Great commanders in world history. The greatest commander of all time

All their contemporaries knew their names, and their armies were a terrible scourge for any opponents. Whether they were heroes of antiquity and the Middle Ages or commanders of the Great Patriotic War, every outstanding military leader left a noticeable mark on the history of mankind. The biographies of the best of them are fascinating stories about the talent and heroism of those who chose the army as their life's calling.

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC) is the greatest commander of antiquity. He was revered by all the military leaders of subsequent centuries from Genghis Khan to Napoleon. At the age of twenty, Alexander became king of the small state of Macedonia, located in northern Greece. As a child, he received a Hellenic education and upbringing. His teacher was the famous philosopher and thinker Aristotle.

The heir's father, Tsar Philip II, taught him the art of war. Alexander first appeared on the battlefield at the age of sixteen, and he won his first independent victory at the head of the Macedonian cavalry in 338 BC. e. at the Battle of Chaeronea against the Thebans. In that war, Philip II sought to conquer key Greek cities. Having conquered Athens and Thebes with his son, he began to plan a campaign in Persia, but was killed by the conspirators.

Alexander continued his father’s work and increased his successes. He made the Macedonian army the most well-equipped and trained in the entire ancient world. The Macedonians were armed with spears, bows and slings; their army included heavily armed cavalry, siege and throwing engines.

In 334 BC. e. the greatest commander of his time began a campaign in Asia Minor. In the first serious battle on the Granik River, he defeated the Persian governors of the satraps. The king, then and later, invariably fought in the thick of the army. Having conquered Asia Minor, he moved to Syria. Near the city of Issa, Alexander's army clashed with the army of the Persian king Darius III. Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, the Macedonians defeated the enemy.

Later, Alexander annexed all of Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt and Persia to his empire. On a campaign to the east, he reached India itself and only then turned back. The Macedonian made Babylon the capital of his empire. He died in this city at the age of 33, struck down by an unknown disease. In a fever, the king did not appoint a legitimate successor. Within just a few years of his death, Alexander's empire was divided among his many companions.

Hannibal

Another famous military leader of antiquity is Hannibal (247 - 183 BC). He was a citizen of Carthage, a city in modern Tunisia, around which a large Mediterranean state had developed at that time. Hannibal's father Hamilcar was a nobleman and military man who commanded troops on the island of Sicily.

In the 3rd century. BC e. Carthage fought with the Roman Republic for leadership in the region. Hannibal was to become a key figure in this conflict. At the age of 22, he became a cavalry commander in the Iberian Peninsula. A little later, he led all the troops of Carthage in Spain.

Wanting to defeat Rome, the greatest commander of antiquity decided on an unexpected daring maneuver. Previous wars between rival states took place in border areas or on isolated islands. Now Hannibal himself invaded exclusively Roman Italy. To do this, his army needed to cross the difficult Alps. A natural barrier protected the republic every time. In Rome, no one expected an enemy invasion from the north. That is why the legionnaires did not believe their eyes when in 218 BC. e. The Carthaginians did the impossible and overcame the mountains. Moreover, they brought with them African elephants, which became their main psychological weapon against the Europeans.

The greatest commander Hannibal waged a successful war with Rome for fifteen years, while being far from his own homeland. He was an outstanding tactician and knew how to make the most of the forces and resources given to him. Hannibal also had diplomatic talent. He enlisted the support of numerous tribes who were also in conflict with Rome. The Gauls became his allies. Hannibal won several victories over the Romans at once, and in the battle on the Ticinus River he defeated his main opponent, commander Scipio.

The main triumph of the hero of Carthage was the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC. e. During the Italian campaign, Hannibal marched through almost the entire Apennine Peninsula. His victories, however, did not break the republic. Carthage stopped sending reinforcements, and the Romans themselves invaded Africa. In 202 BC. e. Hannibal returned to his homeland, but was defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama. Carthage asked for a humiliating peace, although the commander himself did not want to stop the war. His own fellow citizens turned their backs on him. Hannibal had to become an outcast. For some time he was sheltered by the Syrian king Antiochus III. In Thebonia, fleeing from Roman agents, Hannibal took poison and of his own free will said goodbye to life.

Charlemagne

In the Middle Ages, all the great commanders of the world sought to revive the once fallen Roman Empire. Every Christian monarch dreamed of restoring a centralized state that would unite all of Europe. The king of the Franks, Charlemagne (742 - 814) from the Carolingian dynasty, succeeded most in implementing this idea.

It was possible to build a new Roman Empire only through force of arms. Karl fought with almost all his neighbors. The first to submit to him were the Lombards who inhabited Italy. In 774, the ruler of the Franks invaded their country, captured the capital of Pavia and captured King Desiderius (his former father-in-law). After annexing Northern Italy, Charlemagne went with the sword against the Bavarians, Saxons in Germany, Avars in Central Europe, Arabs in Spain and neighboring Slavs.

The Frankish king explained the wars against numerous tribes of various ethnic groups as a struggle against the pagans. The names of the great commanders of the Middle Ages were often associated with the defense of the Christian faith. We can say that Charlemagne was the pioneer in this matter. In 800 he arrived in Rome, where the Pope proclaimed him emperor. The monarch made the city of Aachen (in the west of modern Germany) his capital. Throughout the subsequent Middle Ages and Modern times, the great commanders of the world tried to at least somehow resemble Charlemagne.

The Christian state created by the Franks was called the Holy Roman Empire (as a sign of the continuity of the ancient empire). As in the case of Alexander the Great, this power did not long outlive its founder. Charles's grandchildren divided the empire into three parts, which eventually formed modern France, Germany and Italy.

