The
Preobrazhensky Regiment was one of the oldest
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
s of the Russian army. It was formed by
Peter the GreatPeter I the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov ruled Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly half-brother, Ivan V....
in the late 17th century from his
poteshnye voiskaThe toy army of Peter I was initially called and was a collection of young Peter's playmates, sons of noblemen and attendants of his father Aleksei's court. The boys played war, and as they grew, their games became more and more realistic...
during his military games in a village of Preobrazhenskoye (now, a locality in
MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
). The Preobrazhensky regiment distinguished itself during the
Great Northern WarThe Great Northern War was a war in which the so-called Northern Alliance composed of Russia, Denmark-Norway, Poland-Lithuania and Saxony engaged Sweden for the supremacy in the Baltic Sea. The war ended with a defeat for Sweden in 1721, leaving Russia as the new major power in the Baltic Sea and...
of 1700–1721, the
Patriotic WarPatriotic War may refer to one of the following wars.*Patriotic War of 1812, Napoleon's invasion of Russia*Great Patriotic War, the war between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union during World War II...
of 1812, and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The regiment was disbanded by its last commander, Colonel
Alexander KutepovAlexander Pavlovich Kutepov was a Russian counterrevolutionary in South Russia and White Army General ....
(later a general) in December 1917.
The leib guard of Catherine the Great and main supporter of the bloodless coup against her husband,
Peter IIIPeter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. According to most historians, he was mentally immature and very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine...
was elected to the main honourable regiment for demonstration after 14 July 1762.
In the 18th and 19th century membership was reserved to young Russian aristocrats and was considered a proof of loyalty to the government and Tsar.
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The
Preobrazhensky Regiment was one of the oldest
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
s of the Russian army. It was formed by
Peter the GreatPeter I the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov ruled Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly half-brother, Ivan V....
in the late 17th century from his
poteshnye voiskaThe toy army of Peter I was initially called and was a collection of young Peter's playmates, sons of noblemen and attendants of his father Aleksei's court. The boys played war, and as they grew, their games became more and more realistic...
during his military games in a village of Preobrazhenskoye (now, a locality in
MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
). The Preobrazhensky regiment distinguished itself during the
Great Northern WarThe Great Northern War was a war in which the so-called Northern Alliance composed of Russia, Denmark-Norway, Poland-Lithuania and Saxony engaged Sweden for the supremacy in the Baltic Sea. The war ended with a defeat for Sweden in 1721, leaving Russia as the new major power in the Baltic Sea and...
of 1700–1721, the
Patriotic WarPatriotic War may refer to one of the following wars.*Patriotic War of 1812, Napoleon's invasion of Russia*Great Patriotic War, the war between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union during World War II...
of 1812, and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The regiment was disbanded by its last commander, Colonel
Alexander KutepovAlexander Pavlovich Kutepov was a Russian counterrevolutionary in South Russia and White Army General ....
(later a general) in December 1917.
The leib guard of Catherine the Great and main supporter of the bloodless coup against her husband,
Peter IIIPeter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. According to most historians, he was mentally immature and very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine...
was elected to the main honourable regiment for demonstration after 14 July 1762.
In the 18th and 19th century membership was reserved to young Russian aristocrats and was considered a proof of loyalty to the government and Tsar. Its glorious reputation ended in the Russian Revolution.
Timeline
- 1683 - Peter the Great
Peter I the Great or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov ruled Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his weak and sickly half-brother, Ivan V....
begins to assemble the droll regimentsThe toy army of Peter I was initially called and was a collection of young Peter's playmates, sons of noblemen and attendants of his father Aleksei's court. The boys played war, and as they grew, their games became more and more realistic...
. Initially the number of soldiers were less than fifty.
- 1687 - Droll regiments become regular army regiments Semenovsky regiment and Preobrazhensky.
- 1695 - Preobrazhensky regiment (nine companies) takes part in the Azov campaigns
Azov campaigns of 1695-1696 , two Russian military campaigns during the Russo-Turkish War of 1686-1700, led by Peter the Great and aimed at capturing the Turkish fortress of Azov , which had been blocking Russia's access to the Azov Sea and the Black Sea...
