Alexander Yegorovich Timashev (15 April 1818 – 1 February 1893) was a Russian statesman. He served as Adjutant General (1859), Cavalry General (1872); Chief of Staff of the Gendarme Corps and Manager of the Third Section of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery (1856–1861); Minister of Posts and Telegraphs (1867–1868); and Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire (1868–1878).
Biography
Alexander Timashev came from an old noble family. Born 3 April 1818, in the Orenburg Province, where at that time his father served and owned the estate. The son of Major General Yegor Timashev and his wife Ekaterina Alexandrovna, née Zagryazhskaya.
Educated at the Noble Boarding School at the Imperial Moscow University and at the School of Guards Ensigns and Cavalry Junkers.
On 27 September 1835, he was released from the School and enlisted as a non–commissioned officer in the Izmailovsky Life Guards Regiment, and a year later, on 3 December 1836, he was promoted to sub–ensign. On 1 September 1837, he received his first officer rank – ensign, on 12 September of the same year, he was transferred to the Life Guards Grenadier Regiment.
On 29 April 1840, he was transferred to the Cavalry Guard Regiment and renamed into cornet. On 21 April 1842, he was promoted to lieutenant.
On 19 February 1844, Timashev was sent to the Separate Caucasian Corps, where he arrived in April. On 17–18 September of the same year, he took part in his first battle with the highlanders, for which he was awarded the Order of Saint Anne of the 3rd Degree With a Bow. Having received the rank of adjutant wing on 6 December 1844, in January 1845, he returned to Saint Petersburg. On 21 April 1845, he was promoted to staff captain, and on 1 July 1848, to captain.
During these years, with the rank of adjutant wing, he was regularly sent around the empire to carry out various assignments, such as monitoring the progress of recruits, conducting investigations in case of incidents, examining troops affected by the cholera epidemic, and others. He also accompanied Emperor Nicholas I on numerous trips around Russia.
On 18 June 1849, he was sent to the detachment of Lieutenant General Grotengelm, who participated in the campaign in Transylvania against the rebellious Hungarians. Arriving at the detachment, on 26–27 June, he took part in the battle near the village of Koshno, the attack on Bystritsa and in the pursuit of the Hungarians to Seredfilvo. On 3 July, he participated in the battle at Galati, on 9 July – in the capture of the town of Safhegan and the pursuit of the enemy to the village of Sharonberk, and on 24 July, commanding two squadrons of the Elisavetgrad Uhlan Regiment, defeated the enemy rear guard near the village of Shariot.
On 7 August 1849, Timashev was promoted to colonel, and on 10 August he was sent to Shabo, where he accepted the surrender of a 15–thousandth detachment of Hungarians. On 12 August, he left Hungary and went to Warsaw, where Nicholas I was at that time.
On 6 December 1850, Colonel Timashev was appointed to the correcting position of Chief of Staff of the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Corps, with whom he took part in the campaign of 1854–1855 after the start of the Crimean War. On 29 August 1855, he was appointed correcting the post of Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army Corps, which fought in the Crimea. On 13 September, he was confirmed in office.
On 22 September 1855, he was promoted to major general with an appointment to the Retinue of His Majesty, with the retention of his post. On 16 February 1856, Timashev was instructed to hold a meeting at the Stone Bridge across the Black River with representatives of the Anglo–French troops to agree on the final terms of the armistice and determine the demarcation line.
On 11 May 1856, he was dismissed from the post of Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army Corps, and on 26 August of the same year, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Gendarme Corps and Manager of the 3rd Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery. On 24 September 1856, he was also appointed a member of the General Directorate of Censorship, and on 20 December 1858, a member of the Committee of Railways.
On 17 April 1859, he was awarded the rank of Adjutant General. From 10 September 1859, he temporarily served the duties of the Chief of Gendarmes and the Chief of the 3rd Department. Not getting along with his immediate superior, the Chief of the Gendarmes, Prince Vasily Dolgorukov, finding him too liberal, and also not agreeing with the basic principles of peasant reform, Timashev submitted a petition to relieve him of his post. On 18 March 1861, he was dismissed on indefinite leave.