Factions and In-fighting among Russian Generals in the 1812 Era

Abstract

The chapter studies the relationships and the balance of power within the Russian high command in the 1812 era. It sheds light on the professional, social and ethnic backgrounds of Russian generals, as well as on the factions they formed at key moments in the war of 1812–1814. The importance of this subject is clear. The army was the institution which in 1812 defended Russia against a major threat to its existence as a great power and a truly sovereign polity. But the army was also crucial as a domestic political factor. Both of Alexander I’s male predecessors on the throne had been overthrown in military coups. Given the highly charged national feeling in the face of Napoleon’s invasion, managing the army was a key element in both the foreign and domestic policy of Alexander. The chapter is divided into two sections. Firstly, it investigates the structure and membership of the Russian high command. Secondly, it looks at the conflicts that occurred within the high command in 1812–1814 but with particular reference to 1812.