117 Facts About Alexander Suvorov

Alexander Suvorov was instrumental in expanding the Russian Empire, as his success ensured Russia's conquering of Kuban, Crimea, and New Russia.

One of the foremost generals in all of military history, and considered the greatest military commander in Russian history, Alexander Suvorov has been compared to Napoleon in military generalship.

Alexander Suvorov was born into a noble family originating from Novgorod at the Moscow mansion in Arbat, given as dowry from his maternal grandfather, Fedosey Manukov.

Alexander Suvorov's father, Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov, was a general-in-chief and a senator in the Governing Senate, and was credited with translating Vauban's works into Russian.

Alexander Suvorov's mother, Avdotya Fedoseyevna, was the daughter of judge Fedosey Manukov, and was an ethnic Russian.

Alexander Suvorov himself narrated for the record the historical account of his family to his aide, colonel Anthing, telling particularly that his Swedish-born ancestor was of noble descent, having engaged under the Russian banner in the wars against the Tatars and Poles.

Alexander Suvorov's father insisted that he was unfit for military affairs.

However, when Alexander Suvorov was young, General Gannibal asked to speak to the child, and was so impressed with the boy that he persuaded the father to allow him to pursue the career of his choice.

Alexander Suvorov entered the military in 1745 and served in the Semyonovsky Lifeguard Regiment for nine years.

Alexander Suvorov spent most of his time in the barracks: the troops loved him, though everyone considered him eccentric.

From 1756 to 1758 Alexander Suvorov next worked on the College of War; from 1758 he was engaged in forming reserve units, and was commandant of Memel.

Alexander Suvorov gained his first battle experience fighting against the Prussians during the Seven Years' and the Third Silesian wars.

At the time when Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov, upon his Kunersdorf victory, remained unmoved and did not even send Cossacks to pursue the fleeing enemy, Alexander Suvorov said to William Fermor: "if I were commander-in-chief, I would go to Berlin right now".

Alexander Suvorov successfully defended his positions at Reichenbach, but contrary to his future rules did not pursue the retreating enemy, if the only surviving account of this action is accurate.

At the skirmish of Schweidnitz, in a third assault, Alexander Suvorov managed to take the hill occupied by the hussar picket; in this clash 60 Cossacks opposed 100 hussars.

Alexander Suvorov fought minor battles at Bunzelwitz, Birstein, Weisentine, Koltsch, and seized the small fortified town of Golnau.

Alexander Suvorov felled the dragoons, struck one of the battalions, killed many on the spot and took at least a hundred prisoners.

At Stargard, Alexander Suvorov attacked the rearguard of Platen, during which Alexander Suvorov cut into the enemy cavalry and infantry, during which it was reported that "many were taken and beaten from the enemy".

Alexander Suvorov took in a young boy, took care of him during the whole campaign, and on arrival at the quarters sent to the widow, the boy's mother, a letter reading:.

Alexander Suvorov next served in Poland during the Confederation of Bar.

Slightly earlier than at Tyniec Alexander Suvorov had won small victories over the Confederates at Rachow and Krasnik, capturing an entire wagon train in the first of these clashes.

Alexander Suvorov was praised and exalted, anecdotes were told about him, his letters were quoted.

Alexander Suvorov sent to his daughter poems, where he described his working life:.

Alexander Suvorov supposedly tried to stop the massacre and even went to the extent of ordering the destruction of the bridge to Warsaw over the Vistula River with the purpose of preventing the spread of violence to Warsaw from its suburb.

Alexander Suvorov sent a report to his sovereign consisting of only three words:.

Alexander Suvorov stayed at the outposts, wrapped himself in a cloak and went to bed not far from the Danube shore.

Alexander Suvorov had barely time to jump on his horse and gallop away.

Alexander Suvorov sent another report to the Commander-in-Chief Rumyantsev, consisting of couplets:.

Alexander Suvorov was involved in the costly siege of Ochakov.

Energetic and courageous as usual, Alexander Suvorov proposed to take the fortress by storm, but Potemkin was cautious.

However, when great damage was done to the Ottoman fortress plus fleet, "as if inviting" the besiegers to storm, Potemkin still continued the siege, which Rumyantsev wryly called the siege of Troy, and Alexander Suvorov described in couplet that he was:.

Alexander Suvorov earned the nickname "General Forward" in the ranks of the Austrian corps for the latter victory; the word combination came to his attention and gave him sincere pleasure, as he later recalled this martial assessment of his person, smugly grinning.

Catherine the Great, in turn, made Alexander Suvorov a count with the name Rymniksky as a victory title in addition to his own name, and the Emperor Joseph II made him a count of the Holy Roman Empire.

