Ivan Essen
Encyclopedia
Ivan Nikolaevich Essen was a Russia
n lieutenant general
and military governor of Riga
at the start of the Patriotic War of 1812
.
, from 1783 to 1785 he fought in Poland
, where he was seriously injured. He fought in the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790) as well as Russia's 1792 and 1794 Polish campaigns. For his service at the Battle of Maciejowice
he was awarded the 4th degree of the Order of St George.
In 1799 he commanded the first division of the expedition to Holland under the command of general Johann Hermann von Fersen
. From 1802 he was the military governor of Smolensk
. He then fought in the 1807 war against Napoleon, being seriously wounded at .
, he ordered the burning of the suburbs but because of a strong wind the fire got out of control and thousands of city residents were left homeless.
Towards autumn the war changed direction. The Prussian corps became overextended, Macdonald remained inactive, a Russian successes was won by Peter Wittgenstein
at Polotsk, Napoleon began a general retreat and Fabian Steinheil
arrived in Riga - all these circumstances brought Essen to the top of the pile, but due to mismanagement the Russians were unable to capitalise on these victories and suffered heavy losses in several battles. In October Essen was replaced in his post by General Paulucci
and filed his resignation.
Essen then went for a long course of treatment at Baldone
sulphur baths near Riga, where he drowned on 23 August 1813 whilst swimming. According to one version of events he committed suicide on the anniversary of the firing of the Riga suburbs. He appears in The Commodore
novel of the Horatio Hornblower
series.
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 lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and military governor of Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
at the start of the Patriotic War of 1812
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
.
Pre-1812
From the Essen family in EstoniaGovernorate of Estonia
The Governorate of Estonia or Estland, also known as the Government of Estonia or Province of Estonia, was a governorate of the Russian Empire in what is now northern Estonia.-Historical overview:...
, from 1783 to 1785 he fought in Poland
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...
, where he was seriously injured. He fought in the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790) as well as Russia's 1792 and 1794 Polish campaigns. For his service at the Battle of Maciejowice
Battle of Maciejowice
The Battle of Maciejowice was fought on October 10, 1794, between Poland and the Russian Empire.The Poles were led by Tadeusz Kościuszko. Kościuszko with 6,200 men planned to prevent the linking of two larger Russian armies, 12,000 under Iwan Fersen and 12,500 under Alexander Suvorov...
he was awarded the 4th degree of the Order of St George.
In 1799 he commanded the first division of the expedition to Holland under the command of general Johann Hermann von Fersen
Johann Hermann von Fersen
Ivan Ivanovitch Hermann von Fersen was a Saxon-born infantry general who served from 1770 in the Imperial Russian Army.-Life:He was involved in the battles at and in the military operations against Yemelyan Pugachev. He won the battle in Upper Kuban against Seraskier Batal-Bey and his 18,000...
. From 1802 he was the military governor of Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
. He then fought in the 1807 war against Napoleon, being seriously wounded at .
1812
During the Patriotic War of 1812 he served as Military Governor of Riga in place of Dimitri Lobanov-Rostovsky and was forced to set fire to Riga's suburbs as soon as the enemy captured their outermost edge. After unsuccessful attempts to stop the Prussians at a distance from the city and unsuccessfully fighting to save IecavaIecava
Iecava is a village on the via Baltica in Iecava municipality, in the Zemgale region of southern Latvia. The village has a population of around 5,000....
, he ordered the burning of the suburbs but because of a strong wind the fire got out of control and thousands of city residents were left homeless.
Towards autumn the war changed direction. The Prussian corps became overextended, Macdonald remained inactive, a Russian successes was won by Peter Wittgenstein
Peter Wittgenstein
Ludwig Adolph Peter, Prince Wittgenstein was a Russian Field Marshal distinguished for his services in the Napoleonic wars.-Life:...
at Polotsk, Napoleon began a general retreat and Fabian Steinheil
Fabian Steinheil
Count Fabian Gotthard von Steinheil was a Russian military officer, and the Governor-General of Finland between 1810 and 1824.Steinheil was born in Hapsal, Estonia...
arrived in Riga - all these circumstances brought Essen to the top of the pile, but due to mismanagement the Russians were unable to capitalise on these victories and suffered heavy losses in several battles. In October Essen was replaced in his post by General Paulucci
Philip Osipovich Paulucci
Philip Osipovich Paulucci was a marquis and a Russian adjutant general.-Life:He first served in the French army in 1807 before moving to the Russian service with the rank of colonel...
and filed his resignation.
Essen then went for a long course of treatment at Baldone
Baldone
Baldone is a town in Latvia. It has been a settlement since the Stone Age.-See also:List of cities in Latvia...
sulphur baths near Riga, where he drowned on 23 August 1813 whilst swimming. According to one version of events he committed suicide on the anniversary of the firing of the Riga suburbs. He appears in The Commodore
The Commodore
The Commodore is a Horatio Hornblower novel written by C. S. Forester. It was published in the United States under the title Commodore Hornblower.-Plot summary:...
novel of the Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
series.