Abram Petrovich Gannibal

Abram Petrovich Gannibal
Modern depiction of Abram Gannibal, bust in Petrovskoe c.1984
Other name(s)Petrov Hannibal
Bornc.1696
Ethiopian Empire or Cameroon (see Debate over Gannibal's place of birth)
Died14 May 1781(1781-05-14) (aged 84–85)
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Allegiance
Years of service
  • 17181722 (Kingdom of France)
  • 17231762 (Imperial Russia)
Rank
Battles / wars
Spouse(s)
Evdokia Dioper
(m. 1731; div. 1753)
    Christina Regina Siöberg
    (m. 1736, unrecognized until 1753)
    Children10
    Other workMaster military engineer, military officer, teacher, author
    Signature

    Abram Petrovich Gannibal, also Hannibal or Ganibal, or Abram Hannibal or Abram Petrov (Russian: Абра́м Петро́вич Ганниба́л; c. 1696 – 14 May 1781), was a Russian Chief Military Engineer, General-in-Chief, and nobleman of African origin. As a child, Gannibal was captured by Ottomans and brought to Russia as a gift for Peter the Great. He was then raised in the emperor's court, with the emperor becoming his godfather at his baptism.

    Gannibal eventually rose to become a prominent member of the imperial court in the reign of Peter's daughter Elizabeth. He had 11 children, most of whom became members of the Russian nobility. One of his great-grandsons was the author and poet Alexander Pushkin.