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Birthday anniversary of Field Marshal General Nikolai Saltykov
October 31 (November 11), 1736 was born military leader and statesman, Field Marshal General Nikolai Saltykov.
N. I. Saltykov came from a Russian noble family of the early 16th century and was the son of General-in-Chief, I. A. Saltykov. Having been educated at home, Nikolai started very early his military service, from the age of twelve he had served as a soldier in the Semenovsky Life- Guards Regiment and together with his father took part in the march to the Rhine in the corps of Prince V. N. Repnin. At thirteen, N. I. Saltykov was promoted to corporal, and in April 1754 he was transferred from the Guards to the army.
During the Seven Years War, Nikolai participated in many battles against Prussian troops. After the victory near Kunersdorf in 1759, Saltykov was promoted to colonel. In 1761, under the command of Alexander Rumyantsev, he participated in the capture of Kohlberg. And at the end of the Seven Years’ War, Saltykov was promoted by Emperor Peter III to major general.
In 1763-1768 Nikolai Saltykov commanded a Russian formation in Poland, in September 1767 was promoted to lieutenant-general. In the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war, he participated in the siege of Khotin (1769). Due to illness Saltykov was forced to leave the army and go abroad for treatment. On his return to Russia, Nikolai Ivanovich was promoted to general-in-chief, appointed Vice-President of the Military Board and at the same time, in April 1773, Catherine II appointed him steward of the household at the court of the heir to the throne. In 1776, Saltykov accompanied the heir to Berlin for the betrothal ceremony with Princess Sophia Dorothea of Wurttemberg (the future Empress Maria Feodorovna), and also accompanied the Grand Duke in his travel to Europe under the name of count Severny.
In 1783 Catherine II charged Nikolai Ivanovich with educating her grandchildren, Alexander and Constantine.
From August 1787, Saltykov had been a member of the Council under the Empress, from 1788 - Acting President of the Military Board; and in September 1790, on the occasion of the conclusion of the Treaty of Värälä with Sweden, was granted the title of count.
On the occasion of the end of the training of Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich, Nikolai was awarded 100 thousand rubles and life board of 25 thousand rubles a year. When his services as a mentor were no longer needed due to the marriage of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, Saltykov received a special rescript of Catherine II, as well as 60 thousand rubles, a stone house in St. Petersburg and a silver dinner service.
With the accession to the throne of Paul I in 1796, Saltykov occupied the post of the president of Military Board (1796-1802), and at the same time he was promoted to Field Marshal General.
During the reign of Alexander I, Nikolai Saltykov was entrusted with the management of the Committee of the established Zemstvo army. Dring the war of 1812, he was appointed Chairman of the State Council and of the Committee of Ministers.
In 1814, Nikolai was granted the title of His Serene Highness Prince of the Russian Empire.
Military leader and statesman, Field Marshal General N. I. Saltykov died 18 (30) May 1816 and was buried in his estate Cherkutino, Vladimir province.
Lit.: Бантыш-Каменский Д. Н. 30-й генерал-фельдмаршал князь Николай Иванович Салтыков // Биографии российских генералиссимусов и генерал-фельдмаршалов. В 4-х частях. Репринтное воспроизведение издания 1840 года. М., 1991; Екатерина II. Письма императрицы Екатерины II-й к Н. И. Салтыкову. 1763—1796 // Русский архив, 1864. Вып. 9. Стб. 925—988; Сухарева О. В. Кто был кто в России от Петра I до Павла I. М., 2005.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: