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Count Zakhar Grigor'evich Chernyshev or Chernyshov (1722 - 1784), rose to become Minister of War to the empress Catherine the Great of Russia.
Chernyshev, eldest son of Grigorii Petrovich Chernyshev and elder brother of Ivan Grigor'evich Chernyshev and of Petr Grigor'evich Chernyshev, enlisted in the Russian military service in 1735. After a diplomatic mission to Vienna and a period at court, he held the command of a Russian corps of approximately 20,000 soldiers in the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763). With the accession of Peter III of Russia he received instructions (May 1762) to join forces with the Prussians. Along with Frederick the Great Chernyshev came upon the Austrian forces of Field Marshal Daun near Burkersdorf. King Frederick had already decided to attack the Austrians when Chernyshev received orders to disengage from the Prussians. But at Frederick's request the Russian commander suppressed the order and participated in the Prussian victory of Burkersdorf (21 July 1762).
Later Chernyshev became President of the War College (1773) and Imperial Field Marshal (1773).
He died in 1784.
