When Nadezhda Durova was only 1 year old, her mother, a psychopath, grabbed her from the hands of her nanny and threw her out of the carriage window because the child was crying loudly.
Thus began the story of a cavalry girl, who is often called the first female officer of the Russian Imperial Army. In fairness, this is not entirely true. Other women fought with Nadezhda at the same time, but it was she who left the brightest mark in history and for many became an example of valor, courage and unbending will.
And many still consider Nadezhda Durova the prototype of Shurochka Azarova, the heroine of the famous film “Hussar Ballad”. Let's find out how similar their fates are.
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The bloodied girl was picked up by the hussars and the father of Nadezhda, the hussar captain, decided to leave the child in the care of the regiment, away from, to put it mildly, a hot-tempered mother.
For 5 years of regimental life, Nadia turned into a frisky child with boyish habits and the makings of a future warrior. But the father resigned, the family moved to Vyatka province and the girl again became a burden for her mother.
Marriage and Escape
At the age of 18, Nadezhda was married to Vasily Chernov, a lay judge. The birth of a son, Ivan, weighed on a woman just like an unloved husband, and in the end she went to her parents. I did not have to endure my daughter for a long time: Nadezhda fell in love with the Cossack Yesaul, changed into her uniform and fled.
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For some time, the woman regularly played the role of a batman with her esaul, but did not stay with him for a long time. According to the charter, all Cossacks were ordered to wear beards and, in order to avoid being exposed, Nadya entered the service in the Konnopolsky regiment to beardless ulans.
Beginning of a career and meeting with the emperor
The first battles Nadia took place with her faithful horse Alcides, donated by his father.
She participated in several important battles of the War of the Fourth Coalition, showing enviable courage, and was in Tilsit during the signing of the peace treaty. Until then, no one suspected that a woman was fighting in the army. Hope gave herself out in a sentimental letter to her father, where she asked him for forgiveness. After running away from home, she left a dress on the shore, and her father could consider her drowned.
In an attempt to return his daughter, Andrei Vasilievich Durov reached the emperor himself, and now Nadezhda appeared before Alexander I. The autocrat was struck by the woman’s frantic desire to serve his own country, cornered her and handed over the George Cross for saving a wounded officer in battle.
Feats of War and Retirement
However, Nadezhda spent two years in Sarapul with her father. Then she transferred to the Lithuanian Lancers Regiment, where, with the rank of lieutenant, she commanded a half-squadron during the Patriotic War of 1812.
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In the battle of Borodino, the girl cavalryman received a severe shrapnel wound in the leg and was released by Kutuzov for treatment. Overcoming the pains tormenting her, she returned to the army and distinguished herself in the battles for the liberation of Germany.
With the rank of head captain Nadezhda Durova, she resigned and settled in Yelabuga with her younger brother. She took up literary activity, wore only men's clothing and signed the army name Alexandrov. She was very angry when she was approached as a woman.
The first lady officer spent the rest of her life with her dogs and cats, which she picked up on the street. Nadezhda Durova died at the age of 82 and was buried with military honors.
