Severe leader but faithful servant
Famous historical More than one article, publication and book are devoted to the personality of Aleksei Andreevich Arakcheev. In the Soviet years, the importance of this statesman for the Russian Empire was evaluated very negatively. It was the historians of the USSR who gave science such a term as “Arakcheevschina”, representing Alexei Andreevich as the main culprit and organizer of terror in the early 19th century.A lot of archival data and reviews of contemporaries about this brilliant administrator give a detailed description of his external, as well as tell about the character, professional achievements, but, unfortunately, do not indicate exact data about the place of birth. There are several versions of the origin of Arakcheev. Some historians claim that a politician was born in the estate of his father with the name of Garusov, others consider the birthplace of Arakcheev the patrimony of his mother Kurgan. Without going into details, we only note that the most convincing version, calling Garusov the place of birth of Alexei Andreevich, is given by D.L. Pillows in his work "He was a real hare ...".
His benefactor, P.I., greatly assisted the young Alexei Andreevich. Melissino, who financed his training in the Petersburg Artillery Cadet Corps. Then the same person introduced him to Count Saltykov as an excellent tutor for his sons. Amazing way to the heights of state power began for Arakcheev precisely in the house of Count Saltykov, who proposed his candidacy to Paul I. The emperor needed such an agile and executive officer as the young Alexey turned out to be. Arakcheev's rapid career growth is explained by the qualities of his character, as well as by the tremendous diligence, loyalty to his native state and endless devotion to the emperor. He was a very strict and even somewhat cruel person, executive and tidy, who never made the slightest mistake in the conduct of his business. But showing intolerance for negligence and laziness, Arakcheev did not spare himself. Full immersion in the work was a characteristic feature of Alexei Andreyevich, who made him dry and callous, completely depriving his friends and relatives. The noble circle disliked Arakcheev for excessive arrogance, integrity and cruelty.
The bureaucrat was openly afraid of him for his harsh pursuit of negligence, bribery, red tape and so on. However, such properties as devotion to the fatherland, selflessness and sense of duty made Alexei Andreyevich an irreplaceable administrator surrounded by the sovereign. However, the brutal earl could love and suffer. A heavy blow for him was the loss of a woman of non-noble birth by the name of Nastassja, who served as a steward in his estate. According to some reports, Nastasia had a long relationship with Arakcheyev, and her murder almost broke the invincible graph. In all his life, Arakcheev did not meet a woman who was able to replace Nastasya with him.
According to Soviet historians, Arakcheev was hated by all the nobility community, the peasantry, and other classes. Not honored a high-ranking official in military circles. However, this statement can be questioned by studying reviews of contemporaries. For example, Pushkin, who wrote a caustic epigram to Alexei Andreyevich during his youth, speaks quite loyally of him in connection with his demise and even regrets the failed meeting. In addition, the story dated 1733 of the year, transmitted by captain Demore N.F. The captain of the gunner told about the relationship of the all-powerful Count Arakcheev and the young Dolgorukov. The well-known predilection for interrogating oncoming people about his own person was the first experience of communication between a young lieutenant and Alexey Andreevich. At the first meeting, Dolgorukov showed the stranger his negative attitude towards the leader Arakcheev and the idea of creating military settlements. In response to his claims to the personality of the graph of excessive cruelty and severity, the young man received a sharp, but convincing answer that Arakcheev does not love only lazy people and mediocres. It characterizes Alexei Andreyevich by the fact that no sanctions were imposed on Dolgorukov. Moreover, according to the testimony of contemporaries, Arakcheev showed favor to the lieutenant, although he mercilessly loaded him with work and vigilantly monitored its execution.
If we examine in more detail the history of the creation of military settlements, we can see that the initiative of such a reckless event belonged to Emperor Alexander. Evidence remains in the archival documents that the development of documentation and construction projects and the operating procedure, for the most part, rested with no less famous Speransky. Despite the hostility to this policy and disagreement with the need for these transformations, Arakcheev set about fulfilling the task. By virtue of his diligence, rigor and devotion, the count did not think about the fidelity of the demands of the emperor. Aleksei Andreevich became only a performer, and very good and stubborn, and not the inspirer of the creation of military settlements, which historians portray him.
Arakcheev was by no means stupid and stubborn, as Soviet textbooks draw it. An ignorant performer could not win the respect and recognition of the enlightened Alexander, the grandson of the educated Empress Catherine II. The personal qualities of Arakcheev cannot serve as a reason for defamation of this person as a statesman and historical figure. It is impossible to call stupidity and rudeness loyalty to the sovereign and selfless love of the fatherland, which permeated the whole life of a great figure. According to the servants who were present at the time of the death of the count in his room, he presented his last look to the emperor. Such behavior could not be either pretense or ignorance — it is a worthy and deep feeling of a loyal Russian subject who has devoted his whole life to serving the fatherland.
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