Alexander von Benckendorff was born to a Baltic German family in Reval (now Tallinn) in today's Estonia). His brother Konstantin von Benkendorff was a general and diplomat, and his sister Dorothea von Lieven a socialite and political force in London and Paris. During Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Benckendorff led the Velizh offensive, taking prisoner three French generals. When Moscow was liberated, he became the commander of its garrison. In the foreign campaigns following, he defeated a French contingent at Tempelberg and was one of the first Russians to enter Berlin. He further distinguished himself at Leipzig and later cleared out the French forces occupying the Netherlands. After British and Prussian forces arrived to succeed him, his unit proceeded to take Louvain and Mechelen, libe