Born into great wealth as a member of the nobility of Nizhny Novgorod Governorate, Nicholas Annenkov was the son of Colonel Nicholas Nikanorovich Annenkov. After briefly attending Moscow University, he joined the Army to fight against Napoleon, thereby beginning a military career that would last the rest of his life. By his mid-20s he was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich of Russia and promoted to Colonel of the Infantry. During the Turkish Campaign of 1828, Annenkov distinguished himself and was awarded the Order of St. Anna.
1831–1850
During the 1831 November Uprising in Poland, Annenkov served as Chief of Staff to General Baron Fabian Gottlieb von Osten-Sacken. During one attack, Annenkov routed an entire enemy division and captured 1,200 combatants. He was awarded the Order of St. George and appointed to Tsar Nicholas I’s personal suite. Owing to his military successes, in 1844 Nicholas Annenkov was promoted to Adjutant General of the Infantry. On November 3, 1848, he was made a member of the State Council.
1851–1865
In 1854 General Annenkov was appointed Interim Governor-General of New Russia and Bessarabia, a posting that coincided with the Crimean War. His actions during the Siege of Sevastopol and the bombardment of Odessa resulted in further decorations: the silver medal and the light-bronze medal. Annenkov was a co-founder, in 1856, of the Moscow-Saratov Railway with General Semyon Alexeievich Yurievich, Paul von Derwies, and the Privy Councilors M.N. Zhemchuzhnikov and Konstantin I. Arsenyev. The initial line of this railway was opened from Moscow to Kolomna on 20 July 1862. It was reorganized as the Moscow-Ryazan Railway in 1863, and an extension to Ryazan was opened on 27 August 1864. From 1856 to 1862 Annenkov served as State Comptroller of the Imperial Court. In 1861 Tsar Alexander II of Russia promoted him to Full General, Order of St. Vladimir. His final posting, from 1862 to 1865, was as Governor-General of Kiev and the western provinces; however, illness cut short his service, and he retired to Nice, France, for recuperation. As a final duty to the state, General Annenkov accompanied the body of Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, back to Russia. Even though Annenkov rejoined the State Council upon returning, he died shortly thereafter.
Family
General Nicholas Annenkov was married to Vera Ivanova Bukharina, daughter of Ivan Bukharin, Governor-General of Kiev. They had five children:
