was the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (at the same time the Tsar himself became a holder of the order).

In 1703, A.D. Menshikov became the first governor-general (and held this post until his disgrace in 1727), supervised the construction of the city, as well as shipyards on the Neva and Svir rivers, Petrovsky and Povenetsky cannon factories.

In 1705, A.D. Menshikov was summoned to Lithuania and appointed commander of the cavalry, and then, from 1706, commander-in-chief. In 1707 he elevated him to the dignity of His Serene Highness Prince of Izhora. For active participation in the Battle of Poltava on June 27 (July 8), 1709, A. D. Menshikov was rewarded with the rank of field marshal.

Until 1714, he took part in the campaigns of Russian troops in Courland, Pomerania and Holstein. For his participation in naval affairs against the Swedes and taking care of the fleet in 1716, he received the rank of rear admiral. In 1718-1724 and 1726-1727, A.D. Menshikov was president of the Military Collegium. On the day of the conclusion of the Peace of Nystadt (1721), he was awarded the rank of vice admiral.

After his death in 1725, A.D. Menshikov played a key role in the enthronement of the Empress. In 1725-1727, he became the de facto ruler of the country, concentrating enormous power in his hands and subjugating the army. With the accession to the throne, A.D. Menshikov was awarded the rank of full admiral and the title of generalissimo of the naval and land forces (1727), his daughter Maria was betrothed to the young emperor.

Due to a long illness and the intrigues of ill-wishers, A. D. Menshikov lost influence on

Alexander Danilovich Menshikov is a Russian military and statesman, comrade-in-arms and favorite of Peter the Great, resident of the Military Collegium and first Governor-General of St. Petersburg. Menshikov was the only nobleman in Russia who was awarded the title “Duke of Izhora”. After the death of Peter I, during the reign of Catherine I, he actually ruled the Russian Empire. Under Peter the Second, Alexander Danilovich was the generalissimo of the land and naval forces.

The future generalissimo was born in 1673. His father was a court groom, and then, having ended up in the “amusing regiment,” he rose to the rank of corporal. Due to poverty, he could not give his son an education, so the boy was sent to be trained as a pie maker. For days on end he sold pies on the street. Soon, thanks to his natural intelligence and ingenuity, Alexander liked F. Ya. Lefort, a Swiss military leader who was in Russian service and acted as a mentor to Peter the Great, and was taken into his service.

Carier start

Menshikov was assigned to the Preobrazhensky, at that time a “fun” regiment. Soon, at the age of 14, he became the most beloved orderly of Peter I. Thanks to his extreme understanding, curiosity, and diligence, A.D. Menshikov finally won over the tsar. During the Azov campaign they even lived in the same tent. Then Alexander received his first officer rank. While traveling abroad, he was the Tsar's constant companion, and upon returning home he began to support Peter the Great in all his endeavors. Soon Menshikov began to command a dragoon regiment. The time has come to get acquainted with the first military achievements for which Alexander Menshikov became famous.

North War

In 1700, when the Northern War began, Boris Petrovich Sheremetev was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian troops. Under the name of Captain Pyotr Mikhailov, the Tsar himself was with the army. Menshikov, who distinguished himself during the capture of Noteburg in 1702, was elevated to lieutenant and accompanied the troops along with the tsar. He was also appointed commandant of the fortress, recaptured from the Swedes, which was renamed Shlisselburg.

In 1703, A.D. Menshikov, together with the tsar, took part in the capture of Nyenskans and made a significant contribution to the first naval victory over a pair of Swedish ships. For this achievement, he, along with the tsar, was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called by Admiral Golovin. At the same time, Menshikov was appointed governor of Estland, Karelia and Ingria. Peter the Great left for Moscow, and Alexander Danilovich with particular enthusiasm began to develop the region he had received at his disposal. Thanks to his energy, initiative and management new town began to rapidly rebuild and grow. Menshikov was also entrusted with the construction of Kronstadt and Kronshlot, which were to become the base for the expanding military fleet.

Army leadership

In 1705, the front of hostilities (the war with Charles XII) moved deeper into Lithuania. Alexander Danilovich Menshikov served as chief of cavalry under Field Marshal Ogilvy. However, this did not stop him from acting completely independently. When in the summer of 1706 the illiterate actions of Ogilvy and Grodno angered the tsar, the field marshal was fired, and the young Menshikov was appointed head of the Russian army.

