Ilya Duka

{{infobox military person

| honorific_prefix = Baron

| name = Ilya Mikhailovich Duka

| image = Duka Ilya Michailovich.jpg

|caption = Portrait by George Dawe in the Military Gallery of the Winter PalaceThe State Hermitage. Western European painting. Catalog. 2nd Volume

| birth_date = 1768

| birth_place = Aachen, Holy Roman Empire

| death_date = {{Death date|1830|02|28}}

| death_place = Ivnya, Kursk Governorate, Imperial Russia

|allegiance ={{flag|Russian Empire}}

|branch = Army

|serviceyears = 1776–1827

|rank = General of the Cavalry

| battles_label = Wars

| battles =

| awards = Order of St. George
Order of the Red Eagle
Order of Leopold
Order of St. Vladimir
Gold Sword for Bravery
Order of Saint Anna

}}

Baron Ilya Mikhailovich Duka ({{langx|ru|Илья Михайлович Дука}}; 1768–28 February 1830) was a Russian general in the Napoleonic Wars.

Biography

Ilya Mikhailovich Duka came from a Serbian family that emigrated to Russia, established in the Kursk Governorate. In May 1776, he joined the infantry at Shlisselburg (formerly Nöteborg) near St. Petersburg. In 1783 he fought against Polish confederates alongside the Russian Imperial Army and was promoted to aide-de-camp to Major-General Ivan Šević, the grandson of Jovan Šević.Vanče Stojčev, Military History of Macedonia, Éditeur Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski", 2004 {{ISBN|9989134057}}, {{ISBN|9789989134050}}

He participated in the Russo-Turkish campaign in 1788-89 and was transferred to the Ostrogozh Light Cavalry Regiment in 1790. During the campaign in Poland in 1794, he distinguished himself by capturing General Tomasz Wawrzecki and his officers, and was promoted to major. In October 1799, he was transferred to the Life Guard Hussar Regiment and promoted to colonel. On 23 October 1806, Duka was appointed chef of the Little Russia Cuirassier Regiment. He took part in the 1807 Campaign and distinguished himself at Eylau, being awarded the Order of St. George (3rd Class) and a Golden Weapon "For Bravery". He was promoted to major general on 6 June 1807.

In 1812, Duka commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Cuirassier Division,{{cite book |last1=Croft |first1=Lee B. |title=George Anton Schaeffer: Killing Napoleon From The Air, Volume 1 |date=Sep 15, 2012 |publisher=BookBaby |isbn=978-0985890896 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9y9ZDQAAQBAJ&q=ilya+mikhailovich+duka&pg=PT393 |accessdate=23 January 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and later commanded the division itself. For his actions at Smolensk and Borodino Duka was awarded the Order of St. Anna (1st Class) and for the battles of Tarutino and Maloyaroslavets—the Order of St. Vladimir (2nd Class); he participated also in the Battle of Krasnoi. In 1813, Duka was promoted to lieutenant general (27 September), fought at Leipzig and was wounded in the head. In 1814 he participated in the capture of Paris.{{cite book |last1=Leggiere |first1=Michael V. |title=The Fall of Napoleon: Volume 1, The Allied Invasion of France, 1813-1814 |date=Nov 12, 2007 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0521875424 |page=505 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eqo5XbXgCYcC&q=ilya+mikhailovich+duka&pg=PA505 |accessdate=23 January 2019}} He was awarded the Prussian Order of the Red Eagle and the Austrian Order of St. Leopold.Michael V. Leggiere, The Fall of Napoleon, Volume 1, Cambridge University Press, 2007, {{p.|515}} {{ISBN|0-521-87542-0}}, {{ISBN|9780521875424}}

Upon his return to Russia, Duka commanded the 2nd Cuirassier Division and in September 1823, he was appointed to command the 2nd Reserve Cavalry Corps. In September 1826, he was promoted to the general of cavalry, the next highest rank to Field marshal, and then retired on 17 February 1827 because of ill health.Vanče Stojčev, Military History of Macedonia, Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski", 2004 {{ISBN|9989134057}}, {{ISBN|9789989134050}}

He died on 28 February 1830.

References

Category:Imperial Russian Army generals

Category:1768 births

Category:1830 deaths

Category:People from the Russian Empire of Serbian descent

Category:18th-century nobility from the Russian Empire

Ilya Duka

Biography

See also

References