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796 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIAs
doomed to a rigorous confinement of twenty years, which he fuftained with an unbroken
fpirit *.
: Count Burchard Chriftopher Munic, fon of a Danifh officer, was born at New-Hun-
torf, in the county of Oldenburgh, on the gth cf May 1683. He received an excellent
education, and, in the feventeenth year of his age, entered into the fervice of the Land-
grave of Hefle-Darmftadt, who, on account of his knowledge in taétics, conferred on
him the rank of captain. He ferved his firft campaign in 1701, when the Emperor
Jofeph commanded againft the French, and was prefent at the fiege of Landaw. In
1705 he was employed as a major by the Landgrave of Heffe-Caffel, and improved
himfelf in the art of war under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene. He
diftinguifhed himfelf for his cool intrepidity in feveral engagements and fieges, and par-
ticularly at the battle of Malplaquet, when, in recompence for his bravery, he was made
licutenant-colonel. Being, in 1712, dangeroufly wounded at the battle of Denain, he
was taken prifoner by the French, and foon after his releafe in the enfuing year, raifed
to the command of a regiment.
In 1716 he quitted the Heffian, and entered into the Polifh fervice under Auguf-.
tus II., and was foon promoted to the rank of major-general ; but, in 1721, being in-
fulted by Count Fleming, the King’s favourite, he went into Ruffia, and was received
in the moft honourable manner by Peter. Being charged by that great monarch with
the execution of feveral important tru{ts, both civil and military, he fucceffively filled
the higheft pofts in the army and ftate. He was created marfhal by the Emprefs Anne,
and placed at the head of the war department ; he obtained the command of the army
againft the Turks, and proved his military talents by his fucceifes in the campaigns of
1737 and 1738.
Soon after the death of the Emprefs, he advifed, planned, and executed the arreft of
Biren, and was rewarded by the regent Anne with the office of prime minifter. Butas.
he was difcontented at not being appointed generaliflimo, and as his power and am-
bition gave umbrage to the court, he requefted permiflion to refign his employments,
and was aftonifhed at the readinefs with which his requeft was granted. Inftead of re-
pairing to the Pruffian court, to which he was ftrongly invited, he imprudently remained
in Ruflia, flattering himfelf with the hopes of being re-inftated in his former dignity,
and was arrefted on the 6th of December 1741, by order of Elizabeth. The-oftenfible
reafon of his difgrace was, that he had perfuaded the Emprefs Anne to nominate Ivan
her fucceflor ; but the real caufe, as 1 was informed by a perfon of veracity, who re-
ecived it from Count Munic himfelf, was that, by order of that Emprefs, he had taken
into cultody one of Elizabeth’s favourites. —
Munic was brought before a.committee appointed to examine the ftate prifoners.
Being fatigued with repeated queftions, and perceiving the determination of his judges
to find him guilty, he faid to them, “ Diatate the anfwers which you wifh me to make, -
and I will fign them.” The judges immediately wrote down a confeffion of feveral
charges, which being fubfcribed by Munic, his mock trial was concluded. Being thus
convicted of high treafon, he was condemned to be quartered, but his fentence was
changed by Elizabeth to perpetual imprifonment. For the {pace of twenty years he
was confined at Pelim in Siberia, in an oftrog,or prifon, of which, according to Manttein,,
* T have chiefly extraéted this account from the Life of Count Munic, by Bufching, who was intimately
acquainted with him ; I have been enabled to add a few anecdotes, which I obtained from unquellionable
authority, See Lebens Gefchichte Burchard Chriftophs von Muenich. In Buf. Hift. Mag. II. p. 389.
to 536.
4 he
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