Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov, Prince ( 1673 - 1729 )

Birth: Moscow (16 November 1673) [Old Style 6 November 1673] Death: Beryozovo, Siberia, Russia (23 November 1729) [Old style 12 November 1729] Profession: Soldier Education: Rumoured to be illiterate Career: Private, and later lieutenant, in the 1st Regiment of Guards; discovered a plot to assassinate Peter and put his sister Princess Sophia on the throne; Governor of Schusselburg and afterwards of the Province of Ingria; accompanied Peter on his travels to Holland and England (1697-1699); fought in the Azoff campaign (1695-1696), and at the Battle of Poltava (1709); Field Marshal (1709); Regent of Russia in the absence of Czar, his conduct provoked many complaints of injustice and corruption, but he was acquitted; First Minister of the Russian Empire; Generalissimo of the Russian Cavalry; after the death of Peter, used all his efforts to put Catherine on the throne of Russia and had absolute power over the Empire; after her death, staged a coup d'etat but was overthrown, exiled to Siberia with his wife and children and forced to surrender his enormous wealth (1727); died of a slow fever Membership: Fellow Election Date: 29/07/1714.