In mid-autumn of the same year, Menshikov and his army, during a battle in the city of Kalisz, defeated the 30,000-strong enemy army of General Mardefeld. This battle was the first proper battle won by the Russians against the Swedes, who were previously considered invincible. After this battle, A.D. Menshikov, who was elevated to count of the Roman Empire in 1702, became the prince of the Roman Empire. And in 1707, Peter the Great granted him the title of His Serene Highness All-Russian Prince of the Izhora Land. At the same time, the military was given the cities of Yamburg and Koporye.

Battle of Poltava

When Charles XII decided to move the battlefield to Russia, the prince, despite the opinion of the tsar, was sure that the king would most likely go to Ukrainian lands. In September 1708, Peter the Great, with the assistance of Alexander Danilovich, defeated Levangaupt near Lesnoy. At the beginning of November of the same year, Menshikov once again performed a favor for the Tsar. When Peter received news of Hetman Mazepa’s betrayal, the prince, without thinking twice, went to the hetman’s capital, took it by storm, destroyed the fortress and burned food supplies. He did all this practically in front of the Swedes. Such quick actions by Menshikov largely explain the failure of Mazepa’s plans.

A skillful sabotage near Poltava allowed the tsar to enter the city. During the Battle of Poltava, which took place on June 27, 1709, A.D. Menshikov acted as commander of the left wing. He once again demonstrated his management and courage. When the fighting subsided, he went to pursue the Swedes and eventually forced Levenhaupt to surrender at Perevolochnaya. For this, the prince generously rewarded the military man. He not only presented him with rich estates, but also promoted him to field marshal.

Question with wives

Alexander Danilovich assisted the tsar not only in military affairs, but also in personal life. In particular, he helped him get rid of his unloved wife Evdokia Lopukhina. After her, the tsar was for some time close to his first love, Anna Mons, but from 1704 his heart belonged to the Livonian captive Martha Skavronskaya, who in the future would become Empress Catherine. The girl lived in Menshikov’s house and was close to him. Here the king met her. Martha Skavronskaya’s connection with Peter and her gradual rise, which ended with marriage, greatly affected the field marshal’s life. In 1706, the tsar forced him to legitimize their close relationship with Daria Mikhailovna Arsenyeva, who and her relatives were part of the close circle of Catherine and Peter’s sister, Natalya.

Latest exploits

In the early 1720s, the hero of our conversation performed his last military exploits. The same period dates back to the revelation of his abuse of government funds, which caused a temporary cooling in his relations with the tsar. In 1710, Menshikov was tasked with completing the conquest of Livonia. He coped with the task with a bang. When the tsar went to Moldavia in 1711, the field marshal remained in St. Petersburg, where he began building the city and governing the conquered region.

At the end of 1711, the Duke of Courland, who shortly before had married the Tsar’s niece, Anna Ioannovna, suddenly passed away. Because of this, Menshikov had to join the army in Courland. In 1712, he led Russian troops in Pomerania, where the front of hostilities with the Swedes had moved. In 1713, the field marshal stayed with the army in Holstein and, under the command of the Danish king, took part in the capture of the Teningen fortress, defeated the Swedish general Stenbock, conquered Stettin and, having brought the Russian army to Danzig, returned to St. Petersburg at the beginning of 1714.

Since then he has not taken part in military battles. At that time, the conflict regarding the prince’s abuse of government funds gained momentum. A. Kurbatov, vice-governor of Arkhangelsk, played a decisive role in the development of the conflict. In 1715, the tsar was forced to conduct an investigation against his favorite. The case dragged on for several years. Ultimately, Peter the Great ordered a serious amount to be charged to the commander.

Further events

The St. Petersburg Governor General in 1718 took part in the search for Tsarevich Alexei. After his death, Menshikov was with the Tsar in good relations. In 1719, Peter the Great appointed him president of the Military Collegium with the rank of rear admiral. The sovereign trusted the military man so much that he even instructed him to participate in the cases of the Supreme Court to uncover and prosecute all kinds of official crimes, in particular abuse of the treasury. Weide was the chairman of the court at that time. A number of early government officials were accused of abuses, including Menshikov himself. Having asked Peter for forgiveness and backed up his words with a 100 thousand chervonets fine, the rear admiral was able to make peace with the tsar.