Saladin

In the Middle Ages, not only Christian civilization could boast of talented commanders. An outstanding military leader was the Muslim Saladin (1138 - 1193). He was born several decades after the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem and founded several kingdoms and principalities in formerly Arab Palestine.

Saladin vowed to cleanse the lands taken from Muslims from infidels. In 1164, he, being the right hand of Nur-zh-din, liberated Egypt from the crusaders. Ten years later he carried out a coup d'état. Saladin founded the Ayubit dynasty and proclaimed himself Sultan of Egypt.

What great commanders did not fight against internal enemies no less furiously than against internal ones? Having proven his leadership in the Muslim world, Saladin came into direct conflict with Christians in the Holy Land. In 1187, his army of twenty thousand men invaded Palestine, which was completely surrounded by the Sultan's dominions. Almost half of the army consisted of horse archers, who became the most effective combat unit in the fight against the crusaders (the arrows of their long-range bows pierced even heavy steel armor).

The biography of great commanders is often the biography of reformers of military art. Saladin was just such a leader. Although he always had many people at his disposal, he achieved success not by numbers, but by his intelligence and organizational skills.

On July 4, 1187, Muslims defeated the Crusaders near Lake Tiberias. In Europe, this defeat went down in history as the Massacre of Hatta. The master of the Templars, the king of Jerusalem, was captured by Saladin, and in September Jerusalem itself fell. In the Old World, the Third Crusade was organized against the Sultan. It was led by the King of England, Richard the Lionheart. A new stream of knights and ordinary volunteers poured into the east.

The decisive battle between the armies of the Egyptian Sultan and the English monarch took place near Arsuf on September 7, 1191. The Muslims lost many people and were forced to retreat. Saladin concluded a truce with Richard, giving the crusaders a small coastal strip of land, but retaining Jerusalem. After the war, the commander returned to the Syrian capital Damascus, where he fell ill with a fever and died.

Genghis Khan

The real name of Genghis Khan (1155 - 1227) is Temujin. He was the son of one of the many Mongol princes. His father was killed during a civil war when his son was only nine years old. The child was taken prisoner and a wooden collar was put on him. Temujin fled, returned to his native tribe and grew into a fearless warrior.

Even 100 great commanders of the Middle Ages or any other era could not create such a great power as this steppe dweller built. First, Temujin defeated all the neighboring hostile Mongol hordes and united them into one terrifying force. In 1206, he was proclaimed Genghis Khan - that is, the Great Khan or King of Kings.

For the last twenty years of his life, the ruler of the nomads waged wars with China and the neighboring Central Asian khanates. Genghis Khan's army was built according to the decimal principle: it consisted of tens, hundreds, thousands and tumens (10 thousand). The most severe discipline prevailed in the steppe army. For any violation of generally accepted rules, a warrior would face severe punishment. With such orders, the Mongols became the embodiment of horror for all the sedentary peoples they met along the way.

In China, the steppe people mastered siege weapons. They destroyed the cities that resisted to the ground. Thousands of people fell into slavery. Genghis Khan was the personification of war - it became the only meaning in the life of the king and his people. Temujin and his descendants created an empire from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Alexander Nevskiy

Even the great Russian commanders did not become church saints. Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky (1220 - 1261) was canonized and during his lifetime acquired a genuine aura of exclusivity. He belonged to the Rurik dynasty and became the prince of Novgorod as a child.

Nevsky was born in fragmented Rus'. She had many problems, but they all faded before the threat of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Batu's steppe inhabitants swept through many principalities with fire and sword, but fortunately did not touch Novgorod, which was too far to the north for their cavalry.

Nevertheless, Alexander Nevsky faced many trials even without the Mongols. In the west, the Novgorod land was adjacent to Sweden and the Baltic states, which belonged to the German military orders. After Batu’s invasion, the Europeans decided that they could easily defeat Alexander Yaroslavovich. The seizure of Russian lands in the Old World was considered a fight against infidels, since the Russian Church did not submit to Catholic Rome, but depended on Orthodox Constantinople.

The Swedes were the first to organize a crusade against Novgorod. The royal army crossed the Baltic Sea and in 1240 landed at the mouth of the Neva. The local Izhorians have long paid tribute to Mr. Veliky Novgorod. The news of the appearance of the Swedish flotilla did not frighten the seasoned warrior Nevsky. He quickly gathered an army and, without waiting for the blow, went to the Neva. On June 15, the twenty-year-old prince, at the head of a loyal squad, struck the enemy camp. Alexander wounded one of the Swedish jarls in a personal duel. The Scandinavians could not withstand the onslaught and hastily returned to their homeland. It was then that Alexander received the nickname Nevsky.

Meanwhile, the German crusaders were preparing their attack on Novgorod. On April 5, 1242, they were defeated by Nevsky on the frozen Lake Peipus. The battle was dubbed the Battle of the Ice. In 1252, Alexander Yaroslavovich became Prince of Vladimir. Having protected the country from Western invaders, he had to minimize damage from the more dangerous Mongols. The armed struggle against the nomads was still ahead. The restoration of Rus' took too long for one human life. Nevsky died while returning to his homeland from the Horde, where he was conducting regular negotiations with the Golden Horde Khan. He was canonized in 1547.

Alexey Suvorov

All the military leaders of the last two centuries, including the great commanders of the war of 1941 - 1945. bowed and bowed before the figure of Alexander Suvorov (1730 - 1800). He was born into the family of a senator. Suvorov's baptism of fire took place during the Seven Years' War.

