Illarion Vasilyevich Vasilchikov I

Count (1831) and Prince (1839), Illarion Vasilyevich Vasilchikov (Илларион Васильевич Васильчиков) - often styled “Vasilchikov I” in contemporary and later compilations - was an Imperial Russian officer who rose from the Guards to high command during the Napoleonic Wars and later held senior posts in the imperial government under Nicholas I. He entered service in 1792 as a non-commissioned officer in the Life Guards cavalry and was commissioned корнет in 1793. Under Paul I he received court appointment as действительный камергер (1799), and in 1801 he was promoted to генерал-майор and appointed генерал-адъютант to Alexander I. From 1803 he was connected with the Akhtyrka Hussars as their шеф, and during the War of the Fourth Coalition he participated in operations in Poland and East Prussia, including the battle of Pułtusk (1806). In the campaign of 1809 he commanded a cavalry grouping that included the Kharkov and Chernigov Dragoon regiments and the Akhtyrka Hussars.

In 1812 Vasilchikov served with the 2nd Western Army, commanding a cavalry brigade in its rearguard actions during the withdrawal and concentration, including engagements around Mir, Romanov, and Saltanovka. In the battle of Borodino he commanded the 12th Infantry Division and was wounded. He subsequently held higher cavalry command: from September 1812 he commanded the 4th Cavalry Corps, leading it in the actions around Tarutino and Maloyaroslavets and in the later pursuit engagements of the 1812 campaign. During the foreign campaigns of 1813–1814 he served in Major battles including Bautzen, Dresden, and Leipzig, and in the winter and spring fighting in France (including Brienne and actions in the Château-Thierry sector). In the postwar period he commanded Guards cavalry formations; by 1817 he was appointed to command the Separate Guards Corps and later held command of the 1st Reserve Cavalry Corps, leaving active command in 1821.

From 1821 Vasilchikov was a member of the State Council. During the Decembrist uprising of December 1825 he was present with Nicholas I and took part in the immediate handling of events; in 1826 he sat on bodies convened in connection with the Decembrist case and on other high committees. In 1828, during the Russo-Turkish War, he accompanied the emperor to the active army and participated in deliberations at headquarters. He was raised to the dignity of count in 1831 and in the same period was given command of troops in and around St Petersburg (1831–1838); from 1833 he served as inspector-general of cavalry. In 1838 he became chairman of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers, positions he held until his death in St Petersburg in 1847. His decorations included high grades of the Order of St George (including the 3rd and 2nd classes), the Order of St Alexander Nevsky, the Order of St Vladimir (1st class), and the Order of St Andrew.

Sources

• Great Russian Encyclopedia: Васильчиков Илларион Васильевич
• Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (Wikisource): Васильчиков, Иларион Васильевич
• Znanie.Russia: Васильчиков, Илларион Васильевич
• Wikipedia (Russian): Васильчиков, Илларион Васильевич