In 1722, Peter and Catherine went on a Persian campaign, leaving Menshikov in St. Petersburg to temporarily head the government with other nobles. Upon the sovereign's return, Alexander Danilovich again fell out of favor. The reason for this was blatant embezzlement and robbery, as well as illegal misconduct in the management of Kronshlot. As punishment, Peter took away Menshikov's tobacco tax, deprived him of the title of Pskov governor, and took away the estates Mazepa had previously donated. In addition, the rear admiral had to pay a fine of 200 thousand rubles. According to contemporaries, on top of everything else, Peter beat the embezzler with his own cane. Soon, however, they made peace again: the Tsar really respected Menshikov. Before the death of the sovereign, the hero of our conversation was once again caught in abuse. This time Peter dismissed him from the post of governor. The temporary worker remained in this post for 22 years.

The reign of Catherine I

When Catherine the First, who owed her enthronement to the throne to Menshikov, began to reign, he actually took control of the state into his own hands. In the Supreme Privy Council, the rear admiral played a decisive role. In 1726, Menshikov, realizing his importance for the empress, decided to become the Duke of Courland, the throne of which was vacant at that time. The Polish king strongly wanted this position to go to Moritz of Saxony. Then Alexander Danilovich had to threaten the Poles with the intervention of the Russian military. As a result, the Polish Sejm did not approve Moritz as duke. However, Menshikov still had to abandon this idea due to the stubborn reluctance of the Courland nobles to see him as a duke. Then Alexander Danilovich decided to marry his eldest daughter Maria Alexandrovna to the heir to the Russian throne, Peter Alekseevich. The Empress agreed to this marriage.

Death of Catherine I

When the empress died, instead of the young emperor, engaged to Maria Menshikova, Alexander Danilovich actually received unlimited control of the state. He entrusted the education of Peter II to Vice-Chancellor Osterman. Menshikov's arrogance and arrogance towards the young emperor, the latter's rapprochement with Dolgorukov, as well as the intrigues of his enemies ultimately destroyed the rear admiral. Prince Menshikov fell into disgrace as a result of another clash with the wayward emperor. Soon the entire palace was ordered not to accept Alexander Danilovich and his relatives. In this regard, Menshikov turned to the Tsar with a request to release him to Ukraine. In response to this, he lost his nobility and orders, and his daughter was left without court servants and crew.

On September 11, 1727, the Admiral General was ordered to go under escort with his family to the Ryazan province, to his estate of Ranenburg. Alexander Danilovich left St. Petersburg with a rich baggage train and servants, but along the way everything was taken away from him. But even this was not enough for Menshikov’s enemies. Because of their slander and skillful manipulation of facts, on April 8, 1728, the Supreme Privy Council decided to send the prince and his family into exile in Berezov. 6 cities, 13 million rubles, several hundred pounds of precious metals and stones, as well as 90,000 peasants were confiscated from Alexander Danilovich. On the way to exile, Menshikov's wife died.

In Berezovo, the commander endured his misfortune with enviable firmness. On November 12, 1729, Generalissimo Alexander Danilovich Menshikov died. He was buried not far from the church he built. The eldest daughter of a military man, Maria, died a little earlier. And two other children returned from exile during the reign of Empress Anna. This is how the glorious commander Alexander Menshikov ended his story. Years of life of the Generalissimo: 1673-1729.

Historical portrait

Alexander Menshikov, whose biography in our presentation is coming to an end, thanks to his intelligence, ebullient energy, intuition and acumen, was an indispensable ally for Tsar Peter the Great. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin in his poem “Poltava” described the prince this way: “Happiness is a rootless darling, a semi-sovereign ruler.” After the death of the Tsar’s adviser Franz Yakovlevich Lefort, Peter said: “I have only one hand left, thieving, but faithful.” This is how he characterized Prince Menshikov. At the same time, regular embezzlement on the part of the generalissimo forced the tsar to keep his favorite on the verge of disgrace. Under Catherine the First, Menshikov actually led the state for two years, but his immense ambition, often turning into arrogance, played a cruel joke on him. Having made a lot of enemies for himself, Alexander Menshikov, whose historical portrait shows that if he wanted, he could be an excellent diplomat, lost practically everything he had.