Under Catherine II, Suvorov became a key commander of the Russian army. The wars with Turkey brought him the greatest glory. In the second half of the 18th century, the Russian Empire annexed the Black Sea lands. Alexander Suvorov was the main creator of that success. All of Europe repeated his name after the siege of Ochakov (1788) and the capture of Izmail (1790) - operations that had no equal in the history of the then military art.

Under Paul I, Count Suvorov led the Italian campaign against the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte. He won all the battles in the Alps. There were no defeats at all in Suvorov’s life. Shortly. The military leader died surrounded by the international fame of an invincible strategist. According to his will, despite numerous titles and ranks, the laconic phrase “Here lies Suvorov” was left on the commander’s grave.

Napoleon Bonaparte

At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. all of Europe plunged into international war. It began with the Great French Revolution. The old monarchical regimes tried to stop this plague of love of freedom. It was at this time that the young military Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821) became famous.

The future national hero began his service in the artillery. He was a Corsican, but despite his deep provincial origins, he quickly advanced through the ranks thanks to his abilities and courage. After the revolution in France, power changed regularly. Bonaparte joined the political struggle. In 1799, as a result of the coup of the 18th Brumaire, he became the first consul of the republic. Five years later, Napoleon was proclaimed French Emperor.

During numerous campaigns, Bonaparte not only defended the sovereignty of his country, but also conquered neighboring states. He completely subjugated Germany, Italy and the numerous other monarchies of continental Europe. Napoleon had his own brilliant commanders. The Great War could not be avoided with Russia either. In the campaign of 1812, Bonaparte occupied Moscow, but this success did not give him anything.

After the Russian campaign, a crisis began in Napoleon's empire. In the end, the anti-Bonapartist coalition forced the commander to abdicate power. In 1814 he was sent into exile on the Mediterranean island of Elba. The ambitious Napoleon escaped from there and returned to France. After another “Hundred Days” and defeat at Waterloo, the commander was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena (this time in the Atlantic Ocean). There, under the guard of the British, he died.

Alexey Brusilov

The history of Russia has developed in such a way that the great Russian commanders of the First World War were consigned to oblivion after the establishment of Soviet power. Nevertheless, among the people who led the tsarist army in battles against the Germans and Austrians there were many outstanding specialists. One of them is Alexey Brusilov (1853 - 1926).

The cavalry general was a hereditary military man. His first war was the Russian-Turkish War of 1877 - 1878. Brusilov took part in it on the Caucasian front. With the outbreak of the First World War, he found himself on the Southwestern Front. A group of troops commanded by the general defeated the Austrian units and pushed them back to Lemberg (Lvov). The Brusilovites became famous for the capture of Galich and Ternopil.

In 1915, the general led the battles in the Carpathians. He successfully repulsed Austrian attacks and launched counter-offensives. It was Brusilov who took the powerful fortress of Przemysl. However, his successes were reduced to zero due to a breakthrough of the front in a sector for which other generals were responsible.

The war became positional. Month after month dragged on, and victory did not come closer to either side. In 1916, the headquarters, which included Emperor Nicholas II, decided to launch a new general offensive. The most triumphant episode of this operation was the Brusilovsky breakthrough. During the period from May to September, the general's army took control of all of Bukovina and Eastern Galicia. Several decades later, outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War tried to repeat Brusilov’s success. His victories were brilliant, but useless due to the actions of the authorities.

Konstantin Rokossovsky

Many dozens of talented military leaders became famous on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. After the victory over Germany, the great Soviet commanders were awarded the titles of Marshals of the Soviet Union. One of them was Konstantin Rokossovsky (1896 - 1968). He began serving in the army at the very beginning of the First World War, from which he graduated as a junior non-commissioned officer.

Almost all commanders of the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945. Due to their age, they were hardened on the fronts of the imperialist and Civil wars. Rokossovsky in this sense was no different from his colleagues. During civilian life, he commanded a division, a squadron and, finally, a regiment, for which he received two Orders of the Red Banner.

Like some other outstanding commanders of the Great Patriotic War (including Zhukov), Rokossovsky did not have a specialized military education. He rose to the top of the army ladder in the turmoil of battles and many years of fighting thanks to his determination, leadership qualities and the ability to make the right decisions in a critical situation.

Due to Stalin's repressions, Rokossovsky was briefly imprisoned. He was released in 1940 at the request of Zhukov. There is no doubt that the commanders of the Great Patriotic War were always in a vulnerable position.

After the German attack on the Soviet Union, Rokossovsky began to command first the 4th and then the 16th Army. It was regularly moved from place to place depending on operational tasks. In 1942, Rokossovsky was at the head of the Bryansk and Don fronts. When a turning point occurred and the Red Army began to advance, Konstantin Konstantinovich ended up in Belarus.

Rokossovsky reached all the way to Germany. He could have liberated Berlin, but Stalin put Zhukov in charge of this final operation. Great commanders 1941 - 1945 were rewarded in different ways for saving the country. Marshal Rokossovsky was the only one to take part in the climactic Victory Parade a few weeks after the defeat of Germany. He was Polish by origin and with the advent of peace in 1949 - 1956. also served as Minister of Defense of socialist Poland. Rokossovsky is a unique military leader; he was the marshal of two countries at once (USSR and Poland).

Wars march shoulder to shoulder with the civilization of mankind. And wars, as we know, give rise to great warriors. Great commanders can decide the course of a war with their victories. Today we will talk about such commanders. So we present to your attention the 10 greatest commanders of all times.

1 Alexander the Great

We gave the first place among the greatest commanders to Alexander the Great. Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of the military art of Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.

