Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (June 4, 1867 – January 28, 1951) was the reputed Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces, Marshal of Finland, an astute politician, a successful military commander and was later President of Finland (1944–1946).

An Officer in the Imperial Russian Army

Eventually, in January 1891, Mannerheim was transferred to serve in Her Majesty Maria Feodorovna's Chevalier Guards in St Petersburg. His family arranged for him to be married to Anastasie Arapova, daughter of a Russian general, for economic reasons. They had two daughters, Sophie and Anastasie. The marriage ended in an unofficial separation in 1902 and in a formal divorce in 1919.

Related Topics:
1891 - Maria Feodorovna - St Petersburg - 1902 - 1919

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mannerheim served in the Chevalier Guards until 1904, though he was posted to the Imperial Court Stables Administration from 1897 to 1903. Mannerheim specialised as an expert on horses, buying stud stallions and special duty horses for the army. In 1903 he was put in charge of a display squadron and became a member of the equestrian training board of the cavalry regiments. In October 1904, Mannerheim was transferred to the 52nd Nezhin Dragoon Regiment in Manchuria, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He fought in the Russo-Japanese War and was promoted to Colonel for his bravery in the battle of Mukden.

Related Topics:
1904 - 1897 - 1903 - Equestrian - Manchuria - Lieutenant-Colonel - Russo-Japanese War - Colonel - Mukden

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On returning from the war, Mannerheim spent time in Finland and Sweden 1905-1906. As a representative of the baronial branch of his family, he was present as a members of the Estate of Nobility in the last session of the Diet of Finland. He also led an expedition to China, travelling from Tashkent to Kashgar from July to October 1906, with the French scientist Paul Pelliot. Shortly thereafter, he led a separate expedition into China until the autumn of 1908. The expedition had strategic purposes, in addition to anthropological, because these areas in northern China were a potential point of crisis between Russia, China and even the United Kingdom (see: The Great Game).

Related Topics:
1905 - 1906 - Estate - Nobility - Diet of Finland - China - Tashkent - Kashgar - Paul Pelliot - 1908 - United Kingdom - The Great Game

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the trip, in 1909 he was appointed commander of the 13th Vladimir Uhlan Regiment. The following year, Mannerheim was promoted to Major General and was posted as the commander of the Life Guard Uhlan Regiment of His Majesty in Warsaw. In 1912 he became a part of Imperial entourage, he was appointed a cavalry brigade commander in 1913.

Related Topics:
1909 - Major General - Warsaw - 1912 - 1913

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In World War I, Mannerheim served as a cavalry commander at the Austro-Hungarian and Romanian fronts. After distinguishing himself in combat against the Austro-Hungarian forces, Mannerheim was in December 1914 awarded one of the highest honours of Imperial Russia, St. George's Cross, 4th class. In 1915 Mannerheim rose to command the 12th Cavalry Division and, after the February Revolution of 1917, he took the command of the 6th Cavalry Corps in the summer of 1917. Already in April 1917 Mannerheim had been promoted to Lieutenant General (the promotion was backdated to February 1915 ). However, Mannerheim fell out of favor with the new government, who regarded him as one of the officers who did not support the revolution. In September he was relieved of his duties, when in sick leave after falling from his horse. He was now in the reserve and trying to recover his health in Odessa. He began planning retirement to civilian life and a return to Finland.

Related Topics:
World War I - Austro-Hungarian - Romanian - 1914 - 1915 - February Revolution - 1917 - Lieutenant General - Odessa

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~