Nikolai Saltykov

Count, then Prince Nikolay Ivanovich Saltykov (, 31 October 1736 – 28 May 1816), a member of the Saltykov noble family, was a Russian Imperial Field Marshal and courtier best known as the tutor of the eventual Tsar Paul I of Russia and his two sons, Constantine and Alexander. He was the head of the Russian Army as the president of the War Collegium in 1791–1802. He was also the interim head (Lieutenant Grand Master) of the Order of Malta between 1801 and 1803. Life His parents were general Ivan Alexeyevich Saltykov (himself the nephew of Anna I of Russia) and countess Anastasia Petrovna Tolstoy. He spent a short time in the Semyonovsky Regiment, of which he became a permanent member in 1748. In 1747, he and his father took part in the Russian advance to the River Rhine. During the Seven Years' War he distinguished himself in several battles against Prussian forces. After the victory at Kunersdorf over Frederick II of Prussia, Nikolay was sent to Saint Petersburg to deliver news of the victory to the commander in chief - for that service, he was made a colonel. In 1761, under the command of Pyotr Rumyantsev, he fought at Kolberg. Peter II of Russia made Saltykov a major general and in 1763 he was given command of the troops stationed in Poland, where he took part in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774). In 1769 he aided Prince Alexander Golitsyn in the siege and occupation of the city of Chotyn, which Russian troops entered on 10 September that year. For fighting with distinction in these battles he was made a lieutenant-general and a member of the Order of Alexander Nevsky, but due to ill health he was forced to leave the campaign in order to travel abroad in search of a cure. During this time, he spent three years visiting Europe, most notably visiting Berlin and Paris. After he returned to Russia, Catherine II of Russia made him vice-president of Russia's Military Council. Simultaneously, Catherine made him hofmeister of the court. He became tutor to Grand Duke Paul, with whom he again visited Berlin in 1776 before accompanying Paul on a grand tour across Europe in 1781 and 1782.