The birth of the future navigator is not marked by any important events. No one even suggested that the child would become not just a sailor, but a great pioneer, and even in the service of another state. It is difficult to say what reasons led the boy to join the naval service in the Russian Empire: our country was not so powerful at that time. Perhaps Bering was able to see certain prospects for himself. Which to some extent contributed to his discoveries, which had practical, geographical, and historical significance. Bering not only discovered new lands and islands in the north of the country, but also compiled maps of the coast, which was extremely important.
First years of life
Vitus Bering was born on August 12, 1681 in Jutland (modern Denmark) in the city of Horsens. The town was no different: several churches and monasteries - that's all the sights. It began to develop only after 1442, when a trade charter was issued to it, and gradually turned into a commercial center.
The city was located on the seashore and had a port. The hero of our story from the first years of his life admired the waves and dreamed of traveling. Although his father was, according to some historians, a customs officer, and never left his homeland. It is not very clear for what reason, but at the very beginning of his career as a sailor, a teenager took the surname of his mother.
The sea beckoned the boy, so it is not surprising that, having reached adolescence, he entered the Naval Cadet Corps in Amsterdam, and in 1703, at the age of 22, he successfully completed it. But before that, Vitus Bering made a short trip to the East Indies on a Dutch ship. Apparently, after this, the future traveler Bering made a firm decision to connect his fate with the sea.
In the service of Peter I
How did Vitus Bering get into the Russian fleet? His biography does not contain accurate information on this score. It is only known that at that time, by order of the Russian sovereign Peter the Great, the admiral of the Russian fleet Cornelius Ivanovich Kruys was engaged in the recruitment of experienced sailors for service. Sivers and Senyavin introduced the boy, saying that he had already visited the East Indies, therefore, he still has some experience. From other sources it is known that Vitus wanted to serve, like his cousin Sievers, precisely in the Navy, and certainly in the Russian Empire. Whatever it was, but his dream came true, and Bering goes to St. Petersburg. There he was assigned to manage a ship that transported the forest for the construction of the Kronstadt fortress. God knows what, but still the sea!
Soon Vitus Bering received the rank of lieutenant and began to carry out more responsible and complex missions. He took part in the Azov campaign, monitored the movement of Swedes' ships in the Gulf of Finland, participated in a campaign from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt, served on the Pearl ship during his transfer from Hamburg to St. Petersburg. And suddenly, not having reached the rank of captain of the first rank, Bering leaves military service.
Vitus Bering's track record
If we compile in chronological order all the ranks that the navigator Bering received during his military career, we get the following table:
Year | Event |
1703 | Admission to the naval service of the Russian fleet |
1707 | Received the rank of lieutenant (modern rank of lieutenant) |
1710 | Vitus Bering transferred to serve in the troops on the Sea of Azov Awarded the rank of lieutenant commander Assigned to the command of the shny "Munker" |
1710-1712 | Service in the Azov fleet, participation in the war with Turkey |
1712 | Transfer to service in the Baltic Fleet |
1713 | Vyborg, marriage to Anna Kristina |
1715 | Captain rank 4 received |
1716 | Bering receives under his command the ship "Pearl", which he must deliver from Hamburg to Russia |
1717 | Rank 3 Captain |
1719 | Receives the command ship Selafail |
1720 | The future navigator receives the rank of captain 2 ranks Transferred to command ship Malburg |
1723 | Vitus Bering resigns as captain of rank 2 |
These are the titles and honors for 20 years of service awarded Vitus Bering. A brief biography, however, does not at all reveal all the merits of the navigator. For historians and geographers, the subsequent part of his life is more interesting.
The development and accession of Kamchatka to the Russian Empire
The constantly increasing oppression of serfdom could not but affect the history of Russia. Runaway peasants sought land that would serve as a refuge from persecution. So gradually people got to Siberia, and then to Kamchatka. But the territory was already populated, so campaigns were organized to capture and develop land rich in natural resources, furs, etc. In 1598, the Siberian Khanate was defeated, and the territory became part of the Russian Empire.
The need for Kamchatka exploration
The development of Kamchatka and other Siberian lands was a matter of national importance. First of all, it was necessary to replenish the treasury. But the pioneers were mostly poorly educated people who primarily sought minerals, discovered new territories and taxed the local population. The state needed maps of new lands, as well as a sea route.
In 1724, Peter the Great issued a decree on the organization of a campaign in Kamchatka, led by Vitus Bering. The traveler was ordered to get to Kamchatka, build two ships and go to the North on them, find the place where America connects with Siberia, and find the way to the cities of Europe from there.
The first Kamchatka expedition by Vitus Bering
Having received the position of leader and the rank of captain of the first rank, the future traveler proceeded to fulfill the order of the sovereign. After 2 weeks - January 25, 1725 - the first members of the expedition left St. Petersburg for Kamchatka. The group included two more naval officers (Alexey Chirikov and Martyn Spanberg), surveyors, shipbuilders, navigators, rowers, sailors, and cooks. The total number reached 100 people.