2 Great Mongol Khan

In 1206, on the Onon River, the leaders of the nomadic tribes proclaimed the mighty Mongol warrior the great khan of all Mongol tribes. And his name is Genghis Khan. The shamans predicted Genghis Khan power over the whole world, and he did not disappoint. Having become the great Mongol emperor, he founded one of the greatest empires and united the scattered Mongol tribes. The Shah's state and some Russian principalities conquered China, all of Central Asia, as well as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, Baghdad, Khorezm.

3 "Timur is lame"

He received the nickname “Timur the lame” for a physical disability that he received during skirmishes with the khans, but despite this he became famous as a Central Asian conqueror who played a fairly significant role in the history of Central, South and Western Asia, as well as the Caucasus, Volga region and Rus'. Founded the Timurid empire and dynasty, with its capital in Samarkand. He had no equal in saber and archery skills. However, after his death, the territory under his control, which stretched from Samarkand to the Volga, very quickly disintegrated.

4 "Father of Strategy"

Hannibal is the greatest military strategist of the Ancient world, a Carthaginian commander. This is the "Father of Strategy". He hated Rome and everything connected with it, and was a sworn enemy of the Roman Republic. He fought the well-known Punic Wars with the Romans. He successfully used the tactics of enveloping enemy troops from the flanks, followed by encirclement. Standing at the head of a 46,000-strong army, which included 37 war elephants, he crossed the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

National Hero of Russia

Suvorov can safely be called a national hero of Russia, a great Russian commander, because he did not suffer a single defeat in his entire military career, which included more than 60 battles. He is the founder of Russian military art, a military thinker who had no equal. Participant in the Russian-Turkish wars, Italian and Swiss campaigns.

6 Brilliant commander

Napoleon Bonaparte French emperor in 1804-1815, a great commander and statesman. It was Napoleon who laid the foundations of the modern French state. While still a lieutenant, he began his military career. And from the very beginning, participating in wars, he was able to establish himself as an intelligent and fearless commander. Having taken the place of the emperor, he unleashed the Napoleonic Wars, but he failed to conquer the whole world. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and spent the rest of his life on the island of St. Helena.

Saladin (Salah ad-Din)

Expelled the Crusaders

Great talented Muslim commander and outstanding organizer, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. Translated from Arabic, Salah ad-Din means “Defender of the Faith.” He received this honorary nickname for his fight against the crusaders. He led the fight against the crusaders. Saladin's troops captured Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ascalon and Jerusalem. Thanks to Saladin, Muslim lands were liberated from foreign troops and foreign faith.

8 Emperor of the Roman Empire

A special place among the rulers of the Ancient World is occupied by the well-known ancient Roman statesman and political figure, dictator, commander, and writer Gaius Julius Caesar. Conqueror of Gaul, Germany, Britain. He has outstanding abilities as a military tactician and strategist, as well as a great orator who managed to influence the people by promising them gladiatorial games and spectacles. The most powerful figure of his time. But this did not stop a small group of conspirators from killing the great commander. This caused civil wars to break out again, leading to the decline of the Roman Empire.

9 Nevsky

Grand Duke, wise statesman, famous commander. He is called the fearless knight. Alexander devoted his entire life to defending his homeland. Together with his small squad, he defeated the Swedes at the Battle of the Neva in 1240. That's why he got his nickname. He recaptured his hometowns from the Livonian Order at the Battle of the Ice, which took place on Lake Peipsi, thereby stopping the ruthless Catholic expansion in Russian lands coming from the West.

Let's remember interesting stories from the lives of Chapaev, Budyonny, Frunze, Shchors and Kotovsky.
Semyon Budyonny was born on April 25, 1883. Songs and legends were written about the main cavalryman of the Land of the Soviets; cities and towns were named after him. In the memory of many generations, the commander of the Cavalry remained a people's hero. One of the first Soviet marshals, three times Hero of the Soviet Union, lived to be 90 years old.
Vasily Chapaev
1. In February 1887, Vasily Chapaev was born in the village of Budaika, Cheboksary district, Kazan province. At his baptism he was registered as Gavrilov. He inherited the nickname “Chapai”, or rather “Chepai”, from his father, and he inherited it from his grandfather Stepan, who worked as a senior in an artel of loaders and constantly urged the workers on by shouting: “Chepai, chapai!” The word meant “chain,” that is, “take.” The nickname “Chapai” remained with Stepan Gavrilovich. The descendants were given the nickname “Chapaevs”, which later became the official surname.

Vasily Chapaev on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Vasily Chapaev was almost the first of the Red commanders to switch to a car. It was technology that was the real weakness of the division commander. At first he liked the American Stever, then this car seemed shaky to him. They sent a bright red, luxurious Packard to replace it. However, this vehicle was not suitable for combat in the steppe. Therefore, under Chapaev, two Fords were always on duty, easily squeezing out up to 70 versts per hour off-road.

When his subordinates did not go on duty, the commander raged: “Comrade Khvesin! I will complain about you to the Central Election Commission! You give me an order and demand that I carry it out, but I cannot walk along the entire front, it is impossible for me to ride a horse. I demand that one motorcycle with a sidecar, two cars, and four trucks for transporting supplies be immediately sent for the division and for the cause of the revolution!”

Vasily Ivanovich selected the drivers personally. One of them, Nikolai Ivanov, was almost forcibly taken from Chapaev to Moscow and made the personal driver of Lenin’s sister, Anna Ulyanova-Elizarova.
Vasily Ivanovich inherited the nickname “Chapai”, or rather “Chepai”, from his grandfather.

