Interest in maritime affairs originated in Peter I in his youth, when in 1688 Prince Yakov Dolgorukov told him about the existence of the astrolabe, an instrument that allows one to measure long distances from one point. Soon the device was delivered from France and the search began for a person who knew how to use it. This is how the young tsar met the Dutchman Franz Timmerman, who lived in the German settlement. Together with him, Peter created his first squadron, the beginning of which was laid by an old English bot, which required restoration.
Instructions
Step 1
Soon, Timmerman tracked down Dutch master shipbuilder Carsten Brant, who helped restore the boat. On this small vessel, Peter went first along the Yauza, and later on the Pleshcheevo Lake. By the way, the boat has survived to this day, it stands in the Central Naval Museum. By the winter of 1691, the Presburg fortress was built on the Yauza, and under the leadership of Brant, five ships were laid at once - two small frigates and three yachts. Peter personally took part in the work and was so carried away that he often forgot even state affairs.
Step 2
But already in August 1692, the built ships were launched. The young sovereign worked tirelessly, mastering the maritime business and comprehending all the subtleties of sailing. In 1693 he set off on his first journey across the White Sea and a month later reached Arkhangelsk. There Peter first saw hundreds of ships from Holland, Germany, England. Love for the maritime business coincided with the interests of the country. The tsar decided to stay in Arkhangelsk until autumn. Here Peter disappeared for hours in the workshops, taking part in repair work.
Step 3
Russia needed access to the Black and Azov Seas. Peter decided to storm the Turkish fortress of Azov. Two attempts made in the spring of 1695 ended in failure. But already in September of the same year, preparations began for a new assault. A 32-oared galley was purchased in Holland and delivered to Russia in disassembled form. On its model, in the village of Preobrazhenskoye near Moscow, they created parts for another 22 galleys. They were transported to Voronezh and there, at a distance of 1200 versts from the sea, the ships were assembled.
Step 4
Tens of thousands of peasants and artisans were herded to build the flotilla. Skilled carpenters were brought to the shipyards from all over Russia. Voronezh became the center of Russian shipbuilding. British shipbuilders were also called in to help. In one winter, two large ships, 23 galleys and about one and a half thousand small ships were built. The flotilla was led to the sea along the Don. The shallow water areas and rifts encountered along the way caused enormous difficulties.
Step 5
The fleet played a decisive role in the new campaign against Azov. The Turks did not dare to start a battle with the Russian squadron, and on July 16, 1696, the fortress fell. Now Russia was faced with the task of consolidating its influence in the Black Sea. At the insistence of Peter, on October 20 of the same year, the Boyar Duma adopted the decision "There will be sea vessels." This date became the birthday of the Russian navy. Money and people for the construction of ships were to be allocated by "kumpanstva" - the so-called groups of secular landowners, clergy and merchants.
Step 6
Peter quickly realized that Russia was significantly behind the leading maritime powers in its development, and that there was not enough experience and knowledge to successfully create a modern fleet. He issued a decree establishing a "great embassy" of 61 people. Russian young people were instructed to master shipbuilding and navigation, to learn the art of navigating a ship. 39 people went to study in Venice, and another 22 went to Holland and England.
Step 7
Peter himself became a member of the “great embassy”. Under the name of Peter Mikhailov, he got a job as a carpenter at one of the Dutch shipyards. Later, the king went to England and Germany, where he studied navigation, fortification and artillery. Several hundred foreign specialists were invited to work in Russia, new equipment was purchased. Returning to Russia, Peter forbade the construction of ships according to the old model and began to develop blueprints himself.
Step 8
According to Peter's project, the 58-gun battleship Goto Predestination was built in Voronezh - the name translates as “God's omen”. The construction was carried out under the leadership of Fedosey Sklyaev. The ship was launched on April 27, 1700. Soon the Great Northern War with Sweden began, which lasted more than 20 years intermittently. Russia needed to significantly increase the number of ships. At the cost of incredible efforts, Peter managed to reconstruct old shipyards and lay new ones.
Step 9
In 1703, at the mouth of the Neva River on the former Swedish territory, the city of St. Peter Burkh was founded. A year later, construction began on the Admiralty Shipyard, which was later named the Main Admiralty. Already in 1706, warships began to be produced here. In 1709, a three-masted 54-gun ship with a length of 40 meters was laid down at the Admiralty shipyard. The ship was launched three years later and received the name "Poltava" in memory of the victory over the Swedes in the famous battle of the Northern War.
Step 10
In the autumn of the same year, the Admiralty began construction of the Ingermanland double-deck ship equipped with 64 cannons. It got its name in honor of the Russian land conquered from the Swedes, on which St. Petersburg was founded. The construction of the ship was completed in 1715. The ship's crew consisted of 450 people. So the dream of the first emperor of Russia began to come true. Over time, domestic ships surpassed foreign ships in their characteristics, became more reliable and efficient. In total, 1100 ships were built during the reign of Peter I.
