May 6, 1776
В Petersburg was born Pyotr Volkonsky — the founder of the Russian General Staff, the first minister of the imperial court. The prototype for Andrei Bolkonsky in the novel War and Peace.
He came from a noble princely family.
At 21 he was appointed adjutant to the prince and future emperor. Alexander I In 1801, at 24, he was one of the participants in the conspiracy and murder Paul I
He took part in the Napoleonic Wars of 1805-1807 and received several imperial awards. Battle of Austerlitz proved himself to be a brilliant military leader.
Prince Volkonsky demonstrated virtues that are more evident in adversity than in a successful battle. He seized the fallen banner and, shouting, "Suvorovites, follow me!", led the regiments into an attack on the enemy. (Kutuzov to Alexander I)
He convinced the emperor to restore the unified system of planning and command of troops, which Paul I had abolished.
In 1810, he headed the Emperor's Retinue for quartermaster duties (he was in charge of providing troops, salaries, and supplies for officers)
Here he demonstrated outstanding abilities and was able to overcome all the difficulties arising from the heterogeneity of the composition of the allied armies, the unsatisfactory structure of their economic and administrative units, and the differences of opinion among various military leaders. (from the Brockhaus and Efron Dictionary)
In 1815, the Retinue was transformed into the General Staff (it was renamed the General Staff only in 1827).
Together with the Minister of War Michael Barclay de Tolly Developed a special document, "Institution for the Management of a Large Active Army." He created a military topographic map depot and a library at the General Staff.
In 1811, on his initiative, a school for column leaders was opened – the prototype of the future General Staff Academy.
During his 13 years in office, he doubled the size of the General Staff – from 163 to 317 officers.
He was a relative of the Decembrist Sergei Volkonsky and, according to historians, was partially aware of the impending uprising. In 1823, two and a half years before the uprising, he was dismissed from his post as Chief of the General Staff for approving a scandalously inflated budget for the army. Alexey Yushnevsky (future Decembrist).
In 1825, after some members of the General Staff participated in the uprising on Senate Square, the school for column leaders was closed and control over officers was strengthened.
After his retirement, he remained at court and with the emperor; in 1825, he even personally presided over the funeral of Alexander I.
Under the new tsar, he headed the Ministry of the Imperial Court and Appanages and led the commission for the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral.
He died in 1852, Peterhof, in 76 years.