3. Chapaev did not learn to read and write, but tried to get a higher military education. It is known what Vasily Ivanovich displayed in his application form for applicants to the accelerated course of the Academy of the General Staff, filled out by him personally. Question: “Are you an active member of the party? What was your activity? Answer: “I belong.” Formed seven regiments of the Red Army." Question: “What awards do you have?” Answer: “Georgievsky Knight of four degrees. The watch was also presented.” Question: “What general education did you receive?” Answer: “Self-taught.” And finally, the most interesting thing is the conclusion of the certification commission: “Enroll as having revolutionary combat experience. Almost illiterate."

Semyon Budyonny
1. The legendary marshal managed to start a family only on his third attempt. The first wife, a front-line friend Nadezhda, accidentally shot herself with a pistol. About his second wife, Olga Stefanovna, Budyonny himself wrote this to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office: “In the first months of 1937... J.V. Stalin, in a conversation with me, said that, as he knows from Yezhov’s information, my wife is Budennaya-Mikhailova Olga Stefanovna behaves indecently and thereby compromises me and that, he emphasized, this is not beneficial for us in any way, we will not allow this to anyone...” Olga ended up in the camps... The marshal’s third wife was the cousin of the second. She was 34 years younger than Semyon Mikhailovich, but Budyonny fell in love like a boy. “Hello, my dear mommy! “I received your letter and remembered September 20, which connected us for life,” he wrote from the front to Maria. - It seems to me that you and I grew up together since childhood. I love you infinitely and will love you until the end of my last heartbeat. You are my most beloved creature, you who brought happiness to our dear children... Hello to you, my dear, I kiss you warmly, your Semyon.”
“This, Semyon, is not your mustache, but the people’s...” Frunze said to Budyonny when he decided to shave it off.

2. There is a legend that during the battles for the Crimea, when Budyonny checked the captured cartridges - whether they were smokeless or not - he brought a cigarette to them. The gunpowder flared up and singed one mustache, which turned gray. Since then, Semyon Mikhailovich has been painting it. Budyonny wanted to completely shave his mustache, but Mikhail Frunze dissuaded him: “This, Semyon, is not your mustache, but the people’s...”

Semyon Budyonny on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

3. Semyon Budyonny was an excellent rider until recent years. In Moscow, on Kutuzovsky Prospect, near the panorama, there is a famous monument - Kutuzov on horseback. So, the sculptor Tomsky sculpted the commander’s horse from Budyonny’s horse. It was Semyon Mikhailovich's favorite - the Sophist. He was incredibly handsome - a Don breed, reddish in color. When the marshal came to Tomsky to check on the horse, they say, Sophist recognized by the engine of the car that his owner had arrived. And when Budyonny died, the Sophist cried like a man.

Mikhail Frunze
1. Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze was born in the city of Pishpek into the family of a retired paramedic and a Voronezh peasant woman. Misha was the second of five children. The father died early (the future military leader was only 12 years old at the time), the family was in need, and the state paid for the education of the two older brothers. Subjects were easy for Misha, especially languages, and the director of the gymnasium considered the child a genius. Mikhail graduated from the educational institution in 1904 with a gold medal, and without exams was enrolled in the economics department of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

Mikhail Frunze on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Frunze later recalled his rapid military career: he received his primary military education by shooting at the officers in Shuya, his secondary education against Kolchak, and his higher education on the Southern Front, defeating Wrangel. Mikhail Vasilyevich had personal courage and loved to be in front of the troops: in 1919, near Ufa, the army commander was even shell-shocked. Frunze did not hesitate to punish the rebel peasants for “class ignorance.” But most importantly, he showed his talent as an organizer and the ability to select competent specialists. True, the chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council, Leon Trotsky, was not delighted with this gift. In his opinion, the military leader “was fascinated by abstract schemes, he had a poor understanding of people and easily fell under the influence of specialists, mostly secondary ones.”
The children of Mikhail Frunze - Tanya and Timur - were raised by Kliment Voroshilov.

3. After a car accident, Frunze once again developed a gastric ulcer - he contracted the disease while still a prisoner at the Vladimir Central Prison. The People's Commissar for Military Affairs did not survive the subsequent operation. According to the official version, the cause of death was a combination of difficult to diagnose diseases that led to cardiac paralysis. But a year later, the writer Boris Pilnyak put forward a version that Stalin thus got rid of a potential competitor. By the way, shortly before the death of Mikhail Vasilyevich, an article was published in the English “Airplane” where he was called the “Russian Napoleon”. Meanwhile, Frunze’s wife also could not bear the death of her husband: in despair, the woman committed suicide. Their children, Tanya and Timur, were raised by Kliment Voroshilov.

Grigory Kotovsky
1. Grigory Ivanovich Kotovsky, the son of an engineer-nobleman, began his gangster career with the murder of his beloved’s father, Prince Kantakouzin, who opposed the lovers’ meetings. At the same time, he deprived his passion of property by burning down her estate. Hiding in the forests, Kotovsky put together a gang, which included former convicts and other professional criminals. Their robberies, murders, robberies, extortions shook the whole of Bessarabia. All this was done with insolence, cynicism and opposition. More than once, law enforcement officers caught the adventurer, but thanks to his enormous physical strength and dexterity, he managed to escape each time. In 1907, Kotovsky was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, but in 1913 he fled from Nerchinsk and already in 1915 he led a new gang in his native land.

