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Boris GolitsynRussian commander of the Napoleonic Wars, lieutenant general
Date of Birth: 06.01.1769
Country:  Japan |
Content:
- Boris Vladimirovich Golitsyn: A Life of Distinction
- A Talented and Multifaceted Personality
- Rise in the Ranks
- Service and Dismissal
- Return to Service in the Patriotic War
- Legacy and Remembrances
- Death and Burial
- Personal Life
Boris Vladimirovich Golitsyn: A Life of Distinction
Early Life and Military CareerBoris Vladimirovich Golitsyn, a renowned general in the era of the Napoleonic Wars, was born into the illustrious Golitsyn family of Moscow. He entered the elite Leib-Guard Semyonovsky Regiment in 1781 and pursued his military education at prestigious institutions in Strasbourg and Paris, where he excelled in foreign languages, military disciplines, and the arts.
A Talented and Multifaceted Personality
Golitsyn possessed an extraordinary range of talents. In his youth, he exhibited exceptional skills as a musician and dancer, earning him the nickname "Boris-Vestriz" in recognition of his dancing prowess. His literary works, including "Aurora" and "Diogenes and Glycerius," were published in 1788 while he was still a teenager. He was also known for his translations of the writings of Oliver Goldsmith and François de La Rochefoucauld.
Rise in the Ranks
Golitsyn's military career progressed rapidly. He fought with distinction against the Swedes in 1790 and the Poles in 1794. In 1796, he was promoted to colonel, and in 1798, he became a major general and commander of the St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment. In 1799, he was elevated to lieutenant general.
Service and Dismissal
Golitsyn participated in the 1805 campaign and was severely wounded at Austerlitz. After being honorably discharged in 1806, he was reinstated in 1801 and appointed commander of the Pavlovsky Grenadier Regiment. However, he was dismissed from his command in 1803 and assigned to the Smolensk Infantry Inspectorate.
Return to Service in the Patriotic War
With the outbreak of the Patriotic War in 1812, Golitsyn returned to active duty. He fought at Smolensk and Gedeonov and was severely wounded again at Borodino. Despite his injuries, he remained in service throughout the campaign.
Legacy and Remembrances
The Golitsyn family founded the literary society "Conversation of Lovers of the Russian Word," and hosted the first publicly accessible literature lectures in Russia. Golitsyn's literary contributions and his association with Gavriil Derzhavin left a lasting mark on Russian culture.
Death and Burial
Boris Vladimirovich Golitsyn passed away on January 6, 1813, in Vilnius from injuries sustained at Borodino. He was interred in the Church of the Transfiguration in Bolshie Vyazemy, Moscow Governorate. A century later, his tombstone was moved to the Golitsyn family vault in Moscow's Donskoy Monastery.
Personal Life
Despite his bachelorhood, Golitsyn fathered two daughters with a woman of Gypsy descent named Zelenskaya. His brother's wife, Princess Tatiana Vasilyevna Golitsyna, generously raised these girls, keeping their existence a secret from their strict grandmother, Princess N.P. Golitsyna.