Conclusion

Today we met such a controversial person as Generalissimo Alexander Menshikov. Interesting Facts from the life of the prince and a description of his activities show how a simple peasant in a fairly difficult times was able to reach incredible heights. Therefore, despite the stormy criticism towards Menshikov, he certainly deserves attention.

Alexander Danilovich Menshikov was born in 1673. He was the son of a court groom and became famous during the reign of Peter I. In his turbulent life, he successfully coped with the duties of a senator, field marshal, generalissimo, president of the Military College and governor.

Common sense replaced education for him, although Menshikov himself personally highly valued knowledge and education. It is no coincidence that on October 25, 1714, Newton notified him of his election as a member of the Royal Scientific Society.

The future generalissimo was the tsar's favorite for a long time, but it was possible to earn the affection and friendship of Peter I only with qualities that few possess - inexhaustible energy, complete dedication to the transformation of Russia, selfless courage, and a willingness to sacrifice life for the successful fulfillment of the tsar's commission.

Menshikov's military career

In 1691, Tsar Peter, having met Menshikov, who was then selling pies from a tray, enrolled him in his amusing company, appointing him as his orderly.

In 1695-1696, A.D. Menshikov, together with Peter I, went on the Azov campaigns, where he acquired real command skills. In 1697, together with Peter, he went to study the science of shipbuilding; they visited the shipyards of Holland and England. In addition to training, he continued to serve as an orderly under Peter I.

In 1700, the Northern War, which was quite debilitating for Russia, began. In the spring of 1702, Menshikov and Peter I went to Arkhangelsk, and in the fall they took part in the siege of Noteburg.

In 1703, Peter appointed Menshikov governor of St. Petersburg. The governor immediately set about strengthening the city from attack from the sea, and already in the summer of 1704 he repelled a Swedish attack on St. Petersburg, and later on Kronstadt. The reward for this is the rank of lieutenant general.

By that time, the Swedish king Charles XII had transferred his actions to Poland, which had entered into an alliance with Russia. This alliance was beneficial to both sides: the Polish king hoped to retain the crown with the help of Russia, and the Russian tsar, together with his ally, hoped to defeat the army of Charles XII.

In the winter of 1706, the pugnacious Charles XII made a rapid march, the Swedish army approached Grodno. The forty-thousand-strong group located here Russian army found herself surrounded, and Peter instructed Menshikov to lead her out of the ring. Menshikov excellently organized the retreat. Charles XII tried to catch up with the retreating Russian troops and force a battle that was advantageous for himself, but failed to do so.

An angry Charles marched his army into Saxony and tried to force the Polish king Augustus II to abdicate the throne in favor of his ally Stanislaw Leszczynski. Peter sent the II cavalry corps under the command of Menshikov to the aid of Augustus.

Having united with Polish and Saxon troops, Lieutenant General Menshikov defeated the Swedes at Kilish. But this victory, unfortunately, did not decide the outcome of the campaign as a whole. Due to the betrayal of Augustus II, Russian troops were forced to retreat to Lvov for winter quarters. The burden of the Northern War now fell entirely on Russia's shoulders.

At the beginning of 1708, the troops of Charles XII again moved towards Russia. To stop the advance of the Swedes, Menshikov had to show not only all his skill, but also considerable personal bravery and courage. In the battle near the village of Lesnoye on September 28, 1708, for example, when the outcome of the battle threatened defeat, Menshikov himself, at the head of the cavalry, rushed into the attack and ensured victory.

A month later, Menshikov tried to invite him to a military council to discuss joint action against the Swedes of the Ukrainian Hetman Mazepa. He evaded in every possible way, and Menshikov suspected Mazepa of treason. In the end, he turned out to be right - the Ukrainian hetman went over to the side of the Swedes. Meanwhile, Charles XII besieged Poltava. In the summer of 1709, a battle took place here that turned the tide of the war in favor of Russia. In the Battle of Poltava, Lieutenant General Menshikov also played a significant role, earning the rank of second field marshal here (the first was Sheremetev).

In April 1710, Menshikov, already in the Baltic states, took a number of Swedish fortresses in Estland and Livonia. Returning from this war, he supervised the construction of the Admiralty, Summer and Winter Palaces, Shlisselburg, Kronstadt and Peterhof in St. Petersburg.

