Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Encyclopedia
Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii was a Russia
n infantry General and a politician, of the Svyatopolk-Mirsky
family.
Dmitry was born to the family of Thomas Bogumile Jean Sviatopolk-Mirskii, the ambassador of the semi-independent Kingdom of Poland
to Russia. Dmitry's patronymic
Ivanovich was based on a Russified form of the third name of his father. Despite being a member of a Polish
szlachta
he was brought up in Saint Petersburg
and considered himself Russian.
He began his military service in 1841 on the Caucasus
, fighting against Chechens and Daghestanis
. During the Russo-Turkish War, 1853-56 he took part in the Battle at Kuruk-Dara, then he commanded the Chernigov Regiment during the Battle of Chernaya River
of the Crimean War
, where he was seriously wounded. During the Crimean war he became acquainted with Leo Tolstoy
(who was a junior officer then), with whom he had lifelong correspondence.
In 1857-1859 he commanded the Kabarda Regiment, took part in the storm of Gunib
, and the capture of Imam Shamil
. After the pacification of the Eastern Caucasus, he became the ruler of the Terek
region, then the Governor-General
of Kutaisi
. In 1876 he became the deputy of the Ruler of the Caucasus Grand Duke
Mikhail Nikolayevich.
During the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 Dmitry Sviatopolk-Mirskii was the chief of the General Staff
of the Russian troops during Battle of Kars
. In 1880 he became a member of State Council of Imperial Russia
. In 1884 he became the governor
of Kharkov.
was also a prominent general and politician.
Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii, by his wife the Georgian princess Sophia Orbeliani (daughter of prince James Orbeliani), had one son Pyotr Dmitrievich Sviatopolk-Mirskii
, future Minister of Interior of Russia and three daughters Nina/Irina, Olga and Maria married to prominent administrators of Imperial Russia (Voldemar Kaarle von Daehn, Lord of Sippola, Minister State Secretary of Finland
; prince Bariatinsky and prince Orbeliani, respectively). Olga was also a Lady-in-waiting
(before her marriage) and a lifelong friend to Empress Maria Fyodorovna, wife of Alexander III of Russia
.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n infantry General and a politician, of the Svyatopolk-Mirsky
Svyatopolk-Mirsky
Svyatopolk-Mirsky is a family of Belarusian and Polish nobility that originated from northwestern Belarus.They first appeared in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the late 15th century as Mirski, a name probably derived from the town of Miory in the former Kievan Rus principate of Polotsk, although...
family.
Dmitry was born to the family of Thomas Bogumile Jean Sviatopolk-Mirskii, the ambassador of the semi-independent Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
to Russia. Dmitry's patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
Ivanovich was based on a Russified form of the third name of his father. Despite being a member of a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
he was brought up in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and considered himself Russian.
He began his military service in 1841 on the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, fighting against Chechens and Daghestanis
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
. During the Russo-Turkish War, 1853-56 he took part in the Battle at Kuruk-Dara, then he commanded the Chernigov Regiment during the Battle of Chernaya River
Battle of Chernaya River
The Battle of the Chernaya was a battle by the Chernaya River fought during the Crimean War on August 16, 1855. The battle was fought between Russian troops and a coalition of French, Sardinian and Ottoman troops. The Chernaya River is on the outskirts of Sevastopol...
of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, where he was seriously wounded. During the Crimean war he became acquainted with Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
(who was a junior officer then), with whom he had lifelong correspondence.
In 1857-1859 he commanded the Kabarda Regiment, took part in the storm of Gunib
Gunib
Gunib , also spelled Ghunib, is an aul in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. It is the administrative center of Gunibsky District. Population: 2,406 ; 2,405 ....
, and the capture of Imam Shamil
Imam Shamil
Imam Shamil also spelled Shamyl, Schamil, Schamyl or Shameel was an Avar political and religious leader of the Muslim tribes of the Northern Caucasus...
. After the pacification of the Eastern Caucasus, he became the ruler of the Terek
Terek
The Terek River is a major river in the Northern Caucasus, flowing through Georgia and Russia into the Caspian Sea. It rises in Georgia near the juncture of the The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Khokh Range, to the southwest of Mount Kazbek, then flows north through North Ossetia and...
region, then the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
. In 1876 he became the deputy of the Ruler of the Caucasus Grand Duke
Grand Duke
The title grand duke is used in Western Europe and particularly in Germanic countries for provincial sovereigns. Grand duke is of a protocolary rank below a king but higher than a sovereign duke. Grand duke is also the usual and established translation of grand prince in languages which do not...
Mikhail Nikolayevich.
During the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 Dmitry Sviatopolk-Mirskii was the chief of the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
of the Russian troops during Battle of Kars
Battle of Kars
The Battle of Kars was a decisive Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War .In June, 1877 Russian forces attempted a siege of Kars but were driven off by an Ottoman army at the Battle of Kizil-Tepe. In November Russian commander in the Caucasus, Grand Duke Michael,...
. In 1880 he became a member of State Council of Imperial Russia
State Council of Imperial Russia
The State Council was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia.-18th century:Early Tsars' Councils were small and dealt primarily with the external politics....
. In 1884 he became the governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Kharkov.
Family
His younger brother Nikolai Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-MirskiiNikolai Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Prince Nikolai Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii was a Russian cavalry general and politician. In 1895 he purchased the famed Mir Castle Complex, repaired and rebuilt it....
was also a prominent general and politician.
Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii, by his wife the Georgian princess Sophia Orbeliani (daughter of prince James Orbeliani), had one son Pyotr Dmitrievich Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Pyotr Dmitrievich Sviatopolk-Mirskii
Prince Pyotr Dmitrievich Sviatopolk-Mirskii was a Russian politician and police official, Minister of the Interior in 1904–1905. He was the son of the general Dmitry Ivanovitch Sviatopolk-Mirskii and father of the literary historian D. S. Mirsky....
, future Minister of Interior of Russia and three daughters Nina/Irina, Olga and Maria married to prominent administrators of Imperial Russia (Voldemar Kaarle von Daehn, Lord of Sippola, Minister State Secretary of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
; prince Bariatinsky and prince Orbeliani, respectively). Olga was also a Lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
(before her marriage) and a lifelong friend to Empress Maria Fyodorovna, wife of Alexander III of Russia
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
.