| PrinceValerian Madatov |
| Valerian Madatov was born Rostom Madatian in 1782 in Avetaranots, Karabakh of the Melik nobility. At the age of 15 he left Karabakh for St. Petersburg with some Karabakh noblemen to ask the Russian empress Catherine the Great to help them liberate Karabakh from Muslim control. During his stay in Petersburg, young Madatov decided to stay there and join the military. For the next 10 years Madatov would spend his time training and serving in lower officer ranks. Madatov saw his first action in 1809 on the Danube, at the storming of the Brailov fortress, where he recieved his first order. After that he recieved medals and orders one after the other. In 1810 Madatov was transfered to the Alexander Hussar Regiment. As a commander against the Turks he proved himself to be involuable. For his actions against the Turks he was given the Cross of St. George. During the war against Napoleon, Madatov was the commander of Alexander Hussar Regiment. At the first chance of battle against the armies of Napoleon, he gave a great blow to the Saxons, and forced them to give up their arms and surrender. Madatov would never fail his soldiers at that particular theater of the Napoleonic campaign. After Napoleon started his retreat to France, Madatov's regiment was right there chasing the French emperor all over Europe, and his most distinguishing action was the capture of hundreds of thousands of French troops during the battles up to Vilna. For those brave actions he was made a Colonel and recieved a gold sabre with the insciption: "For bravery." At the end of December Madatov's regiment crossed the Nieman and defeated the Saxons once again, and captured General Nostitsia. For that he recieved another Cross of St. George. Madatov was also made a Major-General after fighting in a decisive battle in Germany with a wouned arm. Still not fully recovered from his wound, Madatov was there to march his men across Paris. He would stay in France as a commander of the occupational forces as a Commander of the Hussar Brigade until he was called back in 1815 to serve in the Caucasus, especially in Karabakh. Madatov spent 10 years back home in the Caucasus. Unlike Russian officers, Madatov knew most of the languages of the Caucasus and could communicate and relate with the people much better. He helped bring short peace to a region that has not seen peace for a long time. In 1826 Persia attacked Karabakh, killing and tourturing the population. At the sound of the news Madatov hurried to Tiflis to take command of the forces which would push the Persians from Karabakh, Armenia, Gerogia, and the rest of the Southern Caucasus. When Madatov's forces reached the field of battle, Madatov ordered a full scale attack, an attack which would surprise and paralyze the Persians. Madatov never let up on the enemy and finaly drove them out across the Arax River. In 1826 Madatov was made Lieutenant General. He concluded his legendary career doing what he knew best, fighting the Turks at the Danube. He helped to push the Turks out of the Balkans, and three years later, in 1829, he died. Madatov was a perfect example of the Karabakh military tradition. He proved that a Melik could not only win against the Turks and Persians in the Caucasus, but that he could beat the Turks in Europe and the French in their own empire. |
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