Peter Kakhovsky

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Kakhovsky.

Peter Kakhovsky

Pyotr Grigoryevich Kakhovsky (Russian: Пётр Григорьевич Каховский, 1797 – July 25 N.S. 1826) was a Russian officer, active participant of Decembrist revolt, killer of Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich and colonel Sturler.

[edit] Biography

Pyotr Kakhovsky was born in Smolensk Governorate in 1797. His parents were of impoverished nobility. Peter inherited 250 serfs, but when he died, his brother found only seventeen; the others either had been sold without land, or had run away, or had died.

He studied at Moscow University Boarding School (Московский Университетский Пансион). He started his military career as a Junker at Leib Guard Ranger Regiment in March 1816. In December 1816 he was degraded into a Private by the order of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich for rude behavior in the house of Mrs Vangersgeim (коллежской ассесорши Вангерсгейм), not paying his debt to a candy shop, and laziness in military service.

Kakhovsky was sent to war in Caucasus to 7th Ranger Regiment, there he made a fast career: in November 1817 he became a Junker, in 1819 he became a poruchik, in 1821 he retired from army because of an illness. In 1823 he traveled for medical treatment to Dresden, then Paris and Switzerland, Italy and Austria. After returning to Russia he settled in Saint Petersburg (1824).

At that time, he was very enthusiastic about Roman history, especially Brutus killing of Julius Caesar and pronounced that he seeks the similar fate. The decision might be prompted by the rejection of his hand by S.M. Saltykova.

He became an active member of Decembrist North Society and an assistant of Kondraty Fyodorovich Ryleyev, he was the founder of the Decembrist section in Grenadier regiment. On North Society meeting December 13 O.S. 1825 he was charged with killing of emperor Nicholas I of Russia and the emperor's family in Winter Palace. The next day on the actual day of the revolt Kakhovsky hesitated and decided that the religion did not allow him to kill the emperor. Instead he went to Senate Square with the rest of Decembrists. He killed a popular hero of Napoleonic Wars General Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich who went to pacify the Decembrists troops and prevent the bloodletting. Kakhovsky also killed the commander of Grenadier regiment colonel Sturler who went on the Senate Square to persuade his soldiers to not take part in the uprising and wounded another officer Gastfer.

It is paradoxical that General Miloradovich, who was killed as a protector of serfdom, in private life detested serfdom and actually freed all of his own serfs. On contrary the leaders of the Decembrist revolts enjoyed service of hundreds serfs. In particularly economic mismanagement of his estate by Kakhovsky caused an extraordinary suffering of Kakhovsky's own serfs.

Kakhovsky was arrested at his own apartment on December 15 O.S. (the day after the revolt). He was one of the five, sentenced to quartering, but later this sentence was replaced with hanging. He was executed in Peter and Paul Fortress on July 25, 1826 and interred with the rest of the five in a secret grave on Goloday Island in Saint Petersburg.