Alexander of Wurttemberg ( 1771-1833 ) Duke, General of Cavalry Alexander of Wurttemberg was the son of Duke of Wurttemberg Frederick-Eugene and the brother of Empress Maria Fedorovna (the wife of Emperor Paul I). He began his military service in the Austrian army in 1789. Five years after in the rank of colonel he participated in the military actions against the French Republic. He distinguished in 1794 when he commanded the left wing of the Austrian van-guard and crushed the rear-guard of the French troops of General Jourdan. Also he fought against French in Switzerland. In one of the battles he defeated the troops of General Vandamme. After making peace Alexander of Wurttemberg passed to the Russian army under the command of Alexander Suvorov, he was an admirer of Suvorov for a long time. In the Russian army Alexander of Wurttemberg got the rank of lieutenant-general in 1800. The close relationship with the Russian Empress helped Alexander of Wurttemberg in quick promotion in the Russian army. So in the same year of 1800 he was promoted to the next general rank and was appointed the Chief of the Rizhsky Dragoon regiment. In 1811 he was appointed the General-Governor of Belorussia. From the very beginning of the war of 1812 Alexander of Wurttemberg was in the acting army. He took part in the battles of Vitebsk, Smolensk, Borodino, Tarutino, Maloyaroslavets. In the Borodino battle when General Bagration was mortally wounded Alexander of Wurttemberg temporarily commanded the left wing of the Russian army instead of Bagration. In 1813 he commanded the corps besieged Danzig, the garrison of that was much bigger that his troops. On August,17 Alexander of Wurttemberg could defeat the troops of General Rapp, that made a sally from the fortress. For this victory General of cavalry Alexander of Wurttemberg was decorated with the Order of St.George of the 2nd class. Soon the fortress of Danzig capitulated and Alexander of Wurtttemberg was rewarded by Emperor Alexander with a sword with the inscription "For Conquering Danzig". After the end of the Napoleonic wars Alexander of Wurttemberg came back to the post of the General-Governor of Belorussia. In 1822 he was appointed the Chief Manager of Means of Communication of the Russian Empire. The results of 10 years of his work on this post were very successful, especially in the area of building of channels and highways.