The last military operation in which Menshikov participated together with Peter I was the siege of Friedrichstadt. Having surrendered this fortress, the Swedes settled in Tonningen. Peter, satisfied with the capture of Friedrichstadt, left for Russia, instructing Menshikov to take Tonningen. Menshikov successfully blocked the fortress both from land and sea. The quickly starving Swedish garrison soon surrendered.

Appointment as Generalissimo

After this war, Menshikov returned to economic activity. In this field, the resourcefulness of the “most serene prince” had no limits. He did everything to enrich himself, not disdaining embezzlement. Peter I was more than once forced to “teach” his favorite with a baton.

In the end, the Secret Chancellery of Prince V.V. Dolgoruky, a longtime enemy of the “upstart” Menshikov, revealed the machinations of the “most illustrious one.” The case was brought to court, and Menshikov had to return considerable money for those times - twenty thousand rubles - to the state treasury. Menshikov fell out of favor, and only the Tsar’s wife, Catherine I, put an end to numerous intrigues against him.

But the “most serene prince” continued to “bury himself” even after the death of Peter I. Now he had a crazy idea - to become related to the reigning dynasty. He achieved the betrothal of his daughter Maria to the heir to the throne, Peter II, the grandson of Peter the Great. The engagement took place on March 13, 1726.

Now the rank of field marshal was not enough for Menshikov; he wanted to become a generalissimo. And one day at a reception, Peter II, as the advisor to the Saxon Elector Lefort later recalled, with a grin declared to all those present: “I destroyed the field marshal!” These words perplexed everyone, and Menshikov was completely at a loss, not knowing how to react to such words. Then the pleased Peter II showed the paper he had signed - Menshikov was appointed generalissimo.

last years of life

Soon after this joyful event for him, Menshikov fell seriously ill. While he was lying in bed, opponents of the “most illustrious”, who hated Peter’s reforms, became more active, and Peter II came under the strong influence of Prince Dolgoruky, who boasted of his origins. Previously inseparable from Menshikov, Peter II began to avoid the Generalissimo in every possible way.

By decree of Peter II of September 9, 1727, “His Majesty Menshikov is prohibited from leaving the palace,” and soon followed by a decree on the expulsion of Menshikov, depriving him of all ranks and awards.

Together with the former “Illustrious Prince”, his entire family went to lifelong exile in Berezov. On the way, his wife Daria Mikhailovna, whom Menshikov truly adored, died. And this loss, presumably, aggravated Menshikov’s experiences. He died on November 12, 1729. The former generalissimo was buried without cannon fire or solemn ceremonies.

“Happiness is a rootless darling, a semi-sovereign ruler”

With this post, I think I will begin a series of articles about famous figures of the past, regardless of what time and in what countries they lived. And today we'll talk O Prince Menshikov, who was the favorite and associate of Peter I the Great, especially today is his birthday.

Count, prince, field marshal general, first St. Petersburg governor general, president of the Military Collegium and the only Russian nobleman who received the title of duke (“Duke of Izhora”), “first senator”, “first member of the Supreme Privy Council”, generalissimo from the monarch naval and ground forces, who became the de facto ruler of Russia in 1725-1727 - that’s far from full list all regalia and merits of A.D. Menshikov.

Biography

Alexander Danilovich Menshikov was born on November 6, 1673 in Moscow. The chroniclers did not leave any written sources about his youth and relatives. The “pie” version also gives cause for serious thought. The historian Kostomarov embellished Menshikov’s employment with Franz Lefort. Poet A.S. Pushkin gave a poetic refutation of Kostomarov’s fabrications and argued that the “story of the pies” was invented by the prince’s enemies.

At the age of fourteen, Menshikov began working for Lefort. Then he was appointed to the royal drabants, shared all the difficulties with Peter the Great, and also became an ally in all his undertakings and endeavors. Menshikov accepts the most active cooperation in the formation of future Preobrazhentsev. From 1693 he served as a bombardier in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, then received the rank of sergeant, and from 1700 he rose to the rank of lieutenant of a bombardment company.

Menshikov is constantly with the tsar, accompanying him on trips around Russia, in the Azov campaigns of 1695-96, in the “Great Embassy” in 1697-98 in Western Europe, helps Peter build navy. When Lefort died, he became the king's main assistant and favorite. Alexander did everything with special zeal, knew how to keep secrets, and, like no one else, could soften the king’s hot temper.

