Alexander Suvorov bust

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Alexander Suvorov was a Russian military leader known as a national hero. Born in Moscow on November 24, 1729 or 1730, he studied military history from a young age and joined the Imperial Russian Army at 17. During the Seven Years' War, he rose to colonel in 1762 for his battlefield success. Suvorov captured Krakow and defeated the Poles at Lanckorona and Stołowicze in 1768, sparking the Partitions of Poland. He was promoted to general and fought in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, winning a decisive victory at Kozludzha. Becoming General of Infantry in 1786, Suvorov commanded the Russian army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792. He won crushing victories at Rymnik and Siege of Izmail, earning him a count's title from both the Russian Empire and Holy Roman Empire. Suvorov put down a Polish uprising in 1794 by defeating them at Maciejowice and storming Warsaw. Although he quarreled with Empress Catherine's son Paul, Suvorov remained a close associate of the empress. After her death in 1796, Paul I was crowned Emperor and dismissed Suvorov for disobeying orders. However, Suvorov was reinstated as field marshal at the insistence of coalition allies during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led the Austro-Russian army to capture Milan and drove the French out of Italy at Cassano d'Adda, Trebbia, and Novi. For his deeds, he became Prince of Italy. Suvorov then found himself surrounded in the Swiss Alps by the French after a Russian army was defeated before he could arrive. He led a strategic withdrawal of Russian troops while fighting off French forces four times larger than his own, returning to Russia with minimal casualties. Suvorov died on May 18, 1800, due to illness in Saint Petersburg. He is considered one of the greatest commanders in Russian and world history, awarded numerous medals and honors by Russia and other countries.