Avtonom Golovin
Encyclopedia
General
Avtonom Mikhailovich Golovin (October 7, 1667 – July 3, 1720) was a Russian military leader and one of the associates of Peter the Great.
When tsar Peter I of Russia
was a young boy, Avtonom Golovin served him as a room stolnik
. Later in his life, Peter the Great made Golovin one of his military commanders for his loyalty, despite the fact that the latter had had almost no military experience. The tsar "promoted" Avtonom to the rank of colonel
of the Leib Guard Preobrazhensky regiment
and asked him to participate in his Azov campaigns
.
Upon his return from abroad in 1698, Peter the Great began preparations for the war with Sweden
. The first Russian regular regiments consisted of the so-called datochniye lyudi (lifelong conscripts), later combined with the okhochiye lyudi (volunteers). Peter managed to muster 27 regiments formed into three divisions (9 regiments each). Generals Adam Veyde
, Avtonom Golovin and Anikita Repnin
were appointed commanders of these divisions. Soldiers had to learn how to use weapons and master military formations in accordance with Veyde's Military Charter (1698). Foreign officers were in charge of this training, which caused Golovin's anger. He used to say that they couldn't hold a musket
in their hands, didn't know their business, had to be taught themselves, and that it was all a waste of time. Soon, Peter the Great had to decline their services and put inexperienced Muscovite
sluzhiliye lyudi
in charge of the training. In 1700, Golovin formed 8 infantry
regiments and one dragoon
regiment (one division). During the Battle of Narva
, the Russian army was defeated by Charles XII. Golovin's division (which consisted of recruits only) was one of the first ones to flee the battlefield. Field Marshal
Charles Eugène de Croÿ
and all of the foreign officers in the Russian army surrendered to the Swedes
. They were soon followed by Generals Yakov Dolgoruky, tsarevich Alexander Imeretinsky
, Avtonom Golovin and Ivan Buturlin, who had decided to capitulate, as well. As a result, almost all of the commanding officers were taken prisoners and the Swedes captured all of the Russian artillery
, which Peter the Great had been assembling piece by piece from all over Russia. Golovin was taken to Stockholm
and remained there for the next 18 years. The tsar was only able to exchange him in 1718. In 1719 and 1720, Golovin took part in the structuralization of the Russian army.
Avtonom Golovin died in 1720.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Avtonom Mikhailovich Golovin (October 7, 1667 – July 3, 1720) was a Russian military leader and one of the associates of Peter the Great.
When tsar Peter I of Russia
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
was a young boy, Avtonom Golovin served him as a room stolnik
Stolnik
Stolnik was a court office in Poland and Muscovy, responsible for serving the royal table.- Stolnik in Crown of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania : In Crown of Poland under the first Piast dukes and kings, this was a court office....
. Later in his life, Peter the Great made Golovin one of his military commanders for his loyalty, despite the fact that the latter had had almost no military experience. The tsar "promoted" Avtonom to the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Leib Guard Preobrazhensky regiment
Preobrazhensky regiment
The Preobrazhensky Regiment was one of the oldest and elite regiments of the Russian army. Along with the Semenovsky regiment also served as a gendarmie unit for the state Secret Chancellery in the 18th century, headed by the Prince Fyodor Romodanovsky.It was formed by Peter the Great in the late...
and asked him to participate in his Azov campaigns
Azov campaigns
Azov campaigns of 1695–96 , 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...
.
Upon his return from abroad in 1698, Peter the Great began preparations for the war with Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The first Russian regular regiments consisted of the so-called datochniye lyudi (lifelong conscripts), later combined with the okhochiye lyudi (volunteers). Peter managed to muster 27 regiments formed into three divisions (9 regiments each). Generals Adam Veyde
Adam Veyde
Adam Adamovich Veyde was a Russian infantry general and a close associate of Peter the Great.Adam Veyde began his military career in the so called poteshnye voiska. He participated in both of the Azov campaigns, being a major of Preobrazhensky Lifeguard regiment in charge of engineer works during...
, Avtonom Golovin and Anikita Repnin
Anikita Repnin
Prince Anikita Ivanovich Repnin was a prominent Russian general during the Great Northern War who superintended the taking of Riga in 1710 and served as the Governor of Livland from 1719 until his death....
were appointed commanders of these divisions. Soldiers had to learn how to use weapons and master military formations in accordance with Veyde's Military Charter (1698). Foreign officers were in charge of this training, which caused Golovin's anger. He used to say that they couldn't hold a musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
in their hands, didn't know their business, had to be taught themselves, and that it was all a waste of time. Soon, Peter the Great had to decline their services and put inexperienced Muscovite
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
sluzhiliye lyudi
Service class people
Service class people were persons bound by obligations of service, especially military service, to the Muscovite Russian state.In early Siberia, service-men and promyshleniks were the two main classes of the Russian population. Service-men were nominally servants of the tsar, had certain legal...
in charge of the training. In 1700, Golovin formed 8 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiments and one dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
regiment (one division). During the Battle of Narva
Battle of Narva (1700)
The Battle of Narva on 19 November 1700 was an early battle in the Great Northern War. A Swedish relief army under Charles XII of Sweden defeated a Russian siege force three times its size. Before, Charles XII had forced Denmark-Norway to sign the Treaty of Travendal...
, the Russian army was defeated by Charles XII. Golovin's division (which consisted of recruits only) was one of the first ones to flee the battlefield. Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Charles Eugène de Croÿ
Charles Eugène de Croÿ
Charles Eugène de Croÿ was a field marshal and duke from the House of Croÿ.His father was Jacques Philippe de Croÿ-Roeulx , a descendant of Jean III of Croy-Roeulx, son of Antoine le Grand....
and all of the foreign officers in the Russian army surrendered to the Swedes
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. They were soon followed by Generals Yakov Dolgoruky, tsarevich Alexander Imeretinsky
Prince Alexander of Imereti
Prince Alexander of Imereti , also known as Tsarevich Aleksandr Archilovich Imeretinsky was a Georgian prince of the Kingdom of Imereti who lived as an émigré in the Tsardom of Russia and subsequently served as an artillery commander under Tsar Peter I of Russia...
, Avtonom Golovin and Ivan Buturlin, who had decided to capitulate, as well. As a result, almost all of the commanding officers were taken prisoners and the Swedes captured all of the Russian artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, which Peter the Great had been assembling piece by piece from all over Russia. Golovin was taken to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and remained there for the next 18 years. The tsar was only able to exchange him in 1718. In 1719 and 1720, Golovin took part in the structuralization of the Russian army.
Avtonom Golovin died in 1720.