Few people know how Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov actually passed away. The Czech historian I. Fanel in his book “Gay History” states: the famous commander died of infraction at the moment when... one of his soldiers was giving him a blowjob.
Hated hairy men
Gaius Julius Caesar suffered terribly because he was bald. Therefore, he often tried not to expose his head, but wore different helmets and hats. He got excited from admiring his body, shaved his chest, legs, and pubis. Caesar was accustomed to all these perversions by his first man Nicomedis, the king from the country of Bitinia. Nineteen-year-old Caesar, already very bald, came to the palace to the forty-year-old king and gave him his body for three years for little money. Later, when Caesar had already become emperor, Senator Cicero often publicly criticized the head of state for his prostitute past. Literally: “Caesar made a springboard for a government career out of his ass!”
And Caesar, in revenge, spent enormous amounts of money from state budget for the purchase of young beautiful slaves. But own complexes made themselves felt, and in his entire life Caesar did not buy a single guy with a hairy chest.
Loved threesome
Russian Emperor Peter the Great already knew what anal sex was at the age of seventeen. His first homosexual partner was the Swiss Francois Lefort. The Tsar gave his lover the rank of admiral, and the same Lefort brought a street pie vendor to Peter. His name was Sashka Menshikov. The threesome lasted until 1699, when the elderly Lefort died, and twenty-seven-year-old Peter and his peer Alexander Danilovich Menshikov were left alone. Together they traveled all over Europe, together they organized bisexual orgies, together they decided government issues. The former pie seller became a marshal and a count.
Many books have been written about the Russian emperor, but only “Gay History” is the first to touch upon the legend that torments the souls of several generations of Russians. Is it true that Peter’s penis was almost a meter long? Not true. Actual dimensions: 28 cm long and 8 cm in diameter.
Slept with a Swedish baron
The second famous Russian pederast on the throne is Alexander the First. This is confirmed by the rich correspondence left by the king. Napoleon Bonaparte admitted to his entourage: “Alexander is the most handsome man who lives on earth. It's a shame that he's gay, because a lot of French women would like to try his body."
Alexander the First was friends with Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov himself. The famous commander slept with military men like him in his youth, in his middle years, and in his declining years. Few people know how Kutuzov actually died. From a heart attack. The commander's heart could not stand it at that moment when... the soldier gave him a blowjob. That’s how Mikhail Illarionovich died with his dick in the soldier’s mouth.
I was delighted with the black man
Even a baby in the maternity hospital knows that Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was interested in men. The love of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's life is the young landowner Vladimir Shilovsky. He financed the composer and toured Europe at his own expense. Shilovsky died very young, suffering from consumption. In his letters to his brother, P.I. Tchaikovsky wrote: “I remember Volodya all the time, I dream about him every night.”
At the age of 37, the composer got married. I thought that by doing so I could forget about my homosexual past and switch to women. I couldn't. Tchaikovsky suffered so much from unbearable life with his unloved wife, that he decided to commit suicide. At night he entered the Neva, stood in the water for several hours, he really wanted to catch a cold and die. Doctors saved the composer, his wife did not give a divorce, but took a lover. The composer's only outlet is Leshka Sofronov. He came to Tchaikovsky's house at the age of fourteen, and soon began to perform the duties of not only a servant... It was Sofronov who buried Tchaikovsky, and the composer bequeathed part of his property to him.
After Shilovsky's death, Tchaikovsky changed lovers like gloves. When traveling to Europe, he went to gay clubs, and once in Paris he slept with a black man. The composer shared his impressions of this contact with his brother Modest in a letter.
We met at the hostel
If the name of Tchaikovsky in the list of world famous homosexuals does not surprise anyone, then the truth about Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky is shocking. A pederast who drank heavily and unrequitedly loved the artist V.A. Hartmann. When Mussorgsky was evicted from his apartment for non-payment, he moved in with his friend Paul Naumov and there he tried to seduce his minor son Sergei. One of the few people with whom Mussorgsky found both spiritual and physical harmony was his neighbor in the hostel in his youth. The neighbor's name was Rimsky-Korsakov. This is not a namesake, but the same author of the famous “Snow Maiden”.
Before the king's nose
Sergei Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky. The first is the son of a general, the famous impresario, founder of the Russian Ballet group, organizer of the world tour of Fyodor Chaliapin. The second is a ballet dancer. Vaslav Nijinsky is a scandalous personality. He loved to strip naked in front of an audience. After he waved his penis from the stage into the hall where Nicholas II was sitting, Nijinsky was banned from performing at the Mariinsky Theater. For this reason, in 1891 he left Russia forever. Following him, Diaghilev created the “Russian Ballet” specifically for his lover.
Nijinsky also exposed himself in Paris. After one of the scandals, the sculptor Auguste Rodin stood up for the artist and, on his word of honor, achieved the abolition of Nijinsky’s criminal punishment. The ambitious artist thanked the master at night in his house..