Grigory Kotovsky on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

2. Kotovsky gave the impression of an intelligent, courteous person and easily aroused the sympathy of many. Contemporaries pointed to Gregory's enormous strength. Since childhood, he began lifting weights, boxing, and loved horse racing. This was very useful to him in life: strength gave independence, power, and frightened enemies and victims. Kotovsky of that time had steel fists, a frantic temper and a craving for all kinds of pleasures. In the cities, he always appeared under the guise of a rich, elegant aristocrat, posing as a landowner, businessman, company representative, manager, machinist, and representative of the procurement of food for the army. He loved to visit theaters and brag about his brutal appetite, for example, scrambled eggs from 25 eggs. His weaknesses were thoroughbred horses, gambling and women.
Grigory Kotovsky's weaknesses were thoroughbred horses, gambling and women.

3. The death of Grigory Ivanovich is shrouded in the same unsolved mystery as his life. According to one version, the new economic policy of the Soviet state allowed the legendary brigade commander to legally and legally engage in big business. Under his leadership was a whole network of Uman sugar factories, trade in meat, bread, soap factories, tanneries and cotton factories. The hop plantations alone on the subsidiary farm of the 13th Cavalry Regiment brought in up to 1.5 million gold rubles per year in net profit. Kotovsky is also credited with the idea of creating Moldavian autonomy, in which he wanted to rule as a kind of Soviet prince. Be that as it may, Grigory Ivanovich’s appetites began to irritate the Soviet “elite”.

Nikolay Shchors
1. Nikolai Shchors was born in the small town of Snovsk. In 1909 he graduated from the parochial school. The career of a priest did not suit him very much, but Nikolai decided to go to the seminary. The son of a railway driver did not want to turn bolts and nuts in the depot. When the first shots of the German war rang out, Shchors responded with delight to the draft summons to the army. Being a literate guy, he was immediately assigned to the Kyiv school of military paramedics. After a year and a half of combat, he moved from the trenches of the First World War to the classrooms of the Poltava Military School, which trained junior warrant officers for the army in an accelerated four-month course. Intelligent and sensitive by nature, Nikolai realized that the school produced only likenesses of “their nobles.” This cemented in him a peculiar complex of resentment at the inequality of real officers and “cannon fodder.” Therefore, over time, Shchors willingly went under the scarlet banners, forgetting about the rank of second lieutenant received on the eve of the February revolution.
Until 1935, the name of Shchors was not widely known; even TSB did not mention him.

2. Until 1935, the name of Shchors was not widely known; even TSB did not mention him. In February 1935, presenting Alexander Dovzhenko with the Order of Lenin, Stalin invited the artist to create a film about the “Ukrainian Chapaev,” which was done. Later, several books, songs, even an opera were written about Shchors; schools, streets, villages and even a city were named after him. In 1936, Matvey Blanter (music) and Mikhail Golodny (lyrics) wrote “Song about Shchors”.

Nikolay Shchors on a postcard from IZOGIZ, USSR

3. When the body of Nikolai Shchors was exhumed in Kuibyshev in 1949, it was found well preserved, practically incorrupt, although it had lain in a coffin for 30 years. This is explained by the fact that when Shchors was buried in 1919, his body was previously embalmed, soaked in a steep solution of table salt and placed in a sealed zinc coffin.

In some ways, being the history of wars, some of its most significant figures are military leaders. The names of great commanders, as well as the feats of bloody battles and difficult victories, occupy a special niche in world history. The tactics and strategy of warfare by these talented people are still considered significant theoretical material for future officers. Below in the article we will present to your attention the names of the people who were included in our list of “Great Commanders of the World”.

Cyrus II the Great

Starting an article on the topic “Great commanders of the world,” we want to tell you exactly about this man. The brilliant military leader - King Cyrus the Second of Persia - was considered a wise and valiant ruler. Before Cyrus was born, a fortune teller predicted to his mother that her son would become the ruler of the whole world. Hearing about this, his grandfather, the Median king Astyages, was seriously frightened and decided to destroy the baby. However, the boy was hidden among the slaves and survived, and after taking the throne, he fought with his crowned grandfather and was able to defeat him. One of the most significant conquests of Cyrus II was the capture of Babylon. This great commander was killed by warriors from nomadic Central Asian tribes.

Gaius Julius Caesar

An outstanding public figure, a brilliant commander, Gaius Julius Caesar was able to ensure that even after his death, the Roman Empire was considered the greatest and most influential country in the world for another five centuries. By the way, the words “Kaiser” and “tsar”, which are translated from German and Russian as “emperor”, came from his name. Caesar is undoubtedly the greatest commander of his time. The years of his reign became a golden period for the Roman Empire: the Latin language spread throughout the world, in other countries Roman laws were taken as the basis for governing states, many peoples began to follow the traditions and customs of the emperor’s subjects. Caesar was a great commander, but his life was cut short by a blow from the dagger of his friend, Brutus, who betrayed him.

Hannibal

This great Carthaginian commander is called the "father of strategy." His main enemies were the Romans. He hated everything connected with their state. He fought hundreds of battles that coincided with the period. Hannibal's name is associated with a grand transition through the Pyrenees and the snow-capped Alps with an army that included not only warriors on horseback, but also elephant riders. He also owns the phrase that later became popular: “The Rubicon has been passed.”

Alexander the Great

Speaking about great commanders, one cannot fail to mention the name of the ruler of Macedonia - Alexander, who with his army reached almost to India. He has eleven years of continuous battles, thousands of victories and not a single defeat. He did not like to quarrel with a weak enemy, so great military leaders were always among his main enemies. His army consisted of different units, and each of them was excellent in their fighting craft. Alexander's smart strategy was that he knew how to distribute forces among all his warriors. Alexander wanted to unite the West with the East and spread Hellenistic culture throughout his new possessions.

