Count
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. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov (russian: Илларио́н Ива́нович Воронцов-Дашков; 27 May 1837 – 15 January 1916) was a notable representative of the
Vorontsov
Vorontsov (russian: Воронцо́в), also Woroncow and de Woroncow-Wojtkowicz,is the name of a Russian noble family whose members attained the dignity of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and became Princes of the Russian Empire in ...
family. He served as
Minister of Imperial Properties in 1881-97 and the
Governor-General of the
Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917)
The Caucasus Viceroyalty (russian: Кавка́зское наме́стничество, translit=Kavkázskoye naméstnichestvo) was the Russian Empire's administrative and political authority in the Caucasus region exercised through the offices ...
in 1905–15.
Career
Illarion Vorontsov was born on 27 May 1837 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 ...
. He took part in the conquest of
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
in the 1860s and was appointed Major General in 1866. He was in charge of the
Hussar regiment of the Leub Guard
A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
in 1867–74. He was on friendly terms with the future
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander III ( rus, Алекса́ндр III Алекса́ндрович, r=Aleksandr III Aleksandrovich; 10 March 18451 November 1894) was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 13 March 1881 until his death in 18 ...
and, following
Alexander's father's assassination, established a counter-revolutionary squad, or "holy
druzhina
In the medieval history of Kievan Rus' and Early Poland, a druzhina, drużyna, or družyna ( Slovak and cz, družina; pl, drużyna; ; , ''druzhýna'' literally a "fellowship") was a retinue in service of a Slavic chieftain, also called ''knyaz ...
", whose members included
Konstantin Pobedonostsev
Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostsev ( rus, Константи́н Петро́вич Победоно́сцев, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ pəbʲɪdɐˈnostsɨf; 30 November 1827 – 23 March 1907) was a Russian jurist, statesman ...
,
Nicholas Pavlovich Ignatiev
Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev (historical spelling: ''Nicolai Ignatieff''; russian: Граф Никола́й Па́влович Игна́тьев; – ), a Russian statesman and diplomat, became best known for his aggressive expansion ...
, and
Mikhail Katkov
Mikhail Nikiforovich Katkov (russian: Михаи́л Ники́форович Катко́в; 13 February 1818 – 1 August 1887) was a conservative Russian journalist influential during the reign of tsar Alexander III. He was a proponent of Rus ...
.
Alexander III put Vorontsov-Dashkov in charge of the imperial court and made him Full General of Cavalry. He also was made responsible for imperial
stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word " stud" comes from the Old English ''stod'' meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding". Historically, documentation ...
s and vineyards. Following
Nicholas II's coronation, he was dislodged from the office of Minister of Imperial Properties but was appointed to the
State Council of Imperial Russia
The State Council ( rus, Госуда́рственный сове́т, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj sɐˈvʲet) was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia. From 1906, it was the upper house of the parliament under the ...
instead. The
Russian Revolution of 1905
The Russian Revolution of 1905,. also known as the First Russian Revolution,. occurred on 22 January 1905, and was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian Empire. The mass unrest was directed again ...
recalled Vorontsov to active service, and he ascended to the helm of the
Viceroyalty of the Caucasus.
As Russia's second-to-last viceroy of the Caucasus, Vorontsov-Dashkov implemented several reformist policies, but his time in office was marred by a general era of revolution, war, and social upheaval.
He was officially in charge of the victorious Russian forces in the
Battle of Sarikamish during the early months of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, although the effective command lay with General
Alexander Myshlayevsky. In September 1915 he was removed from command and replaced with Grand Duke Nicholas.
[W.E.D. Allen and Paul Muratoff, Caucasian Battlefields, A History of Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border, 1828-1921, 322] He died on 15 January 1916 in his
Vorontsov Palace.
Family
He married in 1867 Countess
Elizaveta Andreevna Shuvalova, daughter of Count Andrei Petrovich Shuvalov. His youngest son Alexander's descendants represent the only continuation of the Vorontsov family in the male line.
Awards and honours
;Russian decorations
[Russian Imperial Army - Illarion Ivanovich Vorontsov-Dashkov](_blank)
(In Russian)
*
Knight of St. Anna, 4th class, ''1861''; 3rd Class, ''1864''; 1st Class, ''1870''
*
Gold Sword for Bravery
The Gold Sword for Bravery (russian: Золотое оружие "За храбрость") was a Russian award for bravery. It was set up with two grades on 27 July 1720 by Peter the Great, reclassified as a public order in 1807 and abolished ...
, ''4 June 1862''
*
Knight of St. Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords and Bow, ''1865''; 3rd Class with Swords, ''1867''; 2nd Class, ''1874''; 1st Class, ''1894''
*
Knight of St. George, 4th class, for distinguished service during the war, ''27 June 1867''; 3rd Class "For the valiant skilful leadership of the Caucasian Army, whose heroic exploits achieved brilliant military success in actions against the Turks", ''15 August 1915''
*
Knight of St. Stanislaus, 1st Class, ''1868''
*
Knight of the White Eagle, with Swords, ''1878''
*
Knight of St. Alexander Nevsky, ''1883''; in Diamonds, ''1888''
*
Knight of St. Andrew, ''14 May 1896''; in Diamonds, ''1904''
* Portraits of the Emperors
Alexander II and
Alexander III, in Diamonds, ''1908''
* Portrait of Emperor Alexander III, in Diamonds, ''21 February 1913''
;Foreign decorations
Ancestry
References
External links
Online museum of the Vorontsov Family
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vorontsov-Dashkov, Illarion Ivanovich
1837 births
1916 deaths
Military personnel from Saint Petersburg
Politicians of the Russian Empire
Members of the State Council (Russian Empire)
Imperial Russian Army generals
Russian people of World War I
1900s in Georgia (country)
1910s in Georgia (country)
Russian monarchists
Illarion
Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree
Recipients of the Gold Sword for Bravery
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class
Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia)
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
Grand Crosses of the Order of Franz Joseph
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog
Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur
Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Takovo
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword