War and Enlightenment in Russia: Military Culture in the Age of Catherine II

War and Enlightenment in Russia explores how members ofthe military during the reignof Catherine II reconciled Enlightenmentideas about the equality and moral worth of allhumans with the Russian reality based on serfdom, a worldgoverned by autocracy, absolute respect for authority, andsubordination to seniority.

While there is a sizable literature about the impact of theEnlightenment on government, economy, manners, and literaturein Russia, no analytical framework that outlines itsimpact on the military exists. Eugene Miakinkov’s researchaddresses this gap and challenges the assumption that themilitary was an unadaptable and vertical institution. Using archivalsources, military manuals, essays, memoirs, and letters,the author demonstrates how the Russian militaires philosophes operationalized the Enlightenment by turning thoughtinto reality.