Exactly two hundred years ago, on April 28, 1813, in the Prussian city of Bunzlau (now the Polish Boleslawiec), Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov passed away. He was sixty-seven years old. There is no doubt that this death will remain unforgettable in the history of Russia. After all, he left this world on the crest of world fame: the name of Kutuzov in those days was repeated daily not only in Russia, but also in France, England, Germany...
In front of the saint's tomb
I stand with my head bowed...
Everything is sleeping all around; some lamps
In the darkness of the temple they gild
Pillars of granite masses
And their banners are hanging in a row.
This ruler sleeps under them,
This idol of the northern squads,
The venerable guardian of the sovereign country,
Suppressor of all her enemies,
This rest of the glorious flock
Catherine's Eagles.
Delight lives in your coffin!
He gives us a Russian voice;
He keeps telling us about that time,
When folk faith voice
Called to your holy gray hair:
“Go and save!” You stood up and saved...
Listen today to our faithful voice,
Rise up and save the king and us,
O terrible old man! For a moment
Appear at the door of the grave,
Appear, breathe in delight and zeal
To the shelves left by you!
Appear to your hand
Show us the leaders in the crowd,
Who is your heir, your chosen one!
But the temple is immersed in silence,
And the silence of your grave
Undisturbed, eternal sleep...
A.S. Pushkin
Pushkin here, as always, showed himself to be a wise historian, prone to pathetic analytics.
He paid tribute to Kutuzov, a mysterious hero, largely misunderstood.
The wounded field marshal greeted the year 1813 with the laurels of the savior of the Fatherland. He himself, perhaps, did not expect such a resounding success and overwork affected his weakened health. He failed to defeat Bonaparte in a general battle, but the old commander managed to outwit the dangerous enemy. The expulsion of the French from the borders of the Fatherland cost Russia dearly: behind the backs of the army, plundered and desecrated Moscow was smoking. It was Kutuzov who made the decision to give up Moscow without a general battle - for this he was considered both a sage and a traitor.
“Smart, smart! Cunning, cunning! Even De Ribas won’t deceive him!” – Suvorov used to say about Kutuzov.
Under Izmail, Kutuzov showed himself to be a brave and strong-willed general. By order of Suvorov, he went to his death without hesitation - and survived, becoming “the right hand of the commander on the left flank.” Suvorov said: “Military virtues are: for a soldier - courage, for an officer - courage, for a general - valor.” Kutuzov, so unlike his teacher, went through all these stages with honor. He, the commander, was reproached for indecisiveness. At the head of the army, he acted not as a grunt, but rather as a diplomat and a prudent manager. Kutuzov rejected the offensive tactics inherent in the Russian army not only in the confrontation with Napoleon, who was widely considered invincible. But in December 1812, Kutuzov gained a convincing advantage over the skeptics: Grand Army, which invaded Russia, disappeared. Napoleon fled. Russian troops pursued the expelled, retreating enemy. Kutuzov did not want to rush headlong into a new campaign, although he realized that Napoleon would have to be finished off. He intended to do this with the serious participation of the Germans and the British, who loved (and who among politicians does not love this?) to rake in the heat with the wrong hands. Kutuzov used to say about Britain a long time ago: “If this island goes to the bottom tomorrow, I won’t even groan.” He did not consider himself a citizen of the world; he fervently served the interests of Russia, which he invariably understood in his own way.
In addition, Kutuzov understood better than anyone that the army needed a break. He never forgot about the health of soldiers and the daily bread for the army, and these problems were acute in the campaigns of 1812–13.
In previous years, he narrowly escaped death several times. But in Prussian Silesia, in last trip, he was overtaken by a cold after a long ride.
Kutuzov hurried to Dresden, the capital of Saxony. I was in a hurry - against my custom, to do everything leisurely. Impatiently, he transferred from the carriage to a dashing horse and rode off on horseback. The wet spring showed its treachery...
He could not continue the campaign and remained in Bunzlau. The best doctors sent by the King of Prussia and the All-Russian Emperor fussed over the Prince of Smolensk. He looked at their efforts with a bitter smile. In Germany, Kutuzov was treated enthusiastically. It is not for nothing that a portrait of a Russian field marshal with a bandage on his face can be seen in the Weimar Goethe Museum: Kutuzov was seen as a liberator. His propaganda messages to German patriots really stirred up many. Now Germany respectfully empathized with the terminally ill commander. Kutuzov lay in bed for ten days.
In a letter to his wife dated April 11, the field marshal wrote: “I am writing to you, my friend, for the first time with someone else’s hand, which will surprise you, and maybe you will be frightened, - an illness of such a kind that in right hand the sensitivity of the fingers has been lost... Forgive me, my friend.” His wife really was his friend, trust and understanding accompanied them family life. He expressed his most frank thoughts in letters to his wife - a rare case both in those times and in ours.
Alexander I, who never trusted the old commander, nevertheless visited the hopelessly ill Kutuzov. The following legend has been preserved: bending over his bed, the king asked:
– Mikhail Illarionovich, will you forgive me?
