Andrey Chokhov
Encyclopedia
Andrey Chokhov, also spelled Chekhov (Андрей Чохов (Чехов) in Russian
) (c. 1545 – 1629, Moscow
) was one of the most prominent Russia
n caster
s. His traditions were continued by the Motorin family.
Andrey Chokhov began his career at the Cannon yard in Moscow during the reign of Ivan the Terrible in the 1550s as an apprentice to a German (?) caster Kashpir Ganusov
(russified name). In the 1570s, Chokhov became one of the leading Muscovite casters and supervised production of heavy battering weapons, such as siege
arquebus
Лисица (Vixen) and battering ram
Собака (Dog) (both made in 1575), big cannon
Волк (Wolf; 1576-1577), and a colossal arquebus Инрог (Unicorn), which would become the largest cannon of the Russian siege artillery (1577; weight - 7,134 kg; displayed in St. Petersburg). In 1586, Andrey Chokhov founded his famous Tsar Cannon
(Царь-пушка), a masterpiece of the casting art of the second half of the 16th century. In 1587, he cast a fire arquebus Егуп (Yegup), in 1588 - a 100-barrel
cannon, in 1590 - battering rams Троил (Troilus), Аспид (Viper), Лев (Lion), Скоропея (Witch), and Соловей (Nightingale). Chokhov's last major works were big battering arquebuses called Кречет (Gyrfalcon) and Волк (Wolf), the production of which he supervised in 1627.
Andrey Chokhov is also known as a bell
caster. In 1594 and 1603, he cast two huge bells (called благовестники, or blagovestniki) weighing 625 pood
s (10.2 metric tons) and 1,080 poods (17.8 t), correspondingly. These bells were donated by Boris Godunov
to the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
. In 1621, Andrey Chokhov and other masters cast four bells for the Ivan the Great Bell Tower
(one of them called Глухой (Muffled) can still be seen in the middle tier
of the bell tower
). In 1622, Chokhov cast a 20-ton bell called Реут (Reut). His biggest bell weighing 40 tons (cast in 1600) didn't survive to this day, as well as the so-called Godunov Bell (also known as Old Assumption Bell, or Resurrection Bell), which would be destroyed by fire in 1701.
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo582814.htm
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
) (c. 1545 – 1629, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was one of the most prominent Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n caster
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
s. His traditions were continued by the Motorin family.
Chokhov as cannon maker
Kashpir Ganusov
Kashpir Ganusov was a Russian bellmaker of the 16th century.The information about Kashpir Ganusov is scarce. It is difficult to tell what nationality he was or where he came from. We can only cautiously assume that Kashpir Ganusov was one of those craftsmen who had left the Grand Duchy of...
(russified name). In the 1570s, Chokhov became one of the leading Muscovite casters and supervised production of heavy battering weapons, such as siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
Лисица (Vixen) and battering ram
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
Собака (Dog) (both made in 1575), big cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
Волк (Wolf; 1576-1577), and a colossal arquebus Инрог (Unicorn), which would become the largest cannon of the Russian siege artillery (1577; weight - 7,134 kg; displayed in St. Petersburg). In 1586, Andrey Chokhov founded his famous Tsar Cannon
Tsar Cannon
The Tsar Cannon is a huge cannon on display on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin. It was cast in 1586 in Moscow, by the Russian master bronze caster Andrey Chokhov. Mostly of symbolic impact, it was never fired in war...
(Царь-пушка), a masterpiece of the casting art of the second half of the 16th century. In 1587, he cast a fire arquebus Егуп (Yegup), in 1588 - a 100-barrel
Barrel
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of vertical wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. Traditionally, the barrel was a standard size of measure referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. A small barrel is called a keg.For example, a...
cannon, in 1590 - battering rams Троил (Troilus), Аспид (Viper), Лев (Lion), Скоропея (Witch), and Соловей (Nightingale). Chokhov's last major works were big battering arquebuses called Кречет (Gyrfalcon) and Волк (Wolf), the production of which he supervised in 1627.
Chokhov as bell maker
Andrey Chokhov is also known as a bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
caster. In 1594 and 1603, he cast two huge bells (called благовестники, or blagovestniki) weighing 625 pood
Pood
Pood , is a unit of mass equal to 40 funt . It is approximately 16.38 kilograms . It was used in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Pood was first mentioned in a number of documents of the 12th century....
s (10.2 metric tons) and 1,080 poods (17.8 t), correspondingly. These bells were donated by Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
to the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Posad, about 70 km to the north-east from Moscow by the road leading to Yaroslavl, and currently is home to...
. In 1621, Andrey Chokhov and other masters cast four bells for the Ivan the Great Bell Tower
Ivan the Great Bell Tower
The Ivan the Great Bell Tower is the tallest of the towers in the Moscow Kremlin complex, with a total height of . It was built in 1508 for the Russian Orthodox cathedrals in Cathedral Square, namely the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation cathedrals, which do not have their own belfries...
(one of them called Глухой (Muffled) can still be seen in the middle tier
Tier
TIER may refer to:* Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, one of two major economic research institutes in TaiwanTier may refer to:* a layer or ranking or classification-group in any real or imagined hierarchy...
of the bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
). In 1622, Chokhov cast a 20-ton bell called Реут (Reut). His biggest bell weighing 40 tons (cast in 1600) didn't survive to this day, as well as the so-called Godunov Bell (also known as Old Assumption Bell, or Resurrection Bell), which would be destroyed by fire in 1701.
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo582814.htm