View source for Dmitry Milyutin

{{Short description|Russian general and noble (1816–1912)}}
{{family name hatnote|Alekseyevich|Milyutin|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific_prefix=[[Field marshal (Russian Empire)|General Field Marshal]]
|name=Dmitry Milyutin
|native_name={{nobold|Дмитрий Милютин}}
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1816|6|28|df=y}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1912|1|25|1816|6|28|df=y}}
|birth_place= [[Moscow]], [[Moscow Governorate]], Russia
|death_place= [[Simeiz]], [[Taurida Governorate]], Russia
|resting_place= [[Novodevichy Convent]], [[Moscow]], Russia
|image= Milutin DA.jpg
|image_size= 
|caption= Milyutin in 1865
|monarch=[[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]]<br/>[[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]]
|office= [[Ministry of War of the Russian Empire|Minister of War]]
|predecessor=[[Nikolay Sukhozanet]]
|successor=[[Pyotr Vannovsky]]
|term_start=16 May 1861
|term_end=21 May 1881
|nickname=
|allegiance = {{flagcountry|Russian Empire|1858}}
|branch = [[Imperial Russian Army]]
|serviceyears= 1836–1881
|rank=[[Field marshal (Russian Empire)|General field marshal]]
|commands=
|battles={{tree list}}
*[[Caucasian War]]
*[[Crimean War]]
*[[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]
{{tree list/end}}
|mawards=see {{section link||Honours and awards}}
}}

Count '''Dmitry Alekseyevich Milyutin''' ({{langx|ru|Дмитрий Алексеевич Милютин}}; {{OldStyleDate|10 July|1816|28 June}} – {{OldStyleDate|7 February|1912|25 January}}) was a Russian [[Military history|military historian]] and politician who served as the [[Ministry of War of the Russian Empire|minister of war]] from 1861 to 1881. He was also the last Russian [[Field marshal (Russia)|general field marshal]] (1898). He was responsible for sweeping military reforms that changed the face of the Russian army in the 1860s and 1870s.

== Early career ==

Milyutin graduated from the [[Moscow University]] School in 1833 and [[General Staff Academy (Russian Empire)|Nicholas Military Academy]] in 1836. Unlike his brother [[Nikolai Milyutin]], who chose to pursue a career in civil administration, Dmitry volunteered to take part in the [[Caucasian War]] (1839–45). After sustaining a grave wound, he returned to the military academy to deliver lectures as a professor.

In the following years, Milyutin earned a considerable reputation as a brilliant scholar. He emphasized the scientific value of military statistics and authored the first comprehensive study of the subject, which earned him the [[Demidov Prize]] for 1847. Milyutin regarded [[Suvorov]] as a model for military commanders and the [[Italian and Swiss expedition|Italian campaign of 1799]] as the pinnacle of his career, elaborating these views in a detailed account of the campaign, published in five volumes in 1852 and 1853.

Capitalizing on his knowledge, Milyutin analyzed the causes of Russia's defeat in the [[Crimean War]] and framed some radical proposals for military reforms. His ideas were approved by [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]], who appointed Milyutin to the post of Minister of War in 1861. Several years earlier, Milyutin took part in the capture of [[Imam Shamil]], thus helping bring the prolonged Caucasian War to an end.

== Minister of War ==
[[File:Милютин, Дмитрий Алексеевич.jpg|thumb|left|200px|General Dmitry Alekseyevich Milyutin at the [[Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps]]]]
Milyutin was the [[Ministry of War (Russia)|minister of War]] from 16 May 1861 to 21 May 1881. The military reforms introduced during Milyutin's long tenure resulted in the [[levy system]] being introduced to Russia and [[Military district (Russian Empire)|military district]]s being created across the country. Military service was declared compulsory to all males aged 21 for 6 years, instead of the previous 25 years. This applied to all males including nobles. The system of military education was also reformed, and elementary education was made available to all the draftees. Milyutin's reforms are regarded as a milestone in the history of Russia. Before his reforms in, the Russian Army had no constant barracks and was billeted in dugouts and shacks.<ref>Wiesław Caban, Losy żołnierzy powstania listopadowego wcielonych do armii carskiej, w: Przegląd Historyczny, t. XCI, z. 2, s. 245.</ref>

