Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden
Friedrich Wilhelm Graf von Buxhoeveden was a Russian general of the infantry and government official. Buxhoeveden commanded the Russian armies during the Finnish War.
Family
The Buxhoevedens, a Baltic German family from Estonia, traced their roots to Bexhövede in Lower Saxony.Buxhoevden's wife, countess Natalia Alexeyeva, was the illegitimate daughter of Grigory Orlov by a lady of the court, but her mother – contrary to some claims – was not the Empress Catherine, but a member of the Apraksin family. Buxhoeveden's granddaughter Varvara Nelidova was a mistress of Nicholas I of Russia for 17 years.
Career
In 1805, Buxhoevden took part in the Battle of Austerlitz as a commander of the left wing of the allied Russo-Austrian army, contributing to the Third Coalition's failure to defeat Napoleon by being drunk during the battle. Nevertheless, he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st Class.On, in the course of the Russo-Prusso-French War, Buxhoeveden was entrusted with a corps of 4 divisions, assigned to the second line. Considering himself left in reserve and offended by the preference shown to Leonty Bennigsen, Buxhoeveden from the very first steps showed a hostile attitude towards him. Taking advantage of the departure of Commander-in-Chief Mikhail Kamensky, who handed over command of the army to Bennigsen as the senior officer, he tried to subordinate Bennigsen. The rebuff he met from the latter further exacerbated their relations, and when Bennigsen's army fought with the French at Pultusk and Golymin, Buxhoeveden was inactive, standing near Maków Mazowiecki, from the battlefield.
In 1808, he served as Commander-in-Chief in the Russian conquest of Swedish Finland, and led Russian troops during the initial battles of the Finnish War.
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.Awards
Russian Empire awards:- Order of Saint George, 4th Degree
- Order of Saint George, 3rd Degree
- Order of Saint Anna
- Cross "For the Capture of Praga"
- Golden Weapon for Bravery with diamonds
- Order of Saint Vladimir, 2nd Class
- Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
- Order of Saint Vladimir, 1st Degree
- Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, diamond badges added in 1808
- Order of Saint George, 2nd Degree