Peter Tekeli

Peter Tekeli (Russian: Пётр Авраамович Текели, romanized: Pyotr Avraamovich Tekeli; Serbian: Петар Поповић Текелија, romanized: Petar Popović Tekelija; Hungarian: Tököly-Popovics Péter; 1720–1792) was a Russian general-in-chief of Serb origin. He achieved the highest rank among the Serbs who served in the Imperial Russian Army. Tekeli was born in a noble family of military tradition, whose men were officers of the Austrian army in the Military Frontier. Prior to his emigration to Russia in 1748, he fought as a young officer in the War of the Austrian Succession. Characterized by both courage and military cunning, he made a splendid career in Russia. He participated in the Seven Years' War, the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 and the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792. Under his command, the Zaporozhian Cossacks were disbanded and subjugated to the Imperial authority in 1775, without spilling a single drop of blood, for which he received the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky from Empress Catherine the Great. He retired in 1790, and died two years later in his mansion at Novomirgorod.