Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden


Friedrich Wilhelm Graf von Buxhoevden was a Russian infantry general and government official. Buxhoeveden commanded the Russian armies during the Finnish War.

Family

The Buxhoevedens, a Baltic German family from Estonia, traced their roots to Bexhövede in Lower Saxony.
Buxhoevden's wife, countess Natalia Alexeyeva, was the illegitimate daughter of Grigori Orlov by a lady of the court, but her mother – contrary to some claims – was not the Empress Catherine, but a member of the Apraksin family. Buxhoeveden's granddaughter Varvara Nelidova was a mistress of Nicholas I of Russia for 17 years.

Career

In 1805 Buxhoevden took part in the Battle of Austerlitz as a commander, contributing to the Third Coalition's failure to defeat Napoleon by being drunk during the battle.
In 1808 he served as Commander-in-Chief in the Russian conquest of Finland, and led Russian troops during the initial battles of the Finnish War.

Estates

Buxhoevden received the castle and lands of Koluvere in western Estonia after Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel had died there in 1788 in suspicious circumstances. He also owned the villa and manor of Ligovo near Saint Petersburg.