Prince Dolgorukov fought in the Seven Years' War and was seriously wounded at the battle at Gross-Jaegerndorf. In the battle of Zorndorf he was in command of the Kiev regiment, and was raised to the rank of second-major (a rank following after captain) for his bravery and daring. After the siege of the Kolberg fortress he became a premier-major. By the end of the Russo-Turkish war in 1774 he had risen to the rank of general-in-chief. During the next war with Turkey (1787-1791) he took part in the storming of Ochakov and in the battles of Akkermann and Bendery.
During the short period in which Prince Dolgorukov occupied the post of commander-in-chief of Moscow, he undertook the cleaning of the river Yauza, and also prevented the re-opening after a fire of a distillery "built in violation of the law". He permitted rubble still remaining in the foundations of Byely Gorod to be used in the construction of administrative buildings, and ordered the planting of trees to adorn the streets running along the present Ring Boulevard.
Army barracks were also built in Moscow during this period in accord with orders issued by Paul I. They were housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, the Catherine Palace in Lefortovo.
Palace intrigues finally ended in the dismissal of Dolgorukov in November 1797, but two years later he was appointed a member of the Council of the Imperial Court. Shortly afterwards he was again unexpectedly dismissed.
In November 1806, Alexander I placed him in charge of the Zemstvo troops of the seventh region, and presented him with a snuffbox decorated with a royal portrait. Such was the end of the career of one of the representatives of an ancient noble line, an aristocratic dignitary of the days of Empress Catherine II.
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