.
- 1696 - The regiment is divided into four battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
s and two separate companiesA company is a military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 soldiers. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of bombardierBombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal. Lance-Bombardier is used instead of Lance-Corporal....
s and grenadiers.
- 1700—1720 - Takes part in all major battles of the Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a war in which the so-called Northern Alliance composed of Russia, Denmark-Norway, Poland-Lithuania and Saxony engaged Sweden for the supremacy in the Baltic Sea. The war ended with a defeat for Sweden in 1721, leaving Russia as the new major power in the Baltic Sea and...
.
- 1700 - Before the Battle of Narva is officially named Leib-Guard Preobrazhensky regiment.
- 1706 - Tzar Peter the Great adopts the military rank of Colonel
Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of Preobrazhensky regiment.
- 1722 - Takes part in the war against Persia.
- 1722 - According to Russian Table of Ranks soldiers of Preobrazhensky regiment were to be considered two ranks higher than in ordinary units.
- 1726 - Moscow company of Preobrazhensky regiment becomes a separate Moscow leib-guard battalion and later Murom leib-guard battalion.
- 1737—1739 - War against Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
.
- 1737 - Takes part in the Battle of Ochakov.
- 1742 - War against Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
.
- 1789—1790 - War against Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
.
- 1796 - Battalions of the Preobrazhensky regiment are named according to their chiefs: 1st battalion - His Majesty, 2nd battalion - Lieutenant-General Tatischev, 3d Battalion - General-Field-Marshal Suvorov, Grenadier Battalion - Major-General Arakcheev.
- 1805 - As a part of the Grand Duke's Corps of Guards the 1st and 3rd battalions leave St. Petersburg for Austria on 22 August; on 2 December take part in the battle of Austerlitz
-People:* Austerlitz * Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz* Robert Austerlitz , linguist, specialist in the Proto-Finno-Ugric language-Places:* Another name for Slavkov u Brna, Czech Republic, giving its name to the Battle of Austerlitz...
and return to St. Petersburg on 19 April 1806.
- 1807 - In February the Regiment, consisting of all 4 battalions, starts the march as a part of Grand Duke's Corps of Guards; on 5 June engages Ney’s
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa , was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
troops near Gutschadt and AltkirchenAltkirchen is a German municipality in the Thuringian district of Altenburger Land and belongs to the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft of the same name.-Neighboring municipalities:...
and on 14 June takes part in the battle of Friedland- Places :Germany:* Friedland, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern* Friedland, Brandenburg* Friedland, Lower SaxonyRussia:* Pravdinsk , RussiaCzech:* Frýdlant v Čechách , Czech Republic...
; returns to St. Petersburg in August.
- 1808 - On 9 September the 2nd battalion of the regiment enters the Corps of Major-General Strogonov in Vilmanstrand (Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
).
- 1809 - On 10 March, being a part of the Corps of Lieutenant-General Prince Bagration
Bagration may refer to* Bagrationi dynasty* Prince Petr Bagration , a Russian general in the Napoleonic Wars* The Bagrationi, a royal family of Georgia, from whom the Prince was descended...
, starts its march to Sweden through the Aland islands; on 14 March fights the enemy's rearguard on the island of LemlandLemland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Swedish.-History:...
; on 17 March stops on the EckeröEckerö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
island, closest to the Swedish shore, and after the talks with Sweden begins moving back; returns to St. Petersburg in October.
- 1811 - The regiment is transformed into 3 battalions; each battalion now comprises one grenadier company (grenadier and tirailleur
Tirailleur literally means a sharpshooter in French from tir - shot. The term dates back to the Napoleonic period where it was used to designate light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns...
platoons) and three fusilierFusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation.-History:...
companies.
- 1812 - As a part of the Grand Duke's Corps of Guards, the regiment moves in March to Vilno, where it joins the 1st Western Army of Barklay-de-Tolly
Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly ( – ), known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly ( – ), known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich...
; on 7 September takes part in the battle of BorodinoBorodino is a village in Mozhaysky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located west of Mozhaysk.The village is famous as the location of the Battle of Borodino, which occurred in what is now known as the Borodino Battlefield" . The State Borodino War and History Museum and Reserve is situated...
