How Napoleon almost became a Russian general
The great French commander Napoleon Bonaparte had personal motives for not liking Russia. Indeed, at one time, when the most famous Corsican in the world was still a junior officer in the French army, he was greatly offended by the Russian military commander. If not for this insult, Napoleon could very likely have become not a French, but a Russian commander.
In 1788, Russia waged another war with the Ottoman Empire. The Russian command had the idea to recruit an expeditionary force from foreigners of Christian faith in southern Europe. Albanians, Greeks and Corsicans, who were distinguished by militancy and military skills, were best suited for this purpose. Lieutenant-General Ivan Zaborovsky, who served as the governor of Tula, and then the governor-general of Vladimir and Kostroma, was sent to Italy with a special military diplomatic mission - to recruit volunteers for the war with Turkey.
A variety of people came to the audience to Zaborovsky. A 19-year-old junior lieutenant Napoleon Buonaparte (his real name) also appeared, who served in the artillery regiment of the French army. Just at that time, Napoleon had to provide financial assistance to the widowed mother. The father of the future commander Carlo Buonaparte died of stomach cancer in 1785, so the mother, left without the care of her husband, experienced serious financial difficulties. Young Napoleon sent her a significant part of his already not very large lieutenant salary. The future emperor of France had no money and he decided to enlist in the Russian army in order to receive a more worthy salary. He applied for admission to the Russian corps.
However, just at that time, the Empress issued a decree that foreign officers should be enlisted in the Russian service with a decrease of one rank. That is, the younger lieutenant Buonaparte, instead of the rank of second lieutenant, could count only on the rank of ensign. This did not suit the ambitious officer and he achieved a personal meeting with Lieutenant General Zaborovsky, who was at that time in Livorno. However, the Russian general found no reason to make a personal exception to some nineteen-year-old junior lieutenant of the French artillery. The insulted Napoleon ran out of his office in his hearts, shouting that in the Prussian army he would be immediately given the rank of captain.
But Napoleon did not end up in the Prussian army, and the next military rank of lieutenant was received only three years later - in June 1791. However, another eight years passed and a thirty-year-old Corsican came to power in France. Then he proclaimed himself emperor and subjugated virtually all of continental Europe.
Meanwhile, who knows how the fate of Napoleon, and of Europe as a whole, would have taken, then make a decision to accept the demand of the Russian command and join the Russian army with the rank of ensign. Maybe he would become a famous Russian commander and smash the Ottomans and other enemies of the empire, or maybe he would quietly serve a couple of decades, retiring as a lieutenant colonel and receiving some provincial estate in the Russian province as a reward.
In 1788, Russia waged another war with the Ottoman Empire. The Russian command had the idea to recruit an expeditionary force from foreigners of Christian faith in southern Europe. Albanians, Greeks and Corsicans, who were distinguished by militancy and military skills, were best suited for this purpose. Lieutenant-General Ivan Zaborovsky, who served as the governor of Tula, and then the governor-general of Vladimir and Kostroma, was sent to Italy with a special military diplomatic mission - to recruit volunteers for the war with Turkey.
A variety of people came to the audience to Zaborovsky. A 19-year-old junior lieutenant Napoleon Buonaparte (his real name) also appeared, who served in the artillery regiment of the French army. Just at that time, Napoleon had to provide financial assistance to the widowed mother. The father of the future commander Carlo Buonaparte died of stomach cancer in 1785, so the mother, left without the care of her husband, experienced serious financial difficulties. Young Napoleon sent her a significant part of his already not very large lieutenant salary. The future emperor of France had no money and he decided to enlist in the Russian army in order to receive a more worthy salary. He applied for admission to the Russian corps.
However, just at that time, the Empress issued a decree that foreign officers should be enlisted in the Russian service with a decrease of one rank. That is, the younger lieutenant Buonaparte, instead of the rank of second lieutenant, could count only on the rank of ensign. This did not suit the ambitious officer and he achieved a personal meeting with Lieutenant General Zaborovsky, who was at that time in Livorno. However, the Russian general found no reason to make a personal exception to some nineteen-year-old junior lieutenant of the French artillery. The insulted Napoleon ran out of his office in his hearts, shouting that in the Prussian army he would be immediately given the rank of captain.
But Napoleon did not end up in the Prussian army, and the next military rank of lieutenant was received only three years later - in June 1791. However, another eight years passed and a thirty-year-old Corsican came to power in France. Then he proclaimed himself emperor and subjugated virtually all of continental Europe.
Meanwhile, who knows how the fate of Napoleon, and of Europe as a whole, would have taken, then make a decision to accept the demand of the Russian command and join the Russian army with the rank of ensign. Maybe he would become a famous Russian commander and smash the Ottomans and other enemies of the empire, or maybe he would quietly serve a couple of decades, retiring as a lieutenant colonel and receiving some provincial estate in the Russian province as a reward.
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