Fabian Gottlieb Fürst
von der Osten-Sacken (russian: Фабиа́н Вильге́льмович О́стен-Са́кен, trasnlit=Fabián Vil'gél'movič Ósten-Sáken; – ) was a
Baltic German Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
who led the Russian army against the
Duchy of Warsaw and later governed
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
during the city's brief occupation by the anti-French coalition.
Early career
Osten-Sacken was born in
Reval, in present-day
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
, into the noble family of
Baltic Germans
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declin ...
, as the son of Baron Wilhelm Ferdinand von der
Osten-Sacken
The House von der Osten-Sacken is an old and distinguished noble family of Baltic Germans. The family members held the titles of ''Baron'', ''Graf'', ''Knyaz'' and ''Fürst''.
History
The origins of the family are traced to 14th century. In 16 ...
(1700-1754) and his wife, Hedwig Eleonore von Udam (1712-1778). Prior to his death in 1754, his father was a Captain-adjutant of Count
Burkhard Christoph von Münnich
Burkhard Christoph Graf von Münnich (, tr. ; – ) was a German-born army officer who became a field marshal and political figure in the Russian Empire. He carried out major reforms in the Russian Army and founded several elite militar ...
.
Biography
Osten-Sacken was only two when his father died and spent his childhood in near-poverty. He entered the
Kaporsky Musketry regiment as a sub-
ensign on 18 October 1766.
In 1769, during the
Russo-Turkish War, 1768–1774, he participated in the blockade of
Khotin
Khotyn ( uk, Хотин, ; ro, Hotin, ; see #Name, other names) is a city in Dnistrovskyi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine and is located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. It hosts the administration of Khotyn urban hromada, one o ...
and in other engagements. For his military valour he was promoted in September of the same year to ensign and in 1770 to second-
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
. From 1770 to 1773 he served in the Nasheburgsky Musketry regiment under command of
Alexander Suvorov
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (russian: Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Суво́ров, Aleksándr Vasíl'yevich Suvórov; or 1730) was a Russian general in service of the Russian Empire. He was Count of Rymnik, Count of the Holy ...
and fought against the
Bar Confederation
The Bar Confederation ( pl, Konfederacja barska; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (szlachta) formed at the fortress of Bar in Podolia (now part of Ukraine) in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish ...
.
In 1786 he became a
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
and was appointed to the
Moskowsky Grenadier
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...
regiment, serving there until 19 July 1789. He was then assigned to the
Rostovsky Musketry regiment and fought in the
Russo-Turkish War, 1787–1792. For his contributions during the battles at the
Prut River
The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube. In part of its course it forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine.
Characteristics
The Prut originates ...
and the taking of
Focşani he was awarded the
Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, with ribbon. Later he distinguished himself at
Izmail and was praised by Suvorov as ''one of those most contributed by his courage and discretion to gaining the complete victory over the enemy''.
On 10 August 1792 he was promoted to
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
and from 1793 served with the
Chernigovsky Musketry regiment in Poland. For his participation in an engagement fought near
Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...
he was awarded a golden sword with an inscription ''for bravery''. On 28 September 1797 he became the Chief of the
Yekaterinoslav
Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...
Grenadier regiment with the rank of
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
and from 11 July 1799 with the rank of
Lieutenant-General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
. After the
Second Battle of Zürich
The Second Battle of Zurich (25–26 September 1799) was a key victory by the Republican French army in Switzerland led by André Masséna over an Austrian and Russian force commanded by Alexander Korsakov near Zürich. It broke the stal ...
he was taken prisoner and interred at
Nancy until 1801. Upon his return to Russia, he commanded a reserve corps stationed in the Governorates of
Grodno
Grodno (russian: Гродно, pl, Grodno; lt, Gardinas) or Hrodna ( be, Гродна ), is a city in western Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, 300 km (186 mi) from Minsk, about 15 km (9 mi) from the Polish b ...
and
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukra ...
.
Napoleonic Wars
As a result of his actions during the battles of
Pułtusk
Pułtusk (pronounced ) is a town in northeast Poland, by the river Narew. Located north of Warsaw in the Masovian Voivodeship, it had a population of about 19,000 . Known for its historic architecture and Europe's longest paved marketplace ( in ...
and
Eylau, Freiherr von Osten-Sacken received the Order of St. Vladimir 2nd class and the
Prussian Order of the Red Eagle. Shortly thereafter, he was prosecuted on behalf of Count
Levin August von Bennigsen. The latter's enmity constrained him to resign and spend five years in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
.
