Alexey Arakcheev was born on October 4, 1769, in the village of Garusovo, Novgorod province, in the family of a former lieutenant of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. In 1783 and 1787, he studied at the Artillery and Engineering Noble Cadet Corps. In 1787, holding the rank of lieutenant, Arakcheev remained at the corps to teach mathematics and artillery, composing a textbook titled "Brief Artillery Notes in Questions and Answers."

In 1792, he was transferred to serve in the "Gatchina troops" of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, where he became a favorite of the heir to the throne. After Pavel I became emperor, Arakcheev was appointed commandant of St. Petersburg, received the rank of major general in 1796, and a baronial title. In 1797, he became the commander of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment and the army's general quartermaster. In 1798, the emperor granted him a count title with the motto "Without Flattery, Devoted." However, in the same year, a theft occurred in the artillery arsenal, and Arakcheev tried to conceal that his brother commanded the guard. As punishment, Pavel dismissed him from service. In 1803, Alexander I reinstated Arakcheev, appointing him inspector of artillery and commander of the Life Guards Artillery Battalion. In 1803 and 1812, he implemented significant reforms in artillery, aiming to ensure its high technical level and independence in battle.

In January 1808, Arakcheev became the Minister of War, and his influence at court grew until Alexander's death in 1825. In two years, he increased the army by 30,000 men, organized reserve recruitment depots, which allowed for rapid troop replenishment in 1812, and brought order to finances and paperwork. On the eve of the Patriotic War of 1812, he was in Vilno as part of the Imperial Headquarters. After the war began, Arakcheev, along with Admiral A. S. Shishkov and General-Adjutant A. D. Balashov, convinced Alexander I to return to St. Petersburg. From August 1814, he led the establishment of military settlements, and in 1819 became their chief commander. In February 1818, Arakcheev proposed a project for the gradual abolition of serfdom, which included the state purchasing land from landlords. Although Alexander I approved the project, it was not implemented. Under Nicholas I, Arakcheev commanded only the Separate Corps of Military Settlements. In April 1826, he was sent on leave abroad, where he published letters from Alexander I, provoking Nicholas's anger. The emperor ultimately dismissed him and prohibited him from appearing in the capital. Arakcheev died on May 3, 1834, in the village of Gruzina, Novgorod province.