General Skobeleff (Mikhail Skobelev)

Overview

Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev (1843–1882), Russian general, hero of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 and of the Central Asian campaigns, who called openly for a Franco-Russian alliance against Germany in Paris in February 1882 and died suddenly in Moscow on 7 July 1882 (footnote at 097.0389; en.wikipedia «Mikhail Skobelev»).

Relevance to Marie

On Gambetta's death (January 1883) Marie mourns the lost hope of a Franco-Russian war of revenge: «Skobeleff, Gambetta, Chanzy, Adrien, l'alliance franco-russe et l'écrasement de la Prusse...» (097.0389); «Avec Skobeleff et Gambetta et Chanzy la France reprenait l'Alsace-Lorraine et nos provinces Baltiques n'étaient plus menacées» (097.0390).

Not the «Mlle Skobeleff» of the 1874 Nice gossip, his sister (SKOBELEFF).