When
Napoleon invaded Russia, Osten-Sacken returned to military service at the head of a reserve corps, based in
Volynia
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. The ...
. He was given the task of defending the southern borders of the Empire against the possible invasion by
Saxon
The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic
*
*
*
*
peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...
and
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
armies. In the battle near
Volkovysk
Vawkavysk ( be, Ваўкавы́ск, ; russian: Волковы́ск; pl, Wołkowysk; lt, Valkaviskas; yi, וואלקאוויסק; names in other languages) is one of the oldest towns in southwestern Belarus and the capital of the Vawkavysk ...
he defeated a
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
corps under General
Jean Reynier
Jean Louis Ebénézer Reynier (14 January 1771 – 27 February 1814) was a Swiss- French military officer who served in the French Army under the First Republic and the First Empire. He rose in rank to become a general during the French Revolu ...
. Following Reynier's defeat, Osten-Sacken crossed the border and invaded the
Duchy of Warsaw and joining his forces with Count
Mikhail Miloradovich
Count Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich (russian: Граф Михаи́л Андре́евич Милора́дович, sh-Cyrl, Гроф Михаил Андрејевић Милорадовић ''Grof Mihail Andrejević Miloradović''; – ...
, took
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
. Later he successfully operated against Prince
Józef Poniatowski. His brilliant conquest of Poland won him the
Order of Alexander Nevsky.
During the remaining part of the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
he participated in the campaigns of the
Silesian Army under command of
Blücher and was present at the
Battle of Katzbach
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
. After this battle he was promoted Full General of
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
. For his valour in the
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig (french: Bataille de Leipsick; german: Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig, ); sv, Slaget vid Leipzig), also known as the Battle of the Nations (french: Bataille des Nations; russian: Битва народов, translit=Bitva ...
he received the
Order of St. George of 2nd degree. He led the Russian Army in the
Battle of Brienne and for this important victory was awarded the
Order of St. Andrew
The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called (russian: Орден Святого апостола Андрея Первозванного, translit=Orden Svyatogo apostola Andreya Pervozvannogo) is the highest order conferred by both the ...
. In several subsequent engagements he commanded the Silesian Army instead of Blücher.
On 19 March 1814 Osten-Sacken was appointed the governor-general of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. During the
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration ...
he served under
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly.
Later years
At the close of the war, Osten-Sacken commanded the 3rd infantry corps until the death of Barclay de Tolly, whereupon he succeeded him as the
commander-in-chief of the 1st army. On 26 August he was admitted to the
State Council State Council may refer to:
Government
* State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of South Korea, headed by the President
* State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative auth ...
. On 8 April 1821 he was granted a
comital title
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility.L. G. Pine, Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty'' ...
of
Imperial Russia
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...
.
Upon his ascension to the throne, Emperor
Nicholas I appointed him a chief of the
Uglitsky infantry regiment, later renamed the ''Regiment of Osten-Sacken''. On 22 August 1826 Count Osten-Sacken was promoted Field Marshal of the Russian Empire and on 22 September he received the Order of St. Vladimir of 1st degree.
When the
November Uprising
The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution,
was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...
erupted, Osten-Sacken became the war governor of
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
,
Podolia
Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...
and
Volynia
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. The ...
. For his rapid and effective actions, the Emperor bestowed upon him the title of Prince.
In 1835 the 1st army was disbanded, while Osten-Sacken was dismissed from the military service with the reservation of the rank of commander-in-chief and with the right of residence at one of the imperial palaces. He died in Kiev two years later at the age of 85.
See also
*
List of Baltic German military commanders
References
External links
*
Russian Biographical Dictionary*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Osten-Sacken, Fabian Wilhelm Von
1752 births
1837 deaths
People from Tallinn
People from Kreis Harrien
Baltic-German people
Russian nobility
Members of the State Council (Russian Empire)
Field marshals of Russia
Russian people of the Kościuszko Uprising
Russian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Russian people of the November Uprising
18th-century military personnel from the Russian Empire
Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Second Degree
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class
Recipients of the Gold Sword for Bravery
Order of Saint Louis recipients
Commanders Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary