Ivan Gudovich

Count Ivan Vasilyevich Gudovich (Russian, in full: граф Иван Васильевич Гудович) (1741–1820) was a Russian noble and military leader of Ukrainian descent. His exploits included the capture of Khadjibey (1789) and the conquest of maritime Dagestan (1807).

Ivan's father was an influential member of the Ukrainian Cossack starshina. He sent his sons to be educated abroad, at the Königsberg Albertina University and the University of Leipzig. Upon coming to St Petersburg in 1759, Gudovich joined the Russian Army, hoping to benefit from the favours enjoyed by his elder brother, Andrey, an aide-de-camp to Peter III.

Upon the latter's dethronement in 1762, the Gudovich brothers were apprehended and briefly imprisoned. It was during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–74) that Ivan Gudovich rose to prominence and greatly distinguished himself at Khotyn, Larga, and Kagul. The next ten years were spent in half-military, half-administrative work in Ryazan, Tambov, and Podolia.

Gudovich won a European reputation for a series of brilliantly conducted sieges during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92). In 1789 he succeeded in taking the citadel of Khadjibey, which would be renamed Odessa by the imperial administration. He proceeded to capture Kilia, a strong fortress commanding the Danube Delta. When he prepared to lay siege to Izmail, Prince Potemkin had him replaced with Suvorov. Thereupon Gudovich moved to the Caucasian front, where he stormed the most important Ottoman stronghold, Anapa, and took prisoner its garrison of 13,000 soldiers.

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