Alexander Suvorov spoke a little in council and nevertheless brought everyone into raptures, he enthralled the very people who a few days ago considered the same assault unrealisable.

Alexander Suvorov announced the capture of Ismail in 1791 to the Empress Catherine in a doggerel couplet.

From 1774 to 1797, Alexander Suvorov stayed and served in Russia itself, that is, in Transvolga or "Zavolzhye", in Astrakhan, Kremenchug, the Russian capital Saint Petersburg; in Crimea, or, more accurately, Little Tartary ; in the recently former Poland ; and in the Vyborg Governorate, on the border with Swedish Finland.

In 1774, Alexander Suvorov was dispatched to suppress Pugachev's Rebellion, whose leader Yemelyan Pugachev claimed to be the assassinated Tsar Peter III.

Alexander Suvorov, who was in Moldavia, immediately rushed out at full speed, met in Moscow with his wife and father.

However, Alexander Suvorov did not stop it, he assigned to his detachment 2 squadrons, 2 Cossack sotnias, using horses captured by Mikhelson put on horseback 300 infantrymen, seized 2 light guns, and after spending less than a day on it all, crossed the Volga.

Alexander Suvorov had very little bread; he ordered to kill, salt and bake on fire some of the taken cattle and use the slices of meat for people instead of bread, as he did in the last campaign of the Seven Years' War.

Alexander Suvorov arrived at the scene only in time to conduct the first interrogation of the rebel leader, but Alexander Suvorov missed the chance to defeat him in battle, who had been betrayed by his fellow Cossacks and was eventually beheaded in Moscow.

Alexander Suvorov explored the region, more than 30 fortifications were built, and the order of service at the cordon was changed.

Petrushevsky suggests that food itself cost very cheap, because Alexander Suvorov bought from the same Christians 50,000 quarters of bread, which, coming locally to the shops, cost half as much as delivered from Russia, what resulted in savings of 100,000 rubles.

Alexander Suvorov was entrusted with command over the troops in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Taurida Oblast and the territory newly annexed from Ottoman Turkey, with the responsibility to manage the fortification works there.

Against all the "evils" detected, Alexander Suvorov took immediate measures, akin to those of the previous ones, and watched their execution vigilantly.

Alexander Suvorov went willingly, "just to get rid of his inactivity"; the region was familiar to him, as 17 years ago he had already traveled around the Swedish border, and although the present task seemed more difficult, but with his usual energy and diligence, Alexander Suvorov completed it in less than 4 weeks.

Alexander Suvorov, besides building and repairing fortresses, had troops and a flotilla on his hands.

Alexander Suvorov was responsible for manning ships, for training people, for conducting naval exercises and maneuvers.

Alexander Suvorov was never a nominal chief; he endeavoured to familiarise himself, as much as possible, with marine speciality.

Alexander Suvorov lived in different places in Finland, depending on the need: in Vyborg, Kymmenegard, Ruotsinsalmi.

Alexander Suvorov remained a close confidant of Catherine, but he had a negative relationship with her son and heir apparent Paul.

Alexander Suvorov was strongly opposed to these uniforms and had fought hard for Catherine to get rid of similar uniforms that were used by Russians up until 1784.

Alexander Suvorov was not happy with Paul's reforms and disregarded his orders to train new soldiers in this Prussian manner, which he considered cruel and useless.

Paul was infuriated and dismissed Alexander Suvorov, exiling him to his estate Konchanskoye near Borovichi and kept under surveillance.

Alexander Suvorov was given command of the Austro-Russian army and sent to drive France's forces out of Italy.

However, in 1799, Alexander Suvorov erased practically all of the gains Napoleon had made for France in northern Italy during 1796 and 1797, defeating some of the republic's top generals: Moreau and Scherer at the Adda River, again Moreau at San Giuliano, MacDonald near the rivers of Tidone, Trebbia, Nure at the Trebbia battle, and Joubert along with Moreau at Novi; but the Russians lost the battle of Bassignana.

Alexander Suvorov captured Milan and Turin, as well as citadels of these cities, and became a hero to those who opposed the French Revolution.

At Cassano d'Adda, Alexander Suvorov allocated about 13,000 Austrians against approximately 3,000 French from the divisions of Paul Grenier and Claude-Victor, who had taken up strong defences behind the stream; but it was the combat of Vaprio that was decisive and pivotal.

Alexander Suvorov then rushed into a fighting pursuit, and at the Nure River, similar to Verderio, an entire Auvergne Regiment was captured after a short battle.

Nevertheless, during the Italian campaign of 1799 Alexander Suvorov's talent expressed itself fully and comprehensively.

