Alexander Buturlin

His father, who served as the Captain of the Leib Guard, sent him to the newly established naval academy, where Alexander studied navigation, fencing, and foreign languages for four years.

He graduated from the academy in 1720 and was employed by Peter the Great as his orderly and confidant, especially on several secretive missions during the Persian Expedition.

In due time he was promoted Chamberlain and attached to the "junior court" of Tsesarevna Elizaveta Petrovna.

During the following reign Buturlin's career slowly gathered momentum, as he operated against the Turks under Münnich and governed Smolensk in 1735.

The campaign of 1760 justified uneasy apprehensions, as Buturlin's cautiousness often degenerated into timidity and the atmosphere was spoiled by his jealousy towards a more illustrious colleague, Laudon.