MENSHIKOFF, or MENTCHIKOFF, nirmf shi-ked. ALEXANDER N I LOVITCH or 1730). A Russian field-marshal and 1\ linister of State. He was born at Moscow. November 16, 1672, in humble eireumstam'e,:, and was a baker's apprentice. His intelligent eountenance attracted the notice of General T.efort. through whose patronage he was taken into the service of Peter the Great. lie discovered a conspiraey among the Streltsi and his rapid promotion was se cured. He accompanied Peter in his travels to Ilolland and England, and on the death of Lefort became the tzar's chief adviser. Af,n,iiikoir shelved equal ability as a general and as a diplo matist and although totally uneducated he did much to promote the education of the people, and was a liberal patron of the arts and sciences. ()n (Wtuber 30, 1700, he defeated the Swedes at Kalisz; he contributed to some of the Czar's other victories, was made a field-marshal on the field of Poltava, 1709, and after the battle com pelled Lewenhaupt to capitulate with a great part of the Swedish army. in 1710 lie took Riga:
in 1712 he led the Russian troops into Pomerania and Holstein. and in 1713 took Stettin, but gave it up to Prussia contrary to the will of the Czar. This and his avarice so displeased Peter that moishikotr was court-martialed and eondentned to death, but he was pardoned on payment of a heavy fine. During the reign of Catharine 1. be regained his intim-nee at Court. and after her death governed Russia with almost absolute au thority in the name of Peter II. His daughter wes about to marry the young Czar, when .Menshi koll' was overthrown by Dolgornki and banished to Siberia. September, 1727. Ills estates and treasures were confiscated.