Heroes of the Napoleonic Wars in the Ruling Elite of the Russian Empire

Abstract

Fate took the Russian generals who had participated in the Napoleonic Wars in different directions. Many transferred to the civil service, became provincial governors or central government ministers, or held other top positions. This chapter aims to open up a scholarly debate on the position and role of military men in the political elite of the Russian Empire in the first half of the nineteenth century. In particular, an attempt is made to shed light on the following: first, to show how military men, particularly those who participated in the Napoleonic Wars, were represented in the ruling elite of the Russian Empire in the first half of the nineteenth century; second, to situate these findings within the broader context of the history of the ruling elite; third, and more broadly, to clarify the question of the reputation of minister-generals in society.