Pyotr Ivanovich, Prince Bagration

born 1765, Kizlyar, Russia—died September 24 [​September 12, Old Style], 1812, Sima

He was a Russian general who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and Patriotic war of 1812.

In 1805 Russia joined the coalition against Napoleon. After the collapse of the Austrians at Ulm in October 1805, Bagration won praise for his successful defense in the Battle of Schöngrabern (November 1805) that allowed Russian forces to withdraw and unite with the main Russian army of Mikhail Kutuzov. In December 1805 the combined Russo-Austrian army suffered defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz, where Bagration commanded the allied right wing against the French under Jean Lannes. Later he commanded Russian troops in the Finnish War (1808–1809) against Sweden and in another war against the Turks (1806–1812) on the Danube.

During the Patriotic war of 1812 (French invasion of Russia), Bagration commanded one of two large Russian armies fighting a series of rear-guard actions. The Russians failed to stop the French advance at the Battle of Smolensk in August 1812.
During the Battle of Borodino (7 September [​old style 26 August] 1812) near Moscow. Bagration commanded the left wing around what became known as the Bagration flèches at Borodino, where he was mortally wounded; he died a couple of weeks later. Originally buried at a local church, in 1839 he was reburied on the battlefield of Borodino.

In honor of the Russian commander Pyotr Bagration, an offensive operation (1944) was named during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), during which 80% of the vast territory of Belarus and a quarter of Poland, as well as part of Lithuania and Latvia, were cleared of the invaders by the Soviet troops.