Tigran II the Great

The greatest commander who lived before the birth of Christ was the king of Armenia Tigran the Second the Great (140 BC - 55 BC). He made the most significant conquests in the history of the state. Tigran from the Arsacid family fought with Parthia, Cappadocia, and the Seleucid Empire. He captured Antioch and even the Nabataean kingdom on the shores of the Red Sea. Thanks to Tigran, Armenia at the turn of two millennia became the most powerful power in the Middle East. It included Anthropatena, Media, Sophene, Syria, Cilicia, Phenicia, etc. In those years, the Silk Road from China passed through heading to Europe. Only the Roman commander Lucullus was able to conquer Tigran.

Charlemagne

The French are descended from the Franks. Their king Charles received the title “Great” for his bravery, as well as for his grandiose battles. During his reign, the Franks conducted more than fifty military campaigns. He is the greatest European commander of his time. All major battles were led by the king himself. It was during the reign of Charles that his state doubled in size and absorbed territories that today belong to the French Republic, Germany, some parts of modern Spain and Italy, Belgium, etc. He freed the Pope from the hands of the Lombards, and he, in gratitude for this, elevated him to the rank of Emperor .

Genghis Khan

This truly great military leader, thanks to his combat skills, was able to conquer almost all of Eurasia. His troops were called a horde, and his warriors were called barbarians. However, these were not wild, unorganized tribes. These were completely disciplined military units that marched to victory under the leadership of their wise commander. It was not brute force that won, but moves calculated to the smallest detail, not only of one’s own army, but also of the enemy. In a word, Genghis Khan is the greatest tactical commander.

Tamerlane

Many people know this commander under the name Timur the Lame. This nickname was given to him for an injury received during skirmishes with the khans. His name alone terrified the peoples of Asia, the Caucasus, the Volga region and Rus'. He founded the Timurid dynasty, and his state extended from Samarkand to the Volga itself. However, his greatness lay solely in the power of authority, so immediately after the death of Tamerlane, his state collapsed.

Attila

The name of this leader of the barbarians, with whose light hand the Roman Empire fell, is probably known to everyone. Attila - Great Khagan of the Huns. His large army consisted of Turkic, Germanic and other tribes. His power extended from the Rhine to the Volga. The oral German epic tells the stories of the exploits of the great Attila. And they are certainly worthy of admiration.

Salah ad-Din

The Sultan of Syria, who was nicknamed “Defender of the Faith” because of his irreconcilable struggle with the Crusaders, is also an outstanding commander of his time. Saladin's army captured cities such as Beirut, Acre, Caesarea, Ashkalon and Jerusalem.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Many Russian commanders of the Great Year of 1812 fought against the army of Napoleon, the Emperor of France. For 20 years, Napoleon was engaged in the implementation of the most daring and daring plans aimed at expanding the borders of his state. All of Europe was under his subordination. But he did not stop there and tried to conquer some of the countries of Asia and Africa. Napoleon's Russian campaign, however, was the beginning of the end.

Russia and its great commanders: photos and biographies

Let's start talking about the exploits of Russian commanders with a description of the military achievements of this ruler. Prince Oleg of Novgorod and Kiev is considered the unifier of Ancient Rus'. He expanded the borders of his country, being the first Russian ruler who decided to strike at the Khazar Kaganate. In addition, he managed to conclude agreements with the Byzantines that were beneficial for his country. It was about him that Pushkin wrote: “Your shield is on the gates of Constantinople.”

Nikitich

We learn about the valor of this commander (as the great commanders of Russia were called in ancient times) from epics. He was one of the most important figures throughout Rus', and at times his fame exceeded the glory of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich.

Vladimir Monomakh

Everyone has probably heard about Monomakh's hat. So, she is a relic, a symbol of power that belonged specifically to Prince Vladimir. His nickname is of Byzantine origin and translates as “combatant.” He was considered the best commander of his era. Vladimir first stood at the head of his army at the age of 13, and since then he has won one victory after another. He has 83 battles to his name.

Alexander Nevskiy

The great Russian commander of the Middle Ages, Prince Alexander of Novgorod, received his nickname as a result of his victory over the Swedes on the Neva River. Then he was only 20 years old. Two years later, on Lake Peipus, he defeated the Order of German knights. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint.

Dmitry Donskoy

On another Russian river - the Don River, Prince Dmitry defeated the Tatar army led by Khan Mamai. He is also considered one of the greatest Russian commanders of the 14th century. Known by the nickname Donskoy.

Ermak

Not only princes and tsars are considered the greatest Russian commanders, but also Cossack atamans, for example Ermak. He is a hero, a strongman, an invincible warrior, a conqueror of Siberia. He led troops to defeat him and annexed the Siberian lands to Russia. There are several versions of his name - Ermolai, Ermilk, Herman, etc. However, he went down in history as the legendary and great Russian commander, Ataman Ermak.

Peter the Great

Surely everyone will agree that Peter the Great - the greatest of the tsars, who incredibly changed the fate of our state - is also a skilled military leader. The great Russian commander Pyotr Romanov won dozens of victories both on the battlefield and at sea. Among his most significant campaigns are the Azov and Persian campaigns, and it is also worth mentioning the Northern War and the famous Battle of Poltava, during which the Russian army defeated King Charles the Twelfth of Sweden.

Alexander Suvorov

In the list of “Great Commanders of Russia” this military leader occupies a leading position. He is a real hero of Russia. This commander managed to take part in a huge number of wars and battles, but he never suffered defeat. Significant in Suvorov's military career are the campaigns of the Russian-Turkish War, as well as the Swiss and Italian ones. The great commander Suvorov is still a role model for young people - students of the main military school of the Russian Federation.

