Major General
1810 Unknown
20.4.1862 Odessa, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire
Born to Finnish-Russian senior diplomat Frans David Alopaeus and Jeanette Caroline Charlotte von Wenckstern, very little is recorded about his youth. What is known is he was born around 1810 and he was enrolled at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Upon graduating from Lyceum in 1829 he the Hussar Life Guards Regiment as a Cornet.
He took part in the Polish Uprising of 1830, where he took part in the assault on Warsaw. In either 1933 or 34, he was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment. In 1837 Alopaeus was court-martialed for “indecent behaviour” and as punishment, he was transferred to a line regiment. He perform his duties in his new posting admirable as in 1840 he was awarded a Golden Weapon for Bravery and in 1841 was transferred back to the Hussar Life Guards Regiment as a Staff Captain.
Fredrik’s brother Alexander Alopaeus, a diplomat who held his father’s title of Count in the Kingdom of Poland, passed away while serving in Turin in 1841. This meant that Fredrik now inherited the title of Count. His career advanced steadily in the next decade, becoming Captain in 1845 and Colonel in 1847. By the end of the decade he was Aide-de-camp to Duke Maximilian de Beauharnais of Leuchtenberg. In 1852 he was appointed to His Imperial Majesty’s Retinue, a highly prestigious honour.
During the Crimean War, Alopaeus was a member of Prince Mikhail Dmitrievich Gorchakov’s headquarters. He served under the Prince throughout the war, including the defence of Sevastopol. In September 1855, in recognition of his loyal service, he was promoted to Major General. The following year saw him transferred to Odessa where he took up the post as commander of the troops garrisoned there. He would remain in the city until his death in 1862, serving as Mayor for a time, before retiring and living the rest of his days as a member of the court.
Honours and Awards
1840 – Golden Weapon for Bravery
1854 – Order of St. Vladimir 3rd Class
1855 – Order of St. George 4th Class
Ranks
1829 – Cornet
1833/34 – Lieutenant
1841 – Staff Captain
1845 – Captain
1847 – Colonel
1855 – Major General
Family
Wife – Baroness Alexandra Petrovna (née Frederiks; 1815-10.03.1901), married 1833.
Sources
Fredrik Alopaeus, Biography Center, Finnish Literature Society
Imperial Russian Army