Raising his heavy, inflamed eyelids, Kutuzov said quietly:
- I forgive you, sir, but Russia is unlikely to forgive...
What is the point of this dialogue? Kutuzov's comrades believed that their interlocutors recalled that the tsar more than once put pressure on the field marshal and forced him to make wrong decisions. First of all, they remembered Austerlitz. However, a legend is a legend.
“The sunset of his days was beautiful, like the sunset of a luminary that illuminated a magnificent day during its course; but it was impossible to watch without particular sorrow how our famous leader was fading away, when, during his illnesses, the deliverer of Russia gave me orders, lying in bed, in such a weak voice that it was hardly possible to hear his words. However, his memory was very fresh, and he repeatedly dictated several pages to me non-stop,” recalled the field marshal’s adjutant, the remarkable military writer A.I. Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky.
On April 16, 1813, the great commander’s heart stopped.
The army was not immediately informed about Kutuzov’s illness and death. They were afraid that the bitter news would weaken the troops on a difficult campaign.
They mourned him sincerely. In the soldier’s song, composed for the death of Kutuzov, it is said about the setting sun: “How did our father, Kutuzov the Prince, leave us, the little soldiers!.. The Russian, Christian army burst into tears, wept tears! How can we not cry, not writhe, we don’t have a father, we don’t have Kutuzov!” I remembered all the best things associated with Kutuzov: “And how he bowed to the little soldiers, how he showed his gray hair, we, the little soldiers, all shouted hurray with one voice! God is with us! and we go on a hike, happily.” This is how the soldiers recalled Kutuzov’s appearance in front of the army in Tsarevoye-Zaimishche, near the Old Smolensk road.
The authors of the song spoke quite realistically about the difficulties of the campaign: “Oh, the winter didn’t chill us and the lack of bread didn’t make us miserable: we just thought about how to drive the villains out of our native lands.”
Here’s a mystery: Kutuzov was accused of inactivity and not without reason. But now he was gone - and the place of commander, by and large, remained vacant. Kutuzov was respected even if he was hated.
The man whom Catherine herself called “my general” has passed away. The old sly man, whom Bonaparte called the gray fox of the North, was gone. He was not so much a commander (although Kutuzov’s experience remained irreplaceable in tactical matters) as a symbol of the army. And no one was able to replace Kutuzov.
He was never an undisputed authority among the generals, and he has an ever-difficult reputation. There is too much controversial and ambiguous in both Kutuzov’s habits and actions. Still, no leader equal to him was found. The great thing is experience and reputation.
In the city where the great Russian commander died, an obelisk was erected with the inscription: “Prince Kutuzov-Smolensky brought the victorious Russian troops to this place, but here death put a limit glory days his. He saved his Fatherland and opened the way to the deliverance of Europe. May the memory of the hero be blessed."
The commander's body was immediately embalmed to be sent to Russia. Some of the remains were buried in a quiet cemetery, two kilometers from Bunzlau. There is a legend that Kutuzov’s heart rests there. This is wrong. Indeed, according to the commander’s will, the heart was placed in a special flask. But she followed to St. Petersburg along with the coffin. There is also such a legend: the doctor, an Orthodox man, refused to separate the heart from the corpse - and cheated, left the heart in place, and put something else in the flask. The tradition of burying the heart separately is pagan and popular among Masons. This is how Byron was buried. There is nothing romantic in this, in my opinion – it’s a whim, and that’s all.
One often hears again and again: Kutuzov quite consciously asked to bury his heart in Prussia: “Let my ashes be taken to my homeland, and my heart buried here, along the Saxon road, so that my soldiers, the sons of Russia, know that my heart remains with them.”
The legend was verified in the 1930s, during the reign of Kirov in Leningrad. The Kutuzov crypt in the Kazan Cathedral was opened. In the center of the crypt stood a sarcophagus. They moved the slab and saw the ashes of the commander. By that time, Kutuzov’s body had already completely decayed. And at the head on the left there was an ancient silver vessel cylindrical. Mystery!
With great skill I managed to unscrew the lid. The container was filled with some kind of transparent liquid, in which, as witnesses to the experiment claim, a well-preserved heart could be seen. It is buried in Russia! Alas, the soldiers of the Red Army, Rokossovsky’s fighters who liberated Boleslawiec, did not know about this. They were inspired by the legend about Kutuzov’s heart, buried in Silesia. Poems and songs were composed about this, and the words carved on the monument speak of the heart buried here.
Among foreign plains, leading to the feat of the right
The stern formation of their regiments,
You are an immortal monument to Russian glory
Built on my own heart.
But the commander’s heart did not stop,
And in a terrible hour it calls for battle,
It lives and fights bravely
In the sons of the Fatherland, saved by you!
And now, following the battle trail
Your banners flying in the smoke,
Banners of your own victory
We are reaching out to your heart! –
These words are our memory of both Kutuzov and the heroes of 1945. Forgivable, bright delusion. However, the question of the burial of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov is fraught with many mysteries - is it worth stirring up the remains again and again?