The success of his reforms was demonstrated during the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]] of 1877–1878. Milyutin's subtle leadership made itself felt during the peak of the conflict when the Russians failed three times in a row to take [[Pleven]] and many experts advised them to retreat. Milyutin promptly ordered the siege to be continued in a more orderly manner, which brought the war to a victorious end. At the close of the war, Milyutin set up a commission in order to investigate faulty supply of provisions and other problems that had surfaced during the siege. In recognition of his services, he was made a count and received all the Russian orders, including the [[Order of Saint Andrew]].

Milyutin strongly advocated the deportation that formed the latter stage of the [[Circassian genocide]], arguing that "eliminating the Circassians was to be an end in itself – to cleanse the land of hostile elements".<ref>Walter Richmond, ''The Circassian Genocide'' (Rutgers University Press, 2013) pp 70-71, 131-32.</ref>

== Later life ==
[[File:Milyutin DA 1912.jpg|thumb|200px|General Dmitry Milyutin]]
After the [[Congress of Berlin]], Milyutin succeeded the ailing [[Alexander Gorchakov]] as the leader of the imperial foreign policy. Alexander II's assassination in 1881 rendered his position precarious, however, and after [[Konstantin Pobedonostsev]], intent on reversing the liberal innovations of the previous reign, emerged as the most powerful policy-maker, Milyutin resigned his office. In 1898, when the 80th anniversary of Alexander II was celebrated, he was promoted to [[Field Marshal]], the first man to receive this honour for many years and the last in the history of the [[Russian Empire]]. He died in Simeiz in 1912.

==Works==
* ''The history of Russia's war with France during the reign of Emperor Paul I in 1799'' [''История войны России с Францией в царствование Императора Павла I в 1799 году'']. "Written by Imperial order of Sovereign Emperor [[Nicholas I of Russia|Nicholas I]]". In five volumes. Saint Petersburg. 1852–1853. Типография штаба военно-учебных заведений.

==Honours and awards==
===Domestic===
* [[Order of St. Anna]], 1st class
* Order of St. Anna, 2nd class
* [[Order of the White Eagle (Russian Empire)|Order of the White Eagle]]
* [[Order of Saint Stanislaus (House of Romanov)|Order of St. Stanislaus]], 1st class
* Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd class
* [[Order of St. Vladimir]], 1st class
* [[Order of St. Alexander Nevsky]]
* [[Order of St. Andrew]]
* [[Demidov Prize]]
* [[Order of St. George]], 2nd class

