A great-grandson of Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, Duke of Ingria, and a cognatic descendant of the Princely House of Golitsyn (another of his great-grandfathers was Prince Mikhail Golitsyn, the military governor of Åbo during the Russian occupation in the Great Northern War).

[1] His bad influence on the development of the Russian Navy stalled its technical progress and combat training.

[citation needed] In 1853, Menshikov was sent on a special mission to Constantinople,[3] and when the Crimean War broke out he was appointed commander-in-chief on land and sea.

He commanded the Russian army at Alma and Inkerman[1] and showed incompetence and lack of military talent.

On 15 February 1855 Menshikov was removed from command and replaced by Prince Mikhail Dmitrievich Gorchakov.