Prussia is Prussia, and in Russian Empire The funeral of the savior of the Fatherland was loud. When the funeral cortege arrived on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, it was met by an excited crowd of citizens. Residents of the capital unharnessed six horses and, on their own hump, rolled the carriage with the field marshal’s coffin from the Narva Gate to the Kazan Cathedral. The newly rebuilt cathedral became a symbol of resistance to Napoleon, a symbol of victory in the War of 1812. It is symbolic that they said goodbye to Kutuzov there and buried him there...
The farewell of St. Petersburg residents to Kutuzov’s ashes lasted two days. He was buried on June 13, 1813 at western wall northern aisle of the cathedral. A bronze fence was erected over the grave, created according to the design of A. Voronikhin, and an icon of Smolensk was installed Mother of God and the coat of arms of the Most Serene Prince of Smolensk was strengthened. Nearby there are 5 standards and one banner, which have survived to this day. Later, a painting by the artist Alekseev “The Miracle of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow” was installed over the grave. It depicts an event from Russian history military glory- liberation of Moscow by the militia under the leadership of Minin and Prince Pozharsky in October 1612 with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Kutuzov also prayed in front of this icon in 1812, and he often remembered Pozharsky. After all, the two saviors of Russia had a common ancestor - Vasily Beklemishev.
Alexander I, having softened after the death of the old man, in a letter to the wife of Mikhail Illarionovich wrote about the commander: “A painful loss not only for you, but for the entire fatherland! ...his name and deeds will remain immortal. A grateful fatherland will never forget his merits. Europe and the whole world will not cease to be amazed at him, and will include his name among the the most famous commanders. A monument will be erected in his honor, at which the Russian, looking at his sculptured image, will be proud, and the foreigner will respect the land that gives birth to only great men.”
The memory of Kutuzov was surrounded by respect, although it is believed that the emperor still treated the commander rather coldly and did not contribute to his national glory. And he deserves fame - a soldier who did not bow to bullets, a successful commander, a witty interlocutor, a bright political thinker. Undoubtedly one of wise people of its time.
In memory of Odysseus of the Russian army, o wise politician and today the trumpets of war are crying for the fearless officer.
And the campaign of 1813 continued, the most dangerous tests awaited the army.
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov is one of the most famous commanders in the history of Russia. It was this field marshal general who commanded Russian army during Patriotic War 1812. It is believed that Kutuzov's wisdom and cunning helped defeat Napoleon.
The future hero was born into the family of the lieutenant general in 1745. Already at the age of 14, Kutuzov ended up in the Artillery engineering school for noble children. In 1762, the young officer became commander of the Astrakhan company infantry regiment, commanded by Suvorov himself.
The formation of Kutuzov as a military leader occurred during Russian-Turkish wars. In Crimea, it is believed that he received the famous wound that cost him his eye. Before the War of 1812, Kutuzov managed to fight with Napoleon in Europe, including at Austerlitz. At the beginning of the Patriotic War, the general became the head of the St. Petersburg and then the Moscow militia.
But due to failures at the front, Alexander I was forced to appoint the authoritative Kutuzov as commander-in-chief of the Russian army. This decision caused a patriotic upsurge. Kutuzov died in 1813 in Prussia, when the fate of the war had already been decided. The vivid image of the commander gave rise to many legends, traditions and even anecdotes. But not everything we know about Kutuzov is true. We will debunk the most popular myths about him.
In alliance with the Austrians, against their background, Kutuzov showed himself to be a talented commander. Domestic historians they write that while fighting together with the Austrians against Napoleon, Kutuzov showed all his best qualities. But for some reason he constantly retreated. After another retreat, covered by the forces of Bagration, Kutuzov reunited with the Austrians. The Allies outnumbered Napoleon, but the Battle of Austerlitz was lost. And again, historians blame the mediocre Austrians and Tsar Alexander I for this, who intervened in the battle. This is how a myth is created that tries to protect Kutuzov. However, French and Austrian historians believe that it was he who commanded the Russian army. Kutuzov is blamed for choosing an unsuccessful deployment of troops and being unprepared for defense. As a result of the battle, an army of one hundred thousand people was completely defeated. The Russians lost 15 thousand killed, while the French only 2 thousand. From this side, Kutuzov’s resignation does not look like a result palace intrigues, and the result of the lack of high-profile victories.
Kutuzov’s biography included many glorious victories. In fact, there was only one independent victory. But even this was questioned. Moreover, Kutuzov was even punished for it. In 1811, his army surrounded the Turks near Ruschuk along with their commander, Ahmet Bey. However, at the same time, the commander circled for days and weeks, retreated and waited for reinforcements. The victory was forced. Domestic historians believe that Kutuzov did everything prudently and wisely. But contemporaries themselves saw many mistakes in the activities of the Russian commander in that long confrontation. There was no quick decisive victory in Suvorov's style.