During the Northern War (1700-1721), Menshikov commanded large army forces and distinguished himself in many battles during the siege and storming of fortresses.

In 1703, Menshikov received the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called as a reward and was appointed the first governor-general of the newly built St. Petersburg. Formed the Ingermanland Infantry and Ingermanland Dragoon Regiments.

On November 30, 1705, Menshikov was promoted to cavalry general, and in the summer of 1706 he was entrusted with leadership of the entire Russian regular cavalry.

Near Poltava, Prince Menshikov gave orders to the advance detachment. Captured General Schlippenbach and destroyed Ross's formation. At the site of the crossing of the Dnieper, he captured the remnants of the Swedish army, as a result of which more than 16 thousand Swedes were captured.

For victories near Poltava, Menshikov was awarded the rank of Field Marshal.

Rise and Fall

But as usual in our state, over time, Prince Menshikov became a bribe-taker and embezzler. Peter I repeatedly punished Menshikov with rubles for his financial frauds and even beat him in public for theft, but then also repeatedly forgave him. But the tsar’s patience finally ran out, and in 1724 Menshikov was deprived of the helm of power on the territory of the Russian Empire and all the main positions.

He was forgiven only just before the king's death. In January 1725, Peter allowed Menshikov to his deathbed.

However, immediately after the death of Peter, Menshikov again launched a vigorous activity: relying on the guard and senior government officials, in January 1725 he enthroned the wife of the late emperor Catherine I and became the de facto ruler of the country, concentrating enormous power in his hands and subjugating the army. . In January 1725, he regained the post of Governor-General of St. Petersburg, and in 1726, the post of President of the Military Collegium. On August 30, 1725, the new Empress Catherine I made him a Knight of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In 1726, Menshikov participated in negotiations on the conclusion of a Russian-Austrian alliance, and in 1727 he gave the order to send Russian troops into Courland.

With the accession of Peter II to the throne on May 6, 1727, Menshikov initially retained his influence: on May 6 he was awarded the rank of full admiral, on May 12 he was granted the rank of generalissimo, and his daughter Maria was betrothed to the young emperor. However, having underestimated his ill-wishers, and due to a long illness, he lost his influence on the young emperor and was soon removed from government.

Alexander Menshikov, a favorite of Peter I, according to legend, was the son of a court groom and sold pies in Moscow. As a boy, he was noticed by Franz Lefort, a prominent dignitary of that time. From Lefort's entourage, Menshikov was taken as his orderly by Peter. He helped the future emperor create “amusing” regiments, and then fight. He was the first of the “chicks of Petrov’s nest”, faithful assistant in all endeavors - from war to dinner.

Illiterate

Nowadays, when politicians and public figures are regularly caught plagiarizing, and Dr. historical sciences, who has no idea about the methods of working with sources, was appointed Minister of Culture through a criminal misunderstanding, it is hardly surprising that the first Russian member of the Royal Society, apparently, could neither read nor write. Both foreign diplomats and courtiers, for example, Peter I’s personal turner Andrei Nartov, testified to the illiteracy of the emperor’s closest associate. And although many “patriotically”-minded historians have appeared (who understand patriotism very wrongly) who are trying to refute the idea of ​​​​the illiteracy of His Serene Highness, their arguments are not yet convincing. Historian S.P. Luppov noted: “For many years of work in the archives on the funds of Peter’s time, we were not able to see a single document written by Menshikov, and we only encountered papers written by other persons and only signed by Menshikov’s uncertain hand.” However, the fact that Alexander Danilovich did not understand literacy does not at all negate his numerous merits in the public sphere.

Menshikov sold pies

The question of the origin of His Serene Highness still causes a lot of controversy. Menshikov himself persistently promoted the version that he came from the Lithuanian-Polish noble family of Menzhikov. He even obtained an official document from the congress of the Lithuanian gentry. However, later, not satisfied with this origin, Menshikov tried to substantiate his genealogy from the Varangians, close to the family of Rurik. The version about the noble origin of Peter's favorite raised doubts even during his lifetime. There was a very popular idea among the people that the Most Serene Prince came from the lowest circles, and before being surrounded by the emperor he was a simple peddler of pies. The version about the pies is in particular confirmed by the evidence of the turner Nartov. The secretary of the Austrian embassy, ​​Johann Korb, disparagingly called Menshikov “Alexashka” and noted that he was “raised to the top of an enviable power from the lowest fate among people.”

