-
Skip These Ads
-
Skip These Ads|
|
 |
Click here and add this page to your favorites!
|
Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: MEC-MIC |
|
|
MENSHIKOV, ALEXANDER DANILOVICH, PRINCE (1663?1729) , Russian statesman, was born not earlier than 166o nor later than 1663. It is disputed whether his father was an ostler or a bargee. At the age of twenty he was gaining his livelihood in the streets of Moscow as a vendor of meat-pies. His hand-some looks and smart sallies attracted the attention of Francois Lefort, Peter's first favourite, who took him into his service and finally transferred him to the tsar. On the death of Lefoit*s in 1699, Menshikov succeeded him as prime favourite. Ignorant, brutal, grasping and corrupt as he was, he deserved the confidence of his master. He could drill
' See W. L. Hoffman in the Fourteenth Report (Washington, 1896) of the Bureau of American Ethnology and A. E. Jenks in the Ninqteenth Report (1900). part in the Azov campaigns (1695-96), and superseded Ogilvie as commander
chief
retreat before Charles XII. in 1708, subsequently participating in the battle of Holowczyn, the reduction of Mazepa, and the crowning victory of Poltava (June 26, 1709), where he won his marshal's baton. From 1709 to 1714 he served during the Courland, Holstein and Pomeranian campaigns, but then, as governor -general of Ingria, with almost unlimited powers, was entrusted with a leading part in the civil administration. Menshikov understood perfectly the principles on which Peter's reforms were conducted, and was the right hand of the tsar in all his gigantic undertakings. But he abused his omnipotent position, and his depredations frequently, brought him to the verge of ruin. Every time the tsar returned to Russia he received fresh accusations of peculation against " his Serene Highness." Peter's first serious outburst of indignation (March 1711) was due to the prince's looting in Poland.. On his return to Russia in 1712, Peter discovered that Menshikov had winked at wholesale corruptions in his own governor -generalship. Peter warned him " for the last time " to change his ways. Yet, in 1713, he was implicated in the famous Solov'ey process, in the course of which it was demonstrated that he had defrauded the government of 100,000 roubles). He only owed his life on this occasion to a sudden illness. On his recovery Peter's fondness for his friend overcame his sense of justice. In the last year of Peter's reign fresh frauds and defalcations of Menshikov came to light, and he was obliged to appeal for protection to the empress Catherine. It was chiefly through the efforts of Menshikov and his colleague Tolstoi that, on the death of Peter, in 1725, Catherine was raised to the throne. Menshikov was committed to the Petrine system, and he recognized that, if that system were to continue, Catherine was, at that particular time, the only possible candidate. Her name was a watchword for the progressive faction . The placing of her on the throne meant a final victory over ancient prejudices, a vindication of the new ideas of progress. During her short reign (February 1725--May 1727), Menshikov was practically absolute. On the whole he ruled well, his difficult position serving as some restraint upon his natural inclinations. He contrived to prolong his power after Catherine's death by means of a forged will and a coup d'etat. While his colleague Tolstoi would have raised Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, Menshikov set up the youthful Peter II., son of the tsarevich Alexius, with himself as dictator during the prince's minority. He now aimed at .establishing himself definitely by marrying his daughter Mary to Peter IL But the old nobility
capital (Sept. 9, 1727). Subsequently he was deprived of his enormous wealth, and he and his whole family were banished to Berezov in Siberia, where he died on the 12th of November 1729.See G. V. Esipov, Biography of A. D. Menshikov (Rus.) (St. Petersburg
Petersburg
End of Article: MENSHIKOV, ALEXANDER DANILOVICH, PRINCE (1663?1729) If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/MEC_MIC/MENSHIKOV_ALEXANDER_DANILOVICH.html"> MENSHIKOV, ALEXANDER DANILOVICH, PRINCE (1663?1... </a> |
|
|
(Previous) MENSA |
(Next) MENSHIKOV, ALEXANDER SERGEIEVICH, PRINCE (1787-... |
Jesus Christ Saves Ministries, P.O. Box 70696, Pasadena, CA 91117JCSM is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Copyright © 1997-present. |
Free & Cheap Cell
Phones |
Cheap Long Distance
Phone Service Carriers |
Talk America Local Phone Service
|
Ztel & MCI - Unlimited Long Distance
Compare
Cell Phone Plans & Companies |
International Calling Cards & Prepaid Phone Cards |
Voice Over IP Broadband Internet Phone
Service | Wireless
Phone Plans & Cheap Cell Phones
|
_____________________________________________________________________________
Online First Aid and CPR Certification . The Online Christ Centered Ministries . The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained . The Inerrancy Discussion Board . Free Email Accounts . Home Equity Loans . JasonGastrich.com . The Missions, Apologetics, and Creation Bible Conference . Young Earth Creation Science . San Diego Music Lessons . 10,000 Wise Quotes and Spiritual Sayings . Gastrich.net . Maximizing the Internet: 12 Keys to Success . Louisiana Baptist University . NKJV Web Hosting and Services . Michael Newdow . San Diego Soccer Training . Christian Guitar Lessons . Jesus Christ Saves Ministries . Eternal Security
