The Presidential Library’s materials illustrate Suvorov as legendary generalissimo

November 24, 2018 marks 288 years (according to other sources - 289 years) since the birth of the outstanding Russian commander, national hero, founder of the national military theory of Count Rymniksky and Prince of Italy of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, to whom a special collection of the Presidential Library is dedicated.

His tactics and truly amazing personality are still being studied. Suvorov’s contemporaries are not only in our country, but throughout the world — often saw him as their only salvation. The great British admiral Nelson dreamed himself to look like the Russian generalissimo outwardly: “I am showered with awards, but today I won the greatest award: I was told that I looked like Suvorov ...”

The future commander was born in 1730 (or 1729) in the family of the general-in-chief, the godson of Peter I, Vasily Ivanovich Suvorov. It was he who started teaching his son. This is described in detail in the rare book of E. D. Zhelyabuzhsky "Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov" (1873), which is available on the Presidential Library’s portal: "Under his leadership, having good abilities and a willingness to learn, Sasha soon thoroughly studied French and German, Polish and Italian languages, studied mathematics, geography, history; together they read Plutarch, Cornelius Nepos and other excellent works of Greek and Roman writers”.

It is important to note that Vasily Ivanovich did not want for Alexander, who had not been in good health since childhood, a military career, he dreamed that his son would become a prominent official. However, the aspirations of his father did not come true. Here is what Russian military leader A.V. Gerua writes in his book “Suvorov-Soldier” (1900): “Vasily Ivanovich, a military man only in uniform, and his son, besides not strong health, did not intend to military service. But the tendency towards it was expressed by the boy in the most vivid way. He devoted his free time to reading the books of military content that he had by chance under his hand; having thrown the books, he mounted his horse, often rode in bad weather without any definite goal, and the tired boy, wet by the rain, pierced by the wind, was returning home. All these oddities and irregularities of his character, along with the seriousness beyond his years, amazed close people”.

Indeed, it was outlined by fate for Suvorov to be a military man. Vasily Ivanovich had to get used to the choice of his son.

In 1742, Alexander Suvorov began the long-awaited military service. He was enlisted as a musketeer in the Semenov regiment. Very soon, he was noticed by Catherine the Great, who, as you know, had the gift to instantly divine talent in a person. The well-known Russian writer and physician V. A. Lunin writes about how the future legendary commander appeared before the empress in his book “Count Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, the famous Russian hero” (1900), which is available in the electronic collections of the Presidential Library: “Suvorov was short, lean and somewhat stooped; the face had an oblong, blue eyes, expressing a great mind, kindness and firmness of character. The perceptive Empress Catherine II turned her royal attention to him and was not mistaken, since Suvorov was, one might say, an adornment of a long and glorious reign, instilling a high respect for the Russian arms to the enemies of Russia”.

Suvorov, a nobleman by birth, was able to quickly become an officer and easily get a position in the army command. Alexander Vasilyevich himself chose a different way than was strikingly different from his peers. He decided to conscientiously complete the service from the very beginning, that is, to experience the hard part of the then soldier. “It was necessary to go to the guard, and Suvorov walked with joy, even if it was in the bitter cold or inclement weather; there was a teaching, and Suvorov stood quietly, along with other soldiers; he cleaned his ammunition himself, although he had the means to hire him, as his comrades did. Suvorov liked activities, but, on the contrary, was looking for them, wanting to perfectly know the soldiers' service”, - says the publication “Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov”.

This practice has played a huge role in Suvorov’s life. Later, having become an officer, he earned the sincere respect of his subordinates who were ready to do everything for his commander. As for the imperial court, in the opinion of Alexander Vasilyevich himself, he deserved its location due to his non-standard behavior. The truth is: who else at ceremonial receptions will behave like a clown - without fear to tell the truth to anyone who wants or does not want to hear it, putting their words in subtle satire? “The tsars praised me, the soldiers loved me, I was surprised, the enemies scolded me, the courtiers laughed at me. Being in the courtyards of Esop, the fables told me the truth, was Balakirev for the good of the fatherland and sang by the rooster, awakening the drowsy; and if I were born Caesar, I would have been proud, like he, but would have kept him from his vices”, - quotes commander E. D. Zhelyabuzhsky.  

