Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev was a Russian fleet
commander
and explorer who discovered Antarctica.
, a scion of the old Russian nobility from the Vladimir
province. In 1800, he enrolled in Russia's Naval College. Three years later he was sent to the British
fleet, where he would stay for a continuous five-year navigation
. From 1808 to 1813, Lazarev served in the Baltic Fleet
. He took part in the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809 and Patriotic War of 1812.
the globe
in 1813-1816, aboard the vessel Suvorov; the expedition began at Kronstadt
and reached Alaska
. During this voyage, Lazarev discovered the Suvorov Atoll
.
As a commander of the ship Mirny and Fabian von Bellingshausen's deputy on his world cruise in 1819-1821, Lazarev took part in the discovery of Antarctica and numerous islands. On January 28, 1820 the expedition discovered the Antarctic mainland
, approaching the Antarctic coast at the coordinates 69°21′28"S 2°14′50"W and seeing ice-fields there.
In 1822-1825, Lazarev circumnavigated the globe for the third time on his frigate
Kreyser, conducting broad research in the fields of meteorology
and ethnography
.
, which would sail to the Mediterranean Sea
as the flagship of the First Mediterranean Squadron under command of Admiral
Login Petrovich Geiden and participated in the Battle of Navarino
in 1827. Lazarev received the rank
of Rear Admiral
for his excellence during the battle.
In 1828-1829, he was in charge of the Dardanelles
blockade
.
In 1830, Lazarev returned to Kronstadt and became a commander of naval units of the Baltic Fleet
. Two years later, he was made Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet
.
In February–June 1833, Lazarev led a Russian squadron to the Bosporus
and signed the Treaty of Hunkar-Iskelesi with Turkey
. In 1833, Lazarev was appointed Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, the Black Sea port
s, and also military governor of Sevastopol
and Nikolayev.
fleet, but Russia's technical and economical backwardness was a major hindrance to this. He also tutored a number of the Russian fleet commanders, including Pavel Nakhimov
, Vladimir Kornilov, Vladimir Istomin
, and Grigory Butakov
.
An atoll
in the Pacific Ocean
, capes
in the Amur Liman
and on the Unimak Island
, a former island in the Aral Sea
, a bay
and a port in the Sea of Japan
, bay
and sea in the South Ocean, a settlement near Sochi
and other locations bear Lazarev's name.
Several ships were named after the Admiral:
Lazarev is buried with his disciples Nakhimov, Kornilov and Istomin in the Admirals' Burial Vault in Sevastopol.
A minor planet
3660 Lazarev
, discovered by Soviet
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
in 1978, is named after him.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev was a Russian fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and explorer who discovered Antarctica.
Education and early career
Lazarev was born in VladimirVladimir
Vladimir is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population:...
, a scion of the old Russian nobility from the Vladimir
Vladimir
Vladimir is a city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway. Population:...
province. In 1800, he enrolled in Russia's Naval College. Three years later he was sent to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
fleet, where he would stay for a continuous five-year navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
. From 1808 to 1813, Lazarev served in the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
. He took part in the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809 and Patriotic War of 1812.
Career as an explorer
Lazarev first circumnavigatedCircumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
the globe
Globe
A globe is a three-dimensional scale model of Earth or other spheroid celestial body such as a planet, star, or moon...
in 1813-1816, aboard the vessel Suvorov; the expedition began at Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
and reached Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. During this voyage, Lazarev discovered the Suvorov Atoll
Suwarrow
Suwarrow is a low coral atoll in the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is about 1,300 km south of the equator and 930 km NNW of Rarotonga, from which it is administered....
.
As a commander of the ship Mirny and Fabian von Bellingshausen's deputy on his world cruise in 1819-1821, Lazarev took part in the discovery of Antarctica and numerous islands. On January 28, 1820 the expedition discovered the Antarctic mainland
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
, approaching the Antarctic coast at the coordinates 69°21′28"S 2°14′50"W and seeing ice-fields there.
In 1822-1825, Lazarev circumnavigated the globe for the third time on his frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
Kreyser, conducting broad research in the fields of meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
and ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
.
Wartime commands
In 1826, Lazarev became commander of the ship AzovRussian ship Azov (1826)
Azov was a 74-gun ship of the line of the Imperial Russian Navy. Azov was built in 1826 to compensate the losses of the disastrous 1824 Saint Petersburg flood. In the same year Azov, commanded by Mikhail Lazarev, became the flagship of Admiral Login Geiden's First Mediterranean Squadron and sailed...
, which would sail to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
as the flagship of the First Mediterranean Squadron under command of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Login Petrovich Geiden and participated in the Battle of Navarino
Battle of Navarino
The naval Battle of Navarino was fought on 20 October 1827, during the Greek War of Independence in Navarino Bay , on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, in the Ionian Sea. A combined Ottoman and Egyptian armada was destroyed by a combined British, French and Russian naval force...
in 1827. Lazarev received the rank
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
for his excellence during the battle.
In 1828-1829, he was in charge of the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
.
In 1830, Lazarev returned to Kronstadt and became a commander of naval units of the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
. Two years later, he was made Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
.
In February–June 1833, Lazarev led a Russian squadron to the Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
and signed the Treaty of Hunkar-Iskelesi with Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In 1833, Lazarev was appointed Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, the Black Sea port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s, and also military governor of Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
and Nikolayev.