Grigory Potemkin

Of course, when we mention this name, we immediately associate it with the word “favorite.” Yes, indeed, he was the favorite of Empress Catherine the Great (Second), however, he was also one of the best commanders of the Russian Empire. Even Suvorov himself wrote about him: “I will be happy to die for him!”

Mikhail Kutuzov

The best Russian commander of the late 18th - early 19th centuries, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, went down in history as the first Russian generalissimo, since military units of different nations served in his army. He is a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. It was he who came up with the idea of creating light cavalry and infantry.

Bagration

Another of the heroes of the war against Napoleon, the Georgian prince Bagration, was a descendant of the throne of his country. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, Alexander the Third included the Bagrationov surname among the Russian-princely families. This warrior was called the “lion of the Russian army.”

Military leaders of the 20th century

As we know from history, since the beginning of the 20th century, the political situation in Russia has changed dramatically: several revolutions took place, the First World War began, then the civil war, etc. The Russian army was divided into two parts: “White Guards” and “Reds”. Each of these units had their own military leaders. The “White Guards” have Kolchak, Vrungel, the “Reds” have Budyonny, Chapaev, Frunze. Trotsky is usually considered a politician, but not a military man, but in fact he is also a very wise military leader, because it was he who was credited with creating the Red Army. He was called Red Bonaparte, and victory in the Civil War belongs to him.

Commanders of the Great Patriotic War

The leader of the Soviet people, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, is known throughout the world as a wise and very powerful ruler. He is considered the winner in 1945. He drove all his subordinates into fear. He was a very suspicious and suspicious person. And the result of this was that at the beginning of the Patriotic War, many experienced commanders were not alive. Perhaps it was because of this that the war lasted for 4 years. Among the legendary military leaders of that time were Ivan Konev, Leonid Govorov, Semyon Timoshenko, Ivan Bagramyan, Ivan Khudyakov, Fedr Tolbukhin, and, of course, the most outstanding of them was Georgy Zhukov, a great commander of world significance.

Konstantin Rokossovsky

I would like to talk about this military leader separately. He is rightfully on the list of the most outstanding commanders of the Second World War. His strength was that his strategy was good both defensively and offensively. In this he has no equal. Konstantin Rokosovsky commanded the legendary Victory Parade on Red Square in 1945.

Georgy Zhukov

Opinions differ as to who should be called the winner of the Great Patriotic War. Some believe that this is, naturally, Stalin, because he was However, there are political figures (not only in Russia, but also in the world as a whole) who believe that it was not Joseph Dzhugashvili who deserved the honorary title, but the great commander Georgy Zhukov. He is still the most famous of the Soviet marshals. It was only thanks to his broad outlook that the idea of uniting several fronts during the war became possible. This led to the victory of the Soviet Union over the fascist invaders. After all this, how can one not admit that the great commander Georgy Zhukov is the main “culprit” of the Victory?

As a conclusion

Of course, it is impossible to talk about all the outstanding commanders throughout the history of mankind in one short article. Every country, every people has its own heroes. In this material, we mentioned the great commanders - historical figures who were able to change the course of world events, and also talked about some of the most outstanding Russian commanders.

War and peace are ever-changing sides of the same coin called “life.” If in times of peace you need a wise and fair ruler, then in times of war you need a merciless commander who must win the battle and the war at all costs. History remembers many great military leaders, but it is impossible to list them all. We present to your attention the very best:

Alexander the Great (Alexander the Great)

Since childhood, Alexander dreamed of conquering the world and, although he did not have a heroic physique, he preferred to participate in military battles. Thanks to his leadership qualities, he became one of the great commanders of his time. The victories of the army of Alexander the Great are at the pinnacle of the military art of Ancient Greece. Alexander's army did not have numerical superiority, but was still able to win all the battles, spreading his gigantic empire from Greece to India. He trusted his soldiers, and they did not let him down, but faithfully followed him, reciprocating.

Genghis Khan (Great Mongol Khan)

Tamerlane (“Timur the Lame”)

Hannibal Barca ("Father of Strategy")

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Napoleon Bonaparte

Saladin (Salah ad-Din) Expelled the Crusaders

Gaius Julius Caesar

Alexander Nevskiy

Dmitry Donskoy

Dmitry Donskoy is considered the forefather of modern Russia. During his reign, the white stone Moscow Kremlin was built. This famous prince, after his victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, in which he was completely able to defeat the Mongol horde, was nicknamed Donskoy. He was strong, tall, broad-shouldered, heavyset. It is also known that Dmitry was pious, kind and chaste. A real commander has real qualities.

Attila

This man led the Hun Empire, which at first was not an empire at all. He was able to conquer a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to modern Germany. Attila was an enemy of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He is known for his brutality and ability to conduct military operations. Few emperors, kings and leaders could boast of capturing such a vast territory in such a short time.

Adolf Gitler

Actually, this man cannot be called a military genius. Now there is a lot of debate about how a failed artist and corporal could become, albeit for a short time, the ruler of all of Europe. The military claims that the “blitzkrieg” form of warfare was invented by Hitler. Needless to say, the evil genius Adolf Hitler, through whose fault tens of millions of people died, was indeed a very capable military leader (at least until the start of the war with the USSR, when a worthy opponent was found).

Georgy Zhukov

As you know, Zhukov led the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War. He was a man whose ability to conduct military operations can be called super-outstanding. In fact, this man was a genius in his field, one of those people who ultimately led the USSR to victory. After the fall of Germany, Zhukov led the military forces of the USSR that occupied this country. Thanks to the genius of Zhukov, perhaps you and I have the opportunity to live and rejoice now.

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