True, "all these opponents were characterised by fanatical bravery, it was not easy for Alexander Suvorov to overcome them; the wars brought Alexander Suvorov practice, from which he took out extensive experience, his talent gradually developed and strengthened in this fight, the commander learned the essence, the spirit of war".

In 1799, Alexander Suvorov's enemies were troops purely regular, crowned with the glory of victories over the German armies, and were led by some of the best generals of the time, including Jean Victor Moreau, "a man in the prime of life", who was generally respected in the army, distinguished by his theoretical knowledge of the art of war and combat experience, affability and high intelligence.

The Russian army under General Korsakov was defeated by Andre Massena at Zurich, and Friedrich von Hotze's Austrian army was defeated by Jean-de-Dieu Soult at the Linth River before Alexander Suvorov could reach and unite with them all.

Alexander Suvorov's troops beat the French out of Hospental, followed by the so-called Teufelsbrucke, or "Devil's Bridge", located in the Schoellenen Gorge, and the Urnerloch rock tunnel.

Alexander Suvorov dictated the disposition: in the vanguard appointed to go Auffenberg, who came out on the 29th, and the next day the rest of the troops, except for Rosenberg's corps and Foerster's division, which remained in the rearguard and must hold the enemy coming out of Schwyz until all the packs had passed over the mountain Bragell.

Alexander Suvorov's speech was written down from the words of Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, made a huge impression on everyone who attended :.

Five or six times the village passed from hand to hand, and when last time it was occupied by the Russians, Bagration received orders from Alexander Suvorov to withdraw to Netstal, where at that time the rest of Derfelden's troops were already concentrated.

Alexander Suvorov ordered to hold on there at all costs, and the rearguard, suffering 500 to 700 casualties, routed the French by inflicting them between 2,700 and 4,000 losses in two days.

Alexander Suvorov hoped to make the way for his exhausted, ill-supplied troops over the Swiss passes to the Upper Rhine and arrive at Vorarlberg, where the army, much shattered after a lot of crossing and fighting, almost destitute of horses and artillery, went into winter quarters.

Alexander Suvorov refused to call it a retreat and commenced a trek through the deep snows of the Panixer Pass and into the 9,000-foot mountains of the Bundner Oberland, by then deep in snow.

Recently, beginning with his involuntary stay in the village of Konchanskoye, Alexander Suvorov often felt unwell; when he returned to duty, he seemed to have recovered, but by the end of the Italian campaign again began to grow weak.

Alexander Suvorov was officially promised a military triumph in Russia, but Emperor Paul cancelled the ceremony and recalled the Russian armies from Europe, including the Batavian Republic after the unsuccessful Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland; and ultimately the French would regain all of their conquered possessions on the Italian Peninsula.

Alexander Suvorov answered Nelson in the same way, and expressed his pleasure that their portraits certify the similarity existing between the originals, but in particular was proud of the fact that the two were alike in their way of thinking.

Alexander Suvorov received a warm welcome from his old associate, the Prince of Coburg.

The Grand Duke Constantine went to Coburg, through whom Alexander Suvorov conveyed a letter or bow to the Prince and via the same Grand Duke received a reply.

Alexander Suvorov replied to the Prince and said among other things that the entire reason for the failure lies in the differences of systems, and if the systems do not come together, there is no point in starting a new campaign.

Alexander Suvorov was meant to receive the funeral honors of a Generalissimo, but was buried as an ordinary field marshal due to Paul's direct interference.

Alexander Suvorov was one of the best-educated Russians of his time.

Alexander Suvorov was well versed in mathematics, history and geography; spoke German, French, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Arabic and Finnish; he had a thorough knowledge of philosophy, ancient and modern literature.

Alexander Suvorov had studied all the important military works from Plutarch down to his own contemporaries, mastered the science of fortification and had passed a naval qualifying examination.

Contrary to the belief that Alexander Suvorov was short, academic Vladimir Medinsky stated that Alexander Suvorov measured at 177 cm, taller than the average soldier.

However, Alexander Suvorov had no interest in pursuing politics and made his disdain for the court lifestyle and tendencies of aristocrats well known: he lacked diplomacy in his dispatches, and his sarcasm triggered enmity among some courtiers.

Alexander Suvorov joked with the men, calling common soldiers "brother" and shrewdly presented the results of detailed planning and careful strategy as the work of inspiration.

Alexander Suvorov is widely considered to be the single greatest and most talented military commander in all of Russian history, the most gifted commander of the eighteenth century, and one of the greatest generals in world history.

Alexander Suvorov has been described as the best general Republican France ever fought, and the best Coalition general when he was active.