Kutuzov came up with tactics for avoiding head-on collisions with Napoleon. The Scythian plan, which provided for avoiding head-on collisions with Napoleon, was invented by Barclay de Tolly back in 1807. The general believed that the French themselves would leave Russia with the onset of winter and a shortage of provisions. However, the plan was thwarted by the appointment of Kutuzov to the post. The Tsar was convinced that the head of the army should be a Russian patriot who would stop the French. Kutuzov promised to give Napoleon a general battle, which was precisely what should not have been done. Barclay de Tolly believed that it was possible to leave Moscow, going further east and wait out the winter. The actions of the partisans and the French blockade in the city will speed up their withdrawal. However, Kutuzov believed that the battle was necessary to prevent Napoleon from entering Moscow. With the loss of the city, the commander saw defeat in the entire war. IN Soviet films shows a conflict with Barclay de Tolly, who, being non-Russian, did not understand what leaving Moscow meant. In fact, Kutuzov was forced to retreat after the battle of Borodino, losing 44 thousand killed. And in Moscow he left another 15 thousand wounded. Instead of a competent retreat, Kutuzov chose to give battle for the sake of his image, losing half of his army. Here we already had to follow the Scythian plan. But soon the commander again could not restrain himself and got involved in the battle of Maloyaroslavets. The Russian army never captured the city, and the losses were twice as high as the French.
Kutuzov was one-eyed. Kutuzov received a head wound during the siege of Ochakov in August 1788. For a long time this made it possible to preserve vision. And only 17 years later, during the campaign of 1805, Kutuzov began to notice that his right eye was beginning to close. In his letters to his wife in 1799-1800, Mikhail Illarionovich said that he was healthy, but his eyes hurt from frequent letters and work.
Kutuzov went blind after being wounded near Alushta. Kutuzov received his first serious injury in 1774 near Alushta. The Turks landed there with troops, who were met by a Russian detachment of three thousand. Kutuzov commanded the grenadiers of the Moscow Legion. During the battle, a bullet pierced the left temple and exited near the right eye. But Kutuzov retained his sight. But Crimean guides tell gullible tourists that it was here that Kutuzov lost his eye. And there are several such places near Alushta.
Kutuzov is a brilliant commander. Kutuzov’s talent in this regard should not be exaggerated. On the one hand, he can be compared in this regard with Saltykov or Barclay de Tolly. But Kutuzov was far from Rumyantsev and even more so from Suvorov. He showed himself only in battles with weak Turkey, and his victories were not loud. And Suvorov himself saw in Kutuzov more of a military manager than a commander. He managed to prove himself on diplomatic field. In 1812, Kutuzov held negotiations with the Turks, which ended with the signing of the Bucharest Peace. Some people think that this is supreme example diplomatic art. True, there are opinions that the conditions were unfavorable for Russia, and Kutuzov hurried, fearing his replacement by Admiral Chichagov.
Kutuzov was a prominent military theorist. In the 17th century in Russia there were such theoretical works on military art, such as “Rite of Service” and “Thoughts” by Rumyantsev, “The Science of Victory” and “Regimental Establishment” by Suvorov. Kutuzov’s only military theoretical work was created by him in 1786 and was called “Notes on the infantry service in general and on the huntsman service in particular.” The information there contains is relevant for that time, but of little significance in terms of theory. Even Barclay de Tolly's documents were much more significant. Soviet historians they tried to identify Kutuzov’s military-theoretical heritage, but could not find anything intelligible. The idea of saving reserves cannot be considered revolutionary, especially since the commander himself at Borodino did not follow his own advice.
Kutuzov wanted to see the army smart. Suvorov also said that every soldier must understand his maneuver. But Kutuzov believed that subordinates should blindly obey their commanders: “It is not the one who is truly brave who rushes arbitrarily into danger, but the one who obeys.” In this regard, the general’s position was closer to Tsar Alexander I than the opinion of Barclay de Tolly. He suggested reducing the severity of discipline so that it would not extinguish patriotism.
By 1812, Kutuzov was the best and most authoritative Russian general. At that moment, he victoriously and on time ended the war with Turkey. But Kutuzov had nothing to do with the preparations for the War of 1812 or its beginning. If he had not been appointed commander-in-chief, he would have remained in the history of the country as one of the many first-rank generals, not even field marshals. Immediately after the expulsion of the French from Russia, Kutuzov himself told Ermolov that he would spit in the face of someone who two or three years ago would have predicted the glory of Napoleon’s victory for him. Ermolov himself emphasized Kutuzov’s lack of talents that would justify his accidental celebrity.
Kutuzov was famous during his lifetime. The commander managed to taste his lifetime glory only in the last six months of his life. Kutuzov's first biographers began to exalt him as the savior of the fatherland, hushing up the unfavorable facts of his career. In 1813, five books appeared at once about the life of the commander; he was called the greatest, Perun of the North. The Battle of Borodino was described as a complete victory that put the French to flight. A new campaign to glorify Kutuzov began on the tenth anniversary of his death. Yes and in Soviet time with Stalin's approval, the cult of the commander who expelled the enemy from the country began to form.
