CountJames/Jacob Daniel Bruce(Russian:Я́ков Ви́лимович Брюс,tr.Yákov Vílimovich Bryus;11 May 1669 – 30 April 1735) was a Russian general, statesman, diplomat and scientist ofScottishdescent (Clan Bruce), one of the chief associates ofPeter the Great;Bruce was president of theCollegium of Mining and Manufacturingfrom 1717 to 1722, and president of theCollegium of Miningfrom 1722 to 1726.[1]According to his own record, his ancestors had lived in Russia since 1647. He was the younger brother ofRobert Bruce,the first High Commandant of Saint Petersburg.

Jacob Bruce
Count
Born(1669-05-11)11 May 1669
Died17 May 1735(1735-05-17)(aged 66)
Noble familyClan Bruce
OccupationStatesman, military leader and scientist
President of theCollegium of Mining and Manufacturing
In office
1717–1722
MonarchPeter I
Preceded byoffice created
Succeeded byoffice disbanded
President of theCollegium of Mining
In office
1722–1726
MonarchsPeter I
Catherine I
Preceded byoffice created
Succeeded byAlexey Zybin[ru]

He participated in theCrimean(1687, 1689) andAzov campaigns(1695–1696) of Peter the Great against theOttoman Empireduring theRusso-Turkish War.During theGreat Northern WarBruce was appointed major-general of artillery. He was involved in the revival of Russianartillery,which had been lost to the Swedish forces along with its commander,Prince Alexander of ImeretiatNarvain 1700.[2]He was commander of artillery in theBattle of Poltava(1709), for which he was made a knight of theOrder of St Andrew.In 1721, he became one of the firstRussian counts.

Bruce was one of the best educated people in Russia at the time, a naturalist andastronomer.In 1701 he founded the first Russianobservatory;it was located in Moscow in the upper story of theSukharev Tower.Bruce's scientificlibraryof more than 1,500 volumes became a substantial part of theRussian Academy of Scienceslibrary.

Among Muscovites, Bruce gained fame as analchemistandmagician,due in part to the innovative design of the Sukharev Tower, which was very unusual in 18th century Moscow. It was rumored that the greatestblack magicgrimoiresof his collection had been bricked up into the walls of the Sukharev Tower.

Memory

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  • Brusov Lane in Moscow
  • Brusov Street in Saint Petersburg
  • Brusov Gymnasium in Saint Petersburg

Honours

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References

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  1. ^"БРЮС ЯКОВ ВИЛИМОВИЧ • Great Russian Encyclopedia – Electronic version".old.bigenc.ru.2023.Retrieved25 May2024.
  2. ^Simpson, Grant G. (1992).The Scottish Soldier Abroad, 1247-1967.Rowman & Littlefield. p. 59.ISBN0859763412.
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