Born into a noble family as the son of an eminent general of Empress Elizabeth's service, Aleksandr Bibikov was enrolled into the lists of the Izmaylovsky Regiment at just three years old.

He served in the Empress Catherine's retinue for a time, before taking part in the Russo-Swedish War, and seeing action on a number of occasions.

Wounded in battle, and presented several awards, he entered the civil service during the years of peace, and was given various state and diplomatic appointments by the Emperor Paul I.

After a series of brief postings to the Portuguese court and the Electorate of Saxony, he was for a time unemployed during the early reign of Emperor Alexander I, though he eventually returned to serve in various diplomatic and civil service roles.

With Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, Bibikov petitioned to serve in the army once more, and was appointed to command various militias, including those of St Petersburg and Novgorod.

The younger Bibikov was first entered into the books of the Izmaylovsky Regiment as a non-commissioned officer in 1768 at the age of just three, and granted the rank of sergeant that same year.

[1] Bibikov was a favourite of the new emperor, who on 1 October 1798 made him one of his secret advisers, and on 7 November 1798 appointed him to the College of Foreign Affairs.

With Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812, Bibikov petitioned his uncle, Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, for a post, and was given command of a detachment of the St. Petersburg militia.

[1] Bibikov now commanded a force of 5,575 people, including 4,000 militiamen, supplemented with the attachment of two squadrons of the Grodno hussars and the Polish Uhlan regiment.

[3] With the combining of Wittgenstein's force with Fabian Steinheil's Bibikov was given command over the front line of the army, consisting of the Perm, Sevsk and Kaluga infantry regiments, chasseurs and cavalry squadrons, and 30 cannon.

While resting at Königsberg his forces presented him with a golden sword with the inscriptions "For faith and the Tsar", and "To Senator Bibikov, from the St. Petersburg militia".

As a mark of favour for his service, Emperor Alexander I gave permission for Bibikov to continue to wear his militia general's uniform.

[5] Bibikov left St. Petersburg on 25 April 1821 to seek treatment at the spa town of Carlsbad, and died while abroad, on 1 August 1822 at Dresden.

[6] The couple had three children together, their eldest son Vasily (1793–1867) also served in the army during the war of 1812, later reaching the rank of major general.