Corrupt

They say that after the death of Lefort, Peter I mournfully remarked: “I have only one hand left, a thieving one, but a faithful one.” This is him about Menshikov. His Serene Highness was caught stealing more than once. He obtained his untold wealth in a completely ignoble way: illegally seizing lands, enslaving the Cossacks and outright robbing the treasury. Menshikov was charged with embezzling more than one and a half million rubles, and this at a time when the state's annual expenses were about 5 million. The prince was saved by his friendship with the king and the intercession of Catherine. Petitions submitted on time noticeably reduced the amount of debt that had to be paid to Menshikov, who was convicted of theft. Peter could not hold his anger against his favorite for long. Everyone knew about the theft of Alexander Danilovich, but while the royal favor overshadowed him, nothing could be done.

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship is here main characteristic Prince Menshikov. And he showed it not only on the battlefield, in state affairs, court intrigues and godless embezzlement. Menshikov was an entrepreneur in the most modern and even positive sense of the word: he was a businessman. The prince used every opportunity to make a profit. Not content with the standard quitrent, he organized numerous industries on his lands for processing agricultural products and mining minerals. Brick production, timber sawing, distilleries, salt and fisheries, a crystal factory - this is just an incomplete list of enterprises organized by Menshikov. He also created the first silk manufactory in Russia, modeled on the Parisian one. Why not a young, ambitious startuper?

Builder

His Serene Highness was a builder in approximately the same sense as Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov was. As governor of the Izhora land (today it is St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region), Menshikov was responsible for the construction of Shlisselburg, Kronstadt, Peterhof and St. Petersburg. Naturally, such a position had the best possible influence on the business of a high-ranking official: in fact, he led the formation of the largest construction market in the Empire, ensuring stable demand for the products of his numerous enterprises. Menshikov also worked in government food contracts. Prices, of course, were significantly inflated, and contracts were drawn up through dummies. As the investigation found, Menshikov’s net profit for supplying food to the state in 1712 exceeded 60%. The total damage from the prince's food contracting activities was estimated at 144,788 rubles. However, compared to the volume of direct embezzlement by Menshikov, these are mere pennies.

Insatiable

It's no secret that Menshikov's ambitions had no limits. After the death of Peter, he brought Catherine to the throne and actually became the main person in the state. Menshikov intended to become related to the imperial family by betrothing his daughter to the grandson of Peter the Great. He even managed to capture his ambitions on state coins. In 1726, His Serene Highness decided to carry out a monetary reform, lowering the standard silver coin, which was supposed to bring additional profit from minting. In the future, it was planned to mint ten-kopeck coins from a cheap alloy of the “new invention.” The new coins were distinguished by an unusual monogram, which consisted not only of the letter “I” (“Empress”) and the letter “E” (“Catherine”), but also included an additional element - the letter “Y”, which had no justification in the name of the empress. The fact is that in conjunction with the letters “I” (the letters “I” and “E” were given in mirror image), “Y” gave “M”, that is, “Menshikov”. The coins, however, were of such poor quality that they were completely unsuitable for circulation and were quickly confiscated. And already in 1727, after the death of Catherine, Menshikov lost in the court struggle, was deprived of property, ranks and awards, and exiled to the Siberian city of Berezov, where he died two years later.

Fellow of the Royal Society

Menshikov became the first Russian member of the Royal Society of London. However, there is no need to talk about his contribution to science. The decision to be elected was primarily of a political nature. It seems that the members of the Royal Society did not dare to refuse “The most powerful and honorable ruler, Mr. Alexander Menshikov, the Roman and Russian empires Prince, Ruler of Oranienburg, first in the Councils of the Tsar's Majesty, Marshal, Governor of the conquered regions, Knight of the Order of the Elephant and the Supreme Order of the Black Eagle, etc.,” who personally wrote to Newton with a request for election. Moreover, such a high-ranking official could support the scientists financially. Perhaps precisely because Menshikov was aware of the modesty of his scientific achievements, he never added these three words to his magnificent title: member of the Royal Society.