The Petrovsky period of Russian history remains one of the largest in terms of the degree of cardinal changes that affected the entire way of life of a vast country. The young king, despite his abilities and strong character, from the very beginning of his reign needed help and advice in choosing the direction, methods and means for his transformations.
He found support among compatriots who understood the need for change, and among foreigners, in whose way of life and way of thinking he saw separate features of the new country he was building. Franz Lefort was one of the faithful companions of Peter the Great, faithfully serving the sovereign and the new homeland to the best of his ability.
From a family of merchants
The ancestors of the Petrine admiral came from Piedmont, a province in northern Italy. Their surname at first sounded like Lefortti, then, after they moved to Switzerland, it was redone in the French way - Le Fort.
The main occupation, which brought a good income to the Leforts, was mosca (household chemicals: varnishes, paints, soap) trade. A merchant career was also waiting for Francois, who was born in 1656 in Geneva and was the youngest of the seven sons of Jacob Le Fort. At the insistence of his father, Franz Lefort, after graduating from the Geneva Collegium (secondary educational institution) in 1670, went to Marseille to study trading.
Born for exploits
Tall, handsome, physically strong, dexterous and quick-witted, cheerful and energetic young man could hardly imagine his future life as standing at the counter or sitting at the desk. Franz Lefort, whose biography was supposed to be a repetition of the prosperous life path of his father and close relatives, fled from a merchant called to teach him the basics of business, to the garrison fortress of Marseille, where he entered the military service as a cadet.
Infuriated by the willfulness of his son, Jacob Lefort demands the return of the offspring home. A strict Calvinistic upbringing does not allow Franz to disobey the head of the family, and upon arrival in Geneva, he nevertheless starts working in the shop.
It took about three years before Franz received permission from his father and relatives to go to military service to the Duke of Courland. At the end of the summer of 1675, he leaves Geneva to take part in the fighting in the theater of the Franco-Dutch War.
At the invitation of the Russian Tsar
European wars of that time were usually fought by the forces of "landsknechts", invited by numerous rulers of small state formations. Franz Lefort also became a "soldier of fortune" of the 17th century. A brief biography of such military experts often consisted of a series of moves in search of a bettershare.
Peace talks have begun in Holland. Disinherited after the death of his father, Lefort accepts an invitation from the Dutch Lieutenant Colonel Van Frosten, who assembled a team at the invitation of the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and at the end of 1675 he ends up in Arkhangelsk, and the next year in Moscow.
German Settlement
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich had died by that time, his son Fedor was on the throne. Three years passed before Lefort was accepted into military service with the rank of captain. During this time, he settled in the capital of Muscovy, settled in the German settlement, made friends with Europeans who lived in Moscow for a long time. One of those who willingly mastered the language, tried to understand local customs and became Franz Lefort. The nationality of the inhabitants of the foreign settlement was diverse. Franz enjoyed a special favor with the Scot Patrick Gordon, the future Petrine general. He even managed to marry the daughter of a native of England, Lieutenant Colonel Suge - Elizabeth.
At the end of 1678, Lefort (Franz Yakovlevich - that's how they began to call him in Muscovy) was appointed commander of a company that was part of the Kyiv garrison, commanded by Gordon. For two years of service, in addition to the garrison service in Kyiv, he took part in campaigns against the Crimeans. Lefort enjoyed the favor of Prince Vasily Golitsyn, known for his pro-Western sentiments.
In 1681, Lefort was released on leave to his homeland. In Geneva, relatives persuaded him not to return to the barbarian country, but to continue his service in Europe. But Francois, wellspeaking of Moscow, he returned to the German settlement.
Crimean campaigns
On his return to Moscow, he found changes in the Kremlin. After the death of Tsar Fedor, his brothers Ivan and Peter were crowned king, under the regency of their sister, the domineering and ambitious Sophia. Prince Golitsin was her favorite and, in order to strengthen the authority of the queen, undertook two campaigns against the Crimean Turks. Both campaigns were unsuccessful due to poor preparation, but Lefort, who was inseparable from the commander-in-chief, proved to be a skilled officer and was soon promoted to colonel.