Kutuzov wore an eye patch. This is the most famous myth about the commander. In fact, he never wore any bandages. There was no evidence of such an accessory from contemporaries, and even on lifetime portraits Kutuzov was depicted without bandages. Yes, it was not needed, because vision was not lost. And that same bandage appeared in 1943 in the film “Kutuzov”. The viewer had to be shown that even after a serious injury one can remain in service and defend the Motherland. This was followed by the film “The Hussar Ballad”, which established mass consciousness image of a field marshal with an eye patch.
Kutuzov was lazy and weak-willed. Some historians and journalists, considering Kutuzov’s personality, openly call him lazy. It is believed that the commander was indecisive, never inspected the camp sites of his troops, and signed only part of the documents. There are memoirs of contemporaries who saw Kutuzov openly dozing during meetings. But the army at that moment did not need a decisive lion. Reasonable, calm and slow, Kutuzov could slowly wait for the collapse of the conqueror, without rushing into battle with him. Napoleon needed a decisive battle, after victory in which conditions could be dictated. So it’s worth focusing not on Kutuzov’s apathy and laziness, but on his caution and cunning.
Kutuzov was a Freemason. It is known that in 1776 Kutuzov joined the “To the Three Keys” lodge. But then, under Catherine, it was a craze. Kutuzov became a member of lodges in Frankfurt and Berlin. And here further activities military leader, as a Freemason, remains a mystery. Some believe that with the ban on Freemasonry in Russia, Kutuzov left the organization. Others, on the contrary, call him almost the most important Freemason in Russia in those years. Kutuzov is accused of having saved himself at Austerlitz and repaid his fellow Freemason Napoleon with salvation at Maloyaroslavets and Berezina. In any case, the mysterious organization of freemasons knows how to keep its secrets. It seems we will not know how influential Kutuzov the Mason was.
Kutuzov's heart is buried in Prussia. There is a legend that Kutuzov asked to take his ashes to his homeland and bury his heart near the Saxon road. The Russian soldiers had to know that the military leader remained with them. The myth was debunked in 1930. The Kutuzov crypt was opened in the Kazan Cathedral. The body had decayed, and a silver vessel was found near the head. In it, in a transparent liquid, Kutuzov’s heart turned out to be.
Kutuzov was a clever courtier. Suvorov said that where he bowed once, Kutuzov would do it ten. On the one hand, Kutuzov was one of the few favorites of Catherine left at the court of Paul I. But the general himself did not consider him the legitimate heir, which he wrote to his wife about. And relations with Alexander I were cool, as well as with his entourage. In 1802, Kutuzov generally fell into disgrace and was sent to his estate.
Kutuzov participated in a conspiracy against Paul I. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov really attended the last dinner of Emperor Paul I. Perhaps this happened thanks to his daughter-in-waiting. But the general did not participate in the conspiracy. The confusion arose because among the organizers of the murder was a namesake, P. Kutuzov.
Kutuzov was a pedophile. Critics of the commander accuse him of using the services of young girls during the war. On the one hand, there is indeed a lot of evidence that Kutuzov was entertained by 13-14 year old girls. But how immoral was this for that time? Then noblewomen got married at the age of 16, and peasant women generally got married at 11-12. The same Ermolov cohabited with several women Caucasian nationality, having legitimate children from them. And Rumyantsev took with him five young mistresses. TO military leadership talents It definitely has nothing to do with it.
When Kutuzov was appointed to the post of commander-in-chief, he had to face serious competition. At that time, five people applied for this post: Emperor Alexander I himself, Kutuzov, Bennigsen, Barclay de Tolly and Bagration. The last two fell away due to irreconcilable hostility with each other. The emperor was afraid to take responsibility, and Bennigsen fell away due to his origin. In addition, Kutuzov was nominated by influential nobles of Moscow and St. Petersburg; the army wanted to see its own, Russian man in this post. The selection of the commander-in-chief was carried out by an Emergency Committee of 6 people. It was unanimously decided to appoint Kutuzov to this post.
Kutuzov was Catherine's favorite. Almost all the years of the reign of the Empress Kutuzov spent either on the battlefields, or in the nearby wilderness, or abroad. He practically never appeared at court, so he could not have become Catherine’s pleaser or favorite, no matter how much he wanted. In 1793, Kutuzov asked for a salary not from the empress, but from Zubov. This suggests that the general had no closeness to Catherine. She valued him for his merits, but nothing more. Under Catherine, Kutuzov received his ranks and orders for his deeds, and not thanks to intrigues and someone else's patronage.