===Foreign===
* {{flag|Kingdom of Romania}}
** [[Order of the Star of Romania]]
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg}} [[Kingdom of Prussia]]:<ref name="prus">{{citation|title=Königlich Preussische Ordensliste|volume=1|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021|pages=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=16&skin=2021 8], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=23&skin=2021 15], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878831&view=1up&seq=31&skin=2021 23]|language=German|location=Berlin|publisher=Gedruckt in der Reichsdruckerei|year=1886|via=hathitrust.org}}</ref>
** Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Red Eagle]], ''9 September 1872''
** [[Pour le Mérite]] (military), ''22 March 1879''
** Knight of the [[Order of the Black Eagle]], ''4 September 1879''
* {{flag|Austrian Empire}}:<ref name="osterreich">{{citation|chapter-url=https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1911&size=45&page=369|chapter=Ritter-Orden|title=Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie|date=1911|access-date=14 January 2021|pages=[https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1911&size=45&page=373 48], [https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1911&size=45&page=385 60], [https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1911&size=45&page=422 97]}}</ref>
** Knight of the Imperial [[Order of the Iron Crown (Austria)|Order of the Iron Crown]], 2nd Class, ''1853''
** Grand Cross of the Austrian Imperial [[Order of Leopold (Austria)|Order of Leopold]], ''1872''
* {{flag|French Third Republic}}
** Grand Cross of the [[Legion of Honour]], ''September 1876''<ref>{{cite book| author = M. Wattel, B. Wattel. | title = Les Grand'Croix de la Légion d'honneur de 1805 à nos jours. Titulaires français et étrangers |location= Paris |date = 2009 |publisher= Archives & Culture | page = 516 | isbn = 978-2-35077-135-9| ref = M. et B. Wattel}}</ref>
** [[Ordre des Palmes académiques|French Order of Academic Palms]]
* {{flag|Kingdom of Sweden|1844}}:<ref>{{citation|title=Sveriges Statskalender |year=1905|url=https://runeberg.org/statskal/1905/0464.html|page=440|via=runeberg.org|language=sv}}</ref>
** Knight of the [[Royal Order of the Seraphim]], ''19 July 1875''
* {{flagicon|Denmark}} [[Kingdom of Denmark]]:<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://dis-danmark.dk/bibliotek/921888.pdf#page=39 |title=Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1910 |publisher=J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri |date=1910 |editor-last=Bille-Hansen |editor-first=A. C. |series=Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender |location=Copenhagen |pages=3, 6 |language=da |trans-title=State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1910 |format=PDF |access-date=2 September 2020 |orig-date=1st pub.:1801 |editor2-last=Holck |editor2-first=Harald |via=[[:da:DIS Danmark]]}}</ref>
** Knight of the [[Order of the Elephant]], ''19 August 1876''
* {{flag|Kingdom of Hungary}}:<ref name="osterreich"/>
** Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian [[Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary|Order of St. Stephen]], ''1874''
* {{flagicon|Mecklenburg-Strelitz}} [[Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]]
** [[House Order of the Wendish Crown]]
* {{flag|Principality of Serbia}}
** [[Order of the Cross of Takovo]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acović|first=Dragomir|title=Slava i čast: Odlikovanja među Srbima, Srbi među odlikovanjima|year=2012|location=Belgrade|publisher=Službeni Glasnik|pages=623}}</ref>
* {{flag|Principality of Montenegro}}
** [[Order of Prince Danilo I]]
* {{flag|Qajar dynasty}}
** [[Order of the Lion and the Sun]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{efron|wstitle=Милютин, Дмитрий Алексеевич}}

== Further reading ==
* Forrest A. Miller,  ''Dmitrii Miliutin and the Reform Era in Russia'' (1968)
*  Walter Richmond, ''The Circassian Genocide'' (Rutgers University Press, 2013) [https://www.questia.com/library/120090118/the-circassian-genocide online]
* His memoirs have been reprinted. The early years in a volume published by Oriental Research Partners (Newtonville, Mass) in 1978 with a new useful introduction by Prof. Bruce Lincoln. A three volume set of memoirs of his later years was published by Rossiiski arkhiv (Moscow 1999-2006) Pp.&nbsp;525, 557, 730.

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
*{{Cite NIE|wstitle=Milyutin, Dmitri, Count|short=x}}

{{Authority control}}
{{War ministers of the Russian Empire}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milyutin, Dmitry}}
[[Category:1816 births]]
[[Category:1912 deaths]]
[[Category:Writers from Moscow]]
[[Category:People from Moskovsky Uyezd]]
[[Category:Counts of the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Members of the State Council (Russian Empire)]]
[[Category:Field marshals of the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Politicians from the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Military writers from the Russian Empire]]
[[Category:Reformers]]
[[Category:Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Russian military personnel of the Caucasian War]]
[[Category:Circassian genocide perpetrators]]
[[Category:Demidov Prize laureates]]
[[Category:Honorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Second Degree]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Takovo|Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Takovo]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary]]
[[Category:Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Ministers of War of the Russian Empire]]