Some historians believe that the failures of the second Crimean campaign (1689) were exaggerated, however, soon after Sophia's power completely weakened: a new sovereign, Peter, rose to his feet in Moscow.
Rapprochement with Peter
Brilliant European, smart and charming, educated and skillful officer Franz Lefort soon became an irreplaceable friend for the young tsar. With him, Peter could find answers to numerous questions about the state system, and the preparation of a combat-ready army, and the improvement of life in the European manner.
Thanks to established ties with Geneva, Franz, at the request of his royal friend, actively invited engineers, shipbuilders, gunsmiths and other specialists from all over Europe to Muscovy, in which Peter felt a significant lack.
The Lefort House in the German Quarter was considered one of the best in decoration and society and was the most suitable meeting place for a large companylike-minded people that Peter gathered around him. He allocated funds for the construction of a huge hall in the Lefort house, where the young tsar could spend time in a European way away from the conservative Kremlin environment.
On the occasion of the birth of the heir in 1690, numerous favors were announced in Moscow to Peter's inner circle. Lefort was not ignored either. Franz Yakovlevich became a major general.
Lefortovskaya Sloboda
At the request of Lefort, who sought to create a regular army in Moscow, a place was allocated for a military camp on the left bank of the Yauza. A large parade ground was arranged there, where intensive drill and tactical training took place, barracks and houses for command personnel were erected. Gradually, a whole urban area was formed here, today bearing the name of Lefortovo.
Major-General Lefort set about preparing a new type of Russian army with great energy. Having organized the service according to the European model, he achieved strict observance of discipline and high proficiency of soldiers and officers. During maneuvers - "fun campaigns" - he showed personal courage, once receiving a slight wound.
Trips to Azov
In 1695 and 1696, military campaigns were undertaken to the south, aimed at gaining access to the Black Sea and blocking the Turkish threat to the southern borders of Russia. Franz Lefort and Peter 1 during these enterprises were in constant and close interaction. During the assault on the Azov fortress, Lefort was in the forefront of the attackers and even personally capturedenemy banner.
In preparation for the second phase of the Southern War, Lefort became Admiral of the Fleet. In this appointment, Peter did not proceed from the outstanding naval skills of Franz, which he did not possess. He was important tireless work, energy, quick wit, Lefort's honesty, his personal devotion to the sovereign. They were required to build ships for the young Russian fleet, to train crews. In the second campaign, Lefort was appointed commander of the naval forces.
Grand Embassy
In the spring of 1697, a diplomatic mission of 250 people left Moscow for Europe. The head of the delegation was Lefort, Peter was present as a private person. The goal of the "great embassy" was to achieve an alliance with European states against the Turkish empire, and the young sovereign sought to satisfy his own curiosity about the European way of life, new military and civilian technologies.
During the European tour, Lefort was the main official of the embassy. He conducted active diplomatic negotiations, arranged receptions, corresponded with European politicians, talked with those who wanted to enter the Russian service. He parted with the king only for the duration of his stay in England.
In the summer of 1698, a message came from Moscow about the uprising of the archers, forcing Peter and his associates to urgently return to Russia.
Great loss
On his return to the capital Lefort, at the direction of the king, he participated intrials of the rebel archers, while there is evidence of his protest against the mass executions, in which he strongly refused to participate.
During a trip to Europe on the Yauza, a magnificent palace was built for Lefort, presented to him by Peter. But the admiral only managed to celebrate a magnificent housewarming. At the end of February, his he alth deteriorated sharply. He had long been tormented by the consequences of a fall from a horse that happened to him during the Azov campaign. At the end of February 1699, he caught a cold, fell ill with a fever, and died on March 2 of the same year.
This was a huge loss for Tsar Peter. He said that he had lost a true friend, one of the most devoted comrades-in-arms, whom he now especially needed.
Lefort also had true friends, as well as fierce opponents. Franz Yakovlevich, whose brief biography is similar to the plot of an adventure novel, caused deep respect among some, burning hatred among others. Most likely, he was not the main initiator of Peter's reforms, as some historians seem to think. But to make him only a cheerful royal drinking companion, as some argue, is also deeply unfair. Before us is the bright life of a man who, with every fiber of his soul, wished well-being for the country that became his second home.