For the first time during the military operations, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov proved himself during the Seven Years War in July 1759 near the town of Landsberg (modern Gorzów-Wielkopolski), then owned by Prussia. A small detachment of Cossacks under the command of Suvorov crossed the river and suddenly found himself in front of the city gates. In numbers, the garrison was several times superior to the forces entrusted to Alexander Vasilyevich, which could not but alarm the soldiers. However, no one, except Suvorov, could instantly raise the morale of his subordinates and, of course, thereby bring them to victory. This episode is described in detail in a unique publication for schools of the Ministry of National Education "Prince of Italica Count Suvorov Rymniksky" (1873), which can be found on the Presidential Library’s portal: "One of the Cossacks, noting that the city is occupied by Prussian hussars, announced that Suvorov.

“God, have mercy on how good it is”, - he answered, “because we are looking for them!”
“Maybe there are a lot of them”, - remarked someone from the squad.
- All the better! After all, we do not count them, we beat them”, - answered Suvorov”.

Such cases led to sharp career ups of Alexander Vasilyevich. After the Seven Years' War, he became a colonel, then a brigadier. He commanded the Astrakhan, Suzdal, Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod regiments.

Suvorov applied the qualities of a brilliant strategist and commander during the pacification of the so-called Bar Confederation in Poland, which set as its goal the overthrow of the tsar and the aggravation of relations with Russia. Here is the assessment of the actions of Alexander Vasilyevich given in the publication "Prince of Italica Count Suvorov Rymniksky": "Suvorov destroyed the Bar Confederation, and he alone had all the honor and glory of our successful actions in Poland, the consequence of which was the annexation of its ancient heritage of Belarus to Russia". In the midst of this campaign, Catherine II granted the military leader with the Order of St. George - the highest military award - and the rank of major general for the unparalleled valor.

In the course of the Russian-Turkish Wars (1768–1774 and 1787–1791), Suvorov became a real star in the military horizon: the Russian soldier was always ready to die for him, and the enemy experienced almost primal fear in front of him. One of those battles - at Kinburn (1774) - is described in the aforementioned book of Zhelyabuzhsky "Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov". Then the brave commander was nearly killed and fought in the front ranks of his troops. The incredible power of this man was not broken. The author quotes a letter that Suvorov wrote to his young daughter after the fight: “My friend Natasha! We had a fight stronger than the one when you are fighting each other's ears. And how we danced: there was a hole in the side of the canister, there was a hole from the bullet, and the horse's face was torn off under me. That was a comedy..."

During another glorious battle of Rymnik - Suvorov was already awarded international glory. Then the Russian troops under his command came to the aid of the allied Austrian army and took the battle with the hundred-thousandth army of the Turkish Yusuf Pasha. The battle lasted 12 hours and ended with the defeat of the Turks.

The year 1790 was marked by yet another feat of arms of Alexander Suvorov - the capture of the fortified by the last word, which was considered to be the impregnable fortress of Ishmael. “Everyone started talking about the capture of Ishmael, and the poet Derzhavin sang him in his ode. The capture of Ishmael put Suvorov above all his contemporaries. Europe looked at this Russian great man with envy and surprise, and the Russians were in awe of him”, - says the publication Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.

The crown of military glory of Suvorov fell on the reign of the new Russian emperor Paul I. Under him, Russia joined the anti-French coalition. A united Russian-Austrian army was created to march into Northern Italy, captured by Napoleon's troops. The Austrian emperor insisted on the Allied forces be led by Alexander Vasilyevich, who was already in his old years and retired to live on his estate. But the battlefield again called him, and he could not resist this call. “The heart of the old man of the hero has triumphed! Having taken the allied army under his command, Suvorov won ten battles, captured 25 fortresses and eighty thousand French. Foreign kings and emperors showered him with awards. Suvorov's chest could not put on him the orders granted to him. Emperor Paul I ordered to pay tribute to Suvorov, like himself”, - writes V. A. Lunin in the book “Count Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, the famous Russian hero”.

A long series of great victories by Suvorov was replenished with feats on the mountain heights of Switzerland. In November 1799 he was awarded the highest military rank - Generalissimo.

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov died on May 18, 1800 and was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg. He devoted most of his life to military affairs. He participated in seven wars, held 60 battles. He formulated a new tactic of actions of the Russian army: “eye, speed, onslaught”. He did not know defeat. Repeatedly, Suvorov was attracted to resolve domestic political conflicts in Russia and abroad. In particular, he led the suppression of the riot of Emelyan Pugachev (1774) and the Polish uprising (1794).

Commemorating Suvorov, the streets in many Russian cities are named after him, famous Suvorov schools bear his name, and monuments were erected. The monument in St. Petersburg of the sculptor M. I. Kozlovsky is particularly notable - the decision to install it for the first time in the history of Russia was made during the life of the famous generalissimo.