Pyotr Rumyantsev
Count Pyotr Rumyantsev Zadunaisky | |
|---|---|
Пётр Румянцев | |
Portrait by an unknown artist, 1770s | |
| General Governor of Little Russia Little Russian Collegium Chair | |
| In office 1764–1786 | |
| Monarch | Catherine the Great |
| Preceded by | office revived (replacing the Hetman of Zaporizhian Host Kirill Razumovsky) |
| Succeeded by | office liquidated (himself as General Governor of Kiev, Chernigov, Novgorod-Seversky) |
| General Governor of Kursk Namestnichestvo | |
| In office 1779–1781 | |
| Monarch | Catherine the Great |
| Preceded by | office created |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Prozorovsky |
| General Governor of Kiev, Chernigov, and Novgorod-Seversky Namestnichestvos | |
| In office 1782–1796 | |
| Monarchs | Catherine the Great (1782–1796), Paul I (1796) |
| Deputy | Mikhail Krechetnikov (1791–1793), Iosif Igelström (1793–1794) |
| Preceded by | office created |
| Succeeded by | office liquidated |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev 15 January 1725 |
| Died | 19 December 1796 (aged 71) Tashan, Pereyaslavsky Uyezd, Poltava Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Awards | See § Honours |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Russian Empire |
| Branch/service | Imperial Russian Army |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles/wars | |
Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (Russian: Пётр Алекса́ндрович Румя́нцев-Задуна́йский; 15 January [O.S. 4 January] 1725 – 19 December [O.S. 8 December] 1796) was one of the foremost Russian military commanders of the 18th century, widely considered to be one of Russia's greatest military leaders and is referred to as one of the greatest commanders in military history. As a commander, he is placed on par with Alexander Suvorov. Rumyantsev used mobile divisional squares for the first time in history as opposed to linear battle orders and initiated the formation of light (jaeger) battalions in the Russian Army, which operated in a scattered order.
He governed Little Russia in the name of Empress Catherine the Great from the abolition of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764 until Catherine's death 32 years later. Monuments to his victories include the Kagul Obelisk in Tsarskoye Selo (1772), the Rumyantsev Obelisk on Vasilievsky Island (1798–1801), and a galaxy of Derzhavin's odes.