Alexander Suvorov won despite being outnumbered in almost all of his battles, defeating many of the best commanders of the time period, those being Andre Massena, Etienne Macdonald, and Jean Victor Marie Moreau of France, and Koca Yusuf Pasha, Cenaze Hasan Pasha, and Aydoslu Mehmed Pasha of the Ottoman Empire.

Notably, Alexander Suvorov defeated the French Revolutionary Army multiple times, which was regarded as the best in the world, and Massena, arguably the best French Revolutionary general, who had superior forces in terms of experience, morale, and numbers.

Alexander Suvorov saw victory as dependent on the morale, training, and initiative of the front-line soldier.

Alexander Suvorov abandoned traditional drills, and communicated with his troops in clear and understandable ways.

Alexander Suvorov took great care of his army's supplies and living conditions, reducing cases of illness among his soldiers dramatically, and earning their loyalty and affection.

Alexander Suvorov severely punished, often with courts-martial, any officers who senselessly or cruelly drilled their troops or who failed to maintain his high sanitary and health standards.

Once a soldier or officer had been punished or reprimanded, Alexander Suvorov would do his utmost to rehabilitate him.

Alexander Suvorov "did not know retreat", he constantly acted offensively and in accordance with the situation was looking for a fight, not evaded it, but he did not overuse the battles, the fight always turned out to be appropriate, necessary in the operation, and moreover decisive; if he got the chance to confront his enemy, he used it with all the energy.

Alexander Suvorov's guiding principle was to detect the weakest point of an enemy and focus an attack upon that area.

Alexander Suvorov would send forth his units in small groups as they arrived on the battlefield to sustain momentum.

Alexander Suvorov used aimed fire instead of repeated barrages from line infantry and applied light infantrymen as skirmishers and sharpshooters.

Alexander Suvorov used a variety of army sizes and types of formations against different foes: squares against the Turks, lines against Poles, and columns against the French.

Alexander Suvorov believed that "a military man must know the languages of the nations with whom he is fighting," so he developed a fluent command of French, German, Greek, Ottoman Turkish, Italian, Polish and Latin, as well as some knowledge of Arabic, Finnish and Persian.

Alexander Suvorov rejected a suggestion that the Russian army rid itself of its musicians, saying,.

Alexander Suvorov is seen as having anticipated Napoleon's tactics, and is regarded as being on par with him in terms of military genius.

Alexander Suvorov kept up with events in Europe by subscribing to foreign newspapers and journals.

Alexander Suvorov had written to one of his nephews in 1796:.

Alexander Suvorov turned the Alps as if they did not exist; he has hidden their frightful rocks in his pocket, and tucked up his army up the right sleeve of his uniform.

Alexander Suvorov disregards the odds against him, he attacks the enemy wherever they are to be found, and he defeats them in detail.

Alexander Suvorov held Napoleon in high regard, despite not living to see the Napoleonic Wars.

Alexander Suvorov was famed for his military writings, the most well-known being The Science of Victory and Suzdal Regulations, and lesser-known works such as Rules for the Kuban and Crimean Corps, Rules for the Conduct of Military Actions in the Mountains, and Rules for the Medical Officers.

Alexander Suvorov taught his soldiers to attack instantly and decisively:.

The Alexander Suvorov Museum opened in Saint Petersburg in 1900 to commemorate the centenary of the general's death.

Alexander Suvorov was the Tsarist military figure most often referred to by Joseph Stalin, who received the rank of Generalissimo that Alexander Suvorov had previously held.

The Order of Alexander Suvorov was established by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 29 July 1942, and it is still awarded to senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations against superior enemy forces.

Russia's former defence minister Sergei Shoigu has proposed that Alexander Suvorov be made a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Alexander Suvorov is not related to communism, but his name was used by the Soviet Union for propaganda purposes.

In December 2022, another street in Kyiv that was still named after Alexander Suvorov was renamed to Serhiy Kotenko Street.

In Kherson the Suvorivskyi Raion, named after General Alexander Suvorov, was renamed to Tsentralnyi Raion in October 2023.

Poet Alexander Shishkov devoted an epitaph to Suvorov, while Gavrila Derzhavin mentioned him in Snigir and other poems, calling Suvorov "an Alexander by military prowess, a stoic by valor".

In 1795 poet and soldier Irinarkh Zavalishin, who had fought under the command of Alexander Suvorov, wrote a heroic poem titled "Suvoriada", celebrating Suvorov's victories.

Alexander Suvorov is one of the characters in the drama "Antonio Gamba, Companion of Alexander Suvorov in the Alpine Mountains" by Sergey Glinka which commemorates the Swiss expedition of 1799.