. During the French retreat from Moscow the regiment was in the reserve all the time and returns to Vilno in December.
- 1813 - On 13 January the Guard crosses the Nieman river
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
in the presence of the Emperor; on 2 April participates in the grand parade in the presence of the Emperor and King Frederick William III of PrussiaFrederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
; on 14 April triumphantly enters DresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
; on 2 May takes part in the battle of Lutzen' is a town in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approx. 14 km northeast of Weißenfels, and 18 km southwest of Leipzig...
; on the 19th, 20th and 21st of May the regiment is a central reserve under the command of Grand Duke in the battle of BautzenBautzen ; is a city in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative center of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2005, its population is 42,189...
; on 28 August and 29 August, being a part of 1st Guards Infantry Division under the command of General YermolovAleksey Petrovich Yermolov , or Ermolov , was the premier Russian military hero during the golden age of Russian Romanticism. His charismatic leadership of imperial armies was praised in poems by Alexander Pushkin, Vasily Zhukovsky, and others....
, is distinguished in the battleThe Battle of Kulm was a battle near the town Kulm and the village Přestanov in northern Bohemia. It was fought on August 29-30 1813, during the War of the Sixth Coalition...
of KulmThe name Kulm is a German language toponym which is derived from the Latin culmen, meaning hill. It may be used as follows:-Places:Austria* Kulm bei Weiz, a municipality in Styria* Kulm am Zirbitz, a municipality in Styria...
.
- 1814 - On 13 January in the presence of the Emperor Alexander I
Alexander I of Russia , also known as Alexander the Blessed served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and Ruler of Poland from 1815 to 1825, as well as the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania.He was born in Saint Petersburg to Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, later...
the Regiment crosses the RhineThe Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe, at , with an average discharge of more than ....
at BaselBasel is Switzerland's third most populous city . With 830000 inhabitants in the tri-national metropolitan area , Basel is Switzerland's second-largest urban area....
and as a part of the reserve of the Main Army under Barklay-de-TollyPrince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly , known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly ( – ), known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barklay-de-Tolli Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly ( – ), known in Russia as Mikhail Bogdanovich...
, participates in every offensive and retreat until the battle of Paris (30 March); on 31 March triumphantly enters the capital of France; 1st battalion of the regiment has its bivouac near the Palace of Tuileries. After staying in Paris for more than two months the Regiment leaves for NormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is situated along the English Channel coast of Northern France between Brittany and Picardy and comprises territory in northern France and the Channel Islands.Normandy is divided between French and British...
, embarking at Cherbourg on 15 June and on 12 August entering St. Petersburg through the Triumphal archA triumphal arch is a structure in the shape of a monumental archway, in theory built to celebrate a victory in war, but often used to celebrate a ruler....
, constructed by the Emperor's order in the memory of excellent service of the Guard in 1812—1814.
- 1877—1878 - War against Ottoman Empire.
- 1906 - First Battalion excluded from the regiment and stripped of Leib-Guard privilegies, instead the new first battalion of the regiment is formed from cavaliers of the Order of St. George
The Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный Орден Св...
and heroes of the Russo-Japanese WarThe Russo-Japanese War or the Manchurian Campaign in some English sources, was a conflict that grew out of the rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
.
- 1914—1917 - World War I
World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
.
- 1917 - Disbanded in December by Alexander Kutepov
Alexander Pavlovich Kutepov was a Russian counterrevolutionary in South Russia and White Army General ....
, its last commander.
Flag
The Regimental flag was of
St.George's coloursThe Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Saint Grand Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный Орден Св...
with inscription: "For displayed feats in battle of Kulm 17th of August 1813". (Date given in old style
Julian CalendarThe Julian calendar, a reform of the Roman calendar, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, and came into force in 45 BC . It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year, known at least since Hipparchus...
— 29 August 1813
NSThe Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was first proposed by the Calabrian doctor Aloysius Lilius, and decreed by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, on 24 February 1582 by the papal bull Inter gravissimas...
).
This colour was given to the Regiment in order to celebrate its action at Kulm, where the outnumbered Preobrazhensky regiment withstood the charge of French troops.
External links