Nikolay Nikolayevich Muravyov-Amursky (also spelled as
Nikolai Nikolaevich Muraviev-Amurskiy; ; – ) was a
Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in the
expansion of the
Russian Empire into the
Amur River basin and to the shores of the
Sea of Japan.
Surname spelling
The surname Muravyov has also been transcribed as
Muravyev or
Murav'ev.
Early life and career
Nikolay Muravyov was born in
St. Petersburg. He graduated from the
Page Corps in 1827. He participated in the
Siege of Varna in the
Russo-Turkish War in 1828–1829, and later in suppression of the
November Uprising in
Poland in 1831. Due to health reasons, he retired from the military in 1833 and returned home to manage his father's estate. However, he returned to active duty in 1838, as General Golovin's
aide-de-camp, to serve in the
Caucasus region. During one of the
campaigns against the mountain people Muravyov was wounded.
In 1840, Muravyov was assigned to command one of the sections of the
Black Sea coast defense lines, during which time he participated in the suppression of the
Ubykh people.
Muravyov was promoted in rank to major-general in 1841, but had to permanently retire from the military due to illness. He transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was appointed as an acting military and civil governor of
Tula province in 1846. Eager in his willingness to improve the province's state of affairs, he proposed to establish the
Governorate...
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