Kutuzov was against it foreign trip Russian army. This legend is replicated by many historians. It is believed that Kutuzov did not consider it necessary to save Europe and help England. Russia is saved, but the army is exhausted. According to Kutuzov new war would be dangerous, and it’s not a fact that the Germans will rise up against Napoleon. Allegedly, the commander called on Emperor Alexander to fulfill his vow and lay down his arms. Documentary evidence no to this, as well as to Kutuzov’s dying words that Russia will not forgive the Tsar. This meant the continuation of the war. Rather, Kutuzov did not oppose the foreign campaign, but was simply against a lightning rush to the West. He, being true to himself, wanted a slow and careful advance towards Paris. In Kutuzov’s correspondence there is no trace of a fundamental objection to such a campaign, but operational issues of the further conduct of the war are discussed. Anyway strategic decision was hosted by Alexander I himself. The experienced courtier Kutuzov simply could not openly speak out against it.
The name of Field Marshal M.I. Kutuzov is widely known not only in Russia, but also outside the country. Having started your military career at the age of 19, he was devoted to the Fatherland until the end of his days, defeating the enemy on the battlefield more than once.
Back in 1786, Mikhail Illarionovich created instructions for battalion commanders, where he outlined in detail the basics of infantry and ranger services. All military theory Kutuzov actively used it in action, which allowed him to defeat Napoleon’s indestructible army.
The publication includes a treatise on infantry and ranger service - a brilliant example of a commander’s work, as well as the most striking excerpt from the book by F.M. Sinelnikov “Life, military and political deeds of His Grace Field Marshal General, Prince M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky", dedicated to war 1812 and subsequent events.
Causes of illness and death of Prince Kutuzov
Causes of illness and death of Prince Kutuzov
The predeterminations of the Heavenly destinies are incomprehensible, the lot that They assign for a person follows him steadily; no power on earth can avoid it or prevent it. It is common for a person to be born and die, as for all mortal creations of God’s hands, but each person is born the same, and dies in the most varied ways. Although His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky was already advanced in years, his presence of mind, strength of body, ability to endure labor and constant cheerfulness never left him. In continuation of the whole last campaign, during which he endured extraordinary labors, he began to feel severe pain in his stomach. While saving his dear fatherland, he forgot himself; he always seemed in best condition health. Perhaps the All-Good Heaven, implored by the Russians, observed the days of the life of this great man at a time when he was most useful to the Fatherland!
But when he accomplished in an unprecedented manner the great work of saving Russia and then, surrounded by the radiance of loud glory, stepped beyond its borders, then the inscrutable destinies of God cut off the thread of his glorious life. The Emperor, parting with his field marshal and going to Dresden, wished him a speedy recovery and arrival to His Majesty. The Hero of Smolensk, religiously fulfilling the will of his beloved monarch, was then in Dresden: but before reaching the city of Bunzlau, several miles from the Saxon border, he got out of the carriage in order to ride on horseback. At that time the weather was foggy and damp, snow and rain fell alternately, and the Most Serene Prince, riding on horseback, as was his usual custom, in only his uniform, felt a painful chill, got back into the carriage and, on the 5th of April, arrived in Bunzlau for lunch , stayed in a small but rather neat house of a retired Prussian major. All day that day he was very boring and did not eat anything. The next day, April 6, at Palm Sunday things got even worse with him, and he took medication: thus, on the third day he felt better, and was about to set off again, but the doctor who was using him persuaded him to postpone the trip for some more time.
On the fourth day, things got even worse for him again: he felt extreme weakness throughout his whole body, and therefore was forced to lie down. In vain did the most famous Russian doctors and the famous physician Hufeland, sent from the King of Prussia throughout Europe, exhaust all their art to restore the health of this great hero, in vain they forbade him to speak, so that the phlegm that had entered his chest would settle; every day things got worse with him, the weakness of all his nerves reached such an extent that with great difficulty he could sign papers, and finally he was unable to do even that.
The Prussian physician Hufeland, foreseeing perhaps the inevitable death of the elderly leader, went back. Upon his departure, his Serene Highness stopped taking medications, turning them off when they told him that Hufeland was asking him to do so; His Serene Highness Prince asked about this life physician good opinion and great confidence in him. But no benefits were already valid; Prince Kutuzov fulfilled the duty of a Christian: he confessed and partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. After an eleven-day illness, on April 16, on the fourth day of Holy Easter, on Wednesday at half past nine o'clock in the afternoon, the greatest of the heroes of our time, the savior of the Fatherland, the liberator of half of Europe, Prince Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky, at the age of 68, died amid victories and glory. this temporary to eternal life.
On the night of April 15-16, 1813 in the small Saxon town of Bunzlau ( modern name Boleslavets) the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Field Marshal General Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, died. Emperor Alexander I received news of the death of M.I. Kutuzov on April 18, while in Fruburg, where his headquarters was located. Alexander I, fearing that the news of Kutuzov’s death might affect the combat effectiveness of the troops, ordered that it not be made public immediately. And for two more days orders were given to the troops on behalf of the deceased commander-in-chief.