Influence and legacy
Admiral Lazarev was influential both in technical matters and as a mentor to younger officers. He advocated the creation of a steam-poweredSteam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
fleet, but Russia's technical and economical backwardness was a major hindrance to this. He also tutored a number of the Russian fleet commanders, including Pavel Nakhimov
Pavel Nakhimov
Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov |Siege of Sevastopol]] during the Crimean War.-Biography:Born in the Gorodok village of Vyazma district of Smolensk region. Nakhimov entered the Naval Academy for the Nobility in Saint Petersburg in 1815. He made his first sea voyage in 1817, aboard the frigate Feniks ,...
, Vladimir Kornilov, Vladimir Istomin
Vladimir Istomin
Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin was a Russian rear admiral and hero of the Siege of Sevastopol....
, and Grigory Butakov
Grigory Butakov
Grigory Ivanovich Butakov was a Russian admiral who fought in the Crimean War. Grigory is widely credited as being the father of steam-powered ship tactics during the 19th century. He was involved in the first battles of the Crimean War, which includes the first sea battles involving steam-powered...
.
An atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, capes
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
in the Amur Liman
Amur Liman
The Amur Liman is a liman of the Amur River, the northern part of the Strait of Tartary between Eurasia and Sakhalin. It connects the Sakhalin Gulf of the Sea of Okhotsk with the main body of the Strait of Tartary via the Nevelskoy Strait....
and on the Unimak Island
Unimak Island
Unimak Island is the largest island in the Aleutian Islands chain of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the easternmost island in the Aleutians and, with an area of 1,571.41 mi² , the ninth largest island in the United States and the 134th largest island in the world. It is home to Mount...
, a former island in the Aral Sea
Aral Sea
The Aral Sea was a lake that lay between Kazakhstan in the north and Karakalpakstan, an autonomous region of Uzbekistan, in the south...
, a bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
and a port in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, bay
Lazarev Bay
Lazarev Bay is a rectangular bay, 15 nautical miles long and 13 nautical miles wide, between Alexander Island and Rothschild Island and bounded on the south by ice shelf joining the two islands. The north coast of Alexander Island was first seen from a great distance by the Russian expedition of...
and sea in the South Ocean, a settlement near Sochi
Sochi
Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
and other locations bear Lazarev's name.
Several ships were named after the Admiral:
- A Light Cruiser ordered for the Imperial Navy in 1914, completed and renamed the Krasny KavkazKrasny KavkazKrasnyi Kavkaz was a cruiser of the Soviet Navy that began construction during World War I, but was still incomplete during the Russian Revolution. Her design was heavily modified by the Soviets and she was completed in 1932...
after the revolution. - A Sverdlov class cruiserSverdlov class cruiserThe Sverdlov class cruisers, Soviet designation Project 68bis, were the last conventional cruisers built for the Soviet Navy; 13 ships were completed before Nikita Khrushchev called a halt to the programme as these ships were considered obsolescent with the advent of the guided missile...
built in the early 1950s. - The Kirov classKirov class battlecruiserThe Kirov-class battlecruiser is a class of nuclear-powered military ships of the Russian Navy, the largest and heaviest surface combatant warships currently in active operation in the world. The Russian designation is heavy nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser...
battlecruiser FrunzeSoviet battlecruiser FrunzeAdmiral Lazarev is the second Kirov class battlecruiser. In fact, she is not a battlecruiser, but a heavy missile cruiser. However, her size has given her the unofficial designation of a battlecruiser in the mass media of many countries...
was renamed Admiral Lazarev after the dissolution of the Soviet UnionDissolution of the Soviet UnionThe dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
.
Lazarev is buried with his disciples Nakhimov, Kornilov and Istomin in the Admirals' Burial Vault in Sevastopol.
A minor planet
Minor planet
An asteroid group or minor-planet group is a population of minor planets that have a share broadly similar orbits. Members are generally unrelated to each other, unlike in an asteroid family, which often results from the break-up of a single asteroid...
3660 Lazarev
3660 Lazarev
3660 Lazarev is an outer main-belt asteroid discovered on August 31, 1978 by N. Chernykh at Nauchnyj. It is named after the 19th century Russian explorer Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev.- External links :*...
, discovered by Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh
Nikolay Stepanovich Chernykh was a Soviet and Russian astronomer.Chernykh was born in the city of Usman' in Voronezh Oblast...
in 1978, is named after him.
Honours and awards
- Order of St. GeorgeOrder of St. GeorgeThe Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George The Military Order of the Holy Great-Martyr and the Triumphant George (also known as Order of St. George the Triumphant, Russian: Военный орден Св...
, IV class - Order of St. VladimirOrder of St. VladimirThe Cross of Saint Vladimir was an Imperial Russian Order established in 1782 by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptizer of the Kievan Rus....
, 1st class - Order of St. Alexander NevskyOrder of St. Alexander NevskyThe Imperial Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire.-History:The introduction of the Imperial Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was planned by Emperor Peter I of Russia...
- Order of White Eagle
- Knight of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(United Kingdom) - Military Order of St. LouisOrder of Saint LouisThe Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
(France)
External links
- A map of his Antarctic expedition (in Russian), attention - all dates there are JulianJulian calendarThe Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...