M.I. Kutuzov died at the age of sixty-eight. His life was bright and full of events. He served Russia not only on the battlefields. M.I. Kutuzov was ambassador to Turkey, 
governed cities and regions, led military educational institution. But his most important thing is serving in the army. He devoted almost his entire life to military service, having completed long haul from ensign to field marshal general, participated in many campaigns and battles. Covered with his name significant victories Russian army.
M.I. Kutuzov was seriously wounded in the head twice. Doctors considered both of his wounds fatal, but he survived, surprising the doctors. He managed to survive after severe wounds, but was unable to cope with an occasional cold.
How amazing his recovery was after fatal wounds, and the story of his burial turned out to be surprising. M.I. Kutuzov is buried in two graves. There is a legend about these graves. It tells that before his death, the commander asked to transfer and bury his body in Russia, and to bury his heart where it stopped, so that the Russian soldiers would know “that in my heart I remain with them.” And the heart, according to legend, was buried three miles from the city where he died, near the road.
A legend arose in connection with the amazing circumstances of the death and funeral of M.I. Kutuzov.
At the beginning of April, M.I. Kutuzov decided to ride on horseback instead of a carriage. He moved from the carriage to the saddle as he was, in only his uniform. But there was light rain and snow, Mikhail Illarionovich got wet and returned to the carriage. At first, Kutuzov did not take his cold very seriously; he and Alexander I hurried to Dresden, but then the doctors managed to convince him of the need to get treatment and stay for a while in Bunzlau.
At first, the patient's condition seemed to improve, but then his condition suffered a sharp deterioration. Perennial military service, difficult hiking conditions, seriously injured undermined Kutuzov's health. Since the winter of 1813, he began to suffer from stomach pain, and sometimes he was even forced to work while lying in bed. Kutuzov tried not to pay attention to the manifestations of the disease and continue to lead the army. At the beginning of his illness, Kutuzov still tried to work, but the disease defeated him.
After Kutuzov's death, doctors performed an autopsy on the body. According to a contemporary, the insides were so mixed up that doctors were surprised how a person could live in such a state. Kutuzov's heart turned out to be of amazing size.
M.I. Kutuzov died when all of Russia considered him the “savior of the fatherland.” And even his ill-wishers, the first of whom was Emperor Alexander I, must take this into account. Alexander I had to order the field marshal's body to be sent to St. Petersburg and buried with honors.
The body of the deceased was prepared for long journey. The body was embalmed and placed in 
lead box, and then, together with the embalmed heart, enclosed in a silver vessel, placed in a wooden coffin. The entrails were buried in a lead coffin on a hill three miles from Bunzlau. This is how Kutuzov’s first grave appeared. The coffin with the field marshal's body went to St. Petersburg on a funeral wagon.
The funeral cart took almost a month to reach St. Petersburg. Along the way, the people greeted the ashes of the great commander with honor. The troops saluted him with volleys of weapons, formed triumphal arches.
On May 24, the coffin with the body of M.I. Kutuzov arrived at the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage, not far from St. Petersburg, and remained there until preparations for the funeral were completed in St. Petersburg.
The emperor ordered Kutuzov to be buried in the Kazan Cathedral, where the keys to occupied fortresses and cities and trophy badges were kept military valor, obtained in battles. It was from the Kazan Cathedral that eleven months ago Kutuzov went to war.
On June 11, 1813, the coffin, taken out of the Trinity-Sergius Church, was placed on a funeral chariot drawn by six horses. The procession was led by a detachment of cavalry. The orderlies led the field marshal's three riding horses in front of the carriage, covered with black blankets with coats of arms embroidered on them. Following them were the coats of arms of Kutuzov - noble, count and 
princely Behind them were carried orders and awards of the commander, a field marshal's baton and a sword. Behind the coffin were Kutuzov's relatives and friends, representatives of the nobility and merchants. Singers and clergy walked next to the chariot. The procession was followed by troops: infantry, cavalry, artillery with guns. The funeral procession was completed by an equestrian detachment.
The weather that day was cold and rainy, but crowds of people stood along the entire route of the funeral cortege. People stood on the roofs, in the windows of every house the procession passed by.
The horses were unharnessed from the funeral chariot, and people pulled it towards the Kazan Cathedral. In the cathedral, according to the design of the architect A.N. Voronikhin, a hearse was built, overshadowed by captured banners and standards. At the corners of the hearse, lamps were installed from cannon barrels placed vertically with candles burning on them.
Access to the field marshal's body was open for three days. And all these days the flow of people who came to say goodbye to the great commander did not dry up.
Kutuzov's funeral took place on June 13. At the moment when the coffin with the commander’s body was lowered into the grave, the troops lined up on Nevsky Prospekt fired a three-time gun salute.
This funeral demonstrated the nation's love for the great commander.
The field marshal's grave is located in the northern limit of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Above it there is an inscription: “Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky. Born in 1745, died in 1813 in the city of Bunzlau."
In the city of Bunzlau, a monument was erected at the burial site internal organs Kutuzov with the inscription: “Prince Kutuzov-Smolensky passed from this life to better world April 16, 1813"