The road turned out to be difficult and difficult. I had to get in various ways: carts, sleighs with dogs, river boats. Arriving in Okhotsk in 1727, they began building ships to carry out the main tasks of the expedition. On these ships Vitus Bering reached the West coast of Kamchatka. In Nizhnekamchatsk, the military ship "Saint Gabriel" was rebuilt, on which the navigator with the crew went on. The ship passed through the strait between Alaska and Chukotka, but due to weather conditions, sailors could not see the shores of the American continent.
Partially the objectives of the expedition were met. However, having returned to St. Petersburg in 1730 , the navigator submits a report on the work done and draws up a draft of the next expedition. Most government officials and academics did not understand, like Vitus Bering himself, what he had discovered. But the main thing has been proven - Asia and America are not connected. And the traveler received the rank of captain-commander.
The second expedition to Kamchatka
After the return of the seafarer, his words, records and maps were treated with certain distrust. It was necessary to defend his honor and justify the highest confidence placed in him. And the goals have not yet been achieved. You can not stop halfway. So, the second expedition is appointed, and Vitus Bering commands it. A biography written by contemporaries of the traveler claims that, shortly before the first trip to the shores of Kamchatka, a certain Shestakov discovered both the strait and even the Kuril Islands. Yes, only all these discoveries were not documented. The Dane was lucky - he was educated, knew how to structure and analyze the results and compiled maps well.
The second expedition of Vitus Bering had the following goals: exploring the sea from Kamchatka to Japan and the mouth of the Amur, mapping the entire northern coast of Siberia, reaching the American coast and trading with the natives, if any.
Despite the fact that Anna Ioannovna sat on the imperial throne, Russia still remained faithful to the Peter's covenants. Therefore, influential officials from the Admiralty became interested in the project. The decree on the campaign was issued in 1732. Having reached Okhotsk, in 1740, Bering built two pack boats - “St. Peter” and “St. Paul”. On them, researchers went to the eastern coast of Kamchatka.
Expedition Results
Sea voyage this time was more successful. But also tragic - during the wintering in 1741, Vitus Bering died. What he discovered could only be appreciated subsequently. After all, then it was difficult to verify the reliability of the results of his work - the road to Siberia was still too dependent on the vagaries of nature. But even then, travelers had already begun to use the cards that Vitus Bering had compiled. The discoveries of the great pioneer made it possible to tackle the development and exploitation of new lands.
So, the following has been done:
- Petropavlovsk was founded in Achinskaya bay.
- Through the modern Bering Sea reached the coast of Alaska.
- On the way back, the Aleutian and Shumagin Islands are open.
- The Aleutian Range is mapped.
- The Evdokeevsky Islands and Chirikov Island (Misty) were discovered and mapped.
- The island of Bering was discovered, on which the navigator died in 1741.
- Mapped territories of northern and eastern Russia, the internal territories of Siberia.
- The Kuril Islands are mapped.
- Found a way to Japan.
If you carefully study the history of geographical discoveries, you can find that this expedition was only part of a larger campaign. It was completed only a few years later Bering's death field, and even then only thanks to his organizational talent. After all, it was he who divided into groups of participants in the Northern Expedition, giving each one specific tasks. Despite the loss of life, the campaign was completed very successfully.
What did Vitus Bering look like?
The appearance of the discoverer in some biographers is doubtful. It turns out to everyone the familiar paintings, which depict Vitus Bering (the photo was not then), do not correspond to reality. These are portraits of his uncle. Disputes were resolved by examining the skull and reconstructing the appearance through modeling. As a result, the real face of the traveler was obtained. Indeed, Vitus Bering (photos are presented in the article) had a completely different appearance. But this does not in the least diminish the importance of his discoveries.
The character of the great navigator
According to reports, the navigator had a somewhat mild character, which was not at all suitable for the head of the expedition. Nevertheless, Bering is twice appointed to this position. One more oddity to note. The researcher of Siberia did not like to bring the matter to the final result - he could stop at that moment when it was within reach. This feature of Bering was noted by both friends and participants in the campaigns. And yet, it was he who was recommended as leader and organizer to both Peter the Great and Anna Ioannovna. How can this be explained? It must be that, despite all his shortcomings, Vitus Bering was an experienced navigator. He knew how to carry out orders, was very responsible and executive, and, no less important, devoted to the state in whose service he was. Yes, most likely, it was precisely for these qualities that he was elected to carry out such important geographical studies.
Tomb of the researcher of Kamchatka
After Vitus Bering met his death on the island, which he also discovered, he was buried and installed, according to the traditions of the time, a wooden cross. It is clear that over time the tree decayed and crumbled. However, in 1864, at the place where, according to Bering's comrades-in-arms, his grave was located, a new wooden cross was erected. This was the merit of the Russian-American company founded under Emperor Paul.
In 1991, a search expedition was organized to the burial places of a Siberian researcher. On the island was discovered the grave of not only Bering, but also five more sailors. The remains were recovered and sent to Moscow for research. The bones and skull were restored appearance of the traveler. Scientists were also able to find out that he died not from scurvy, as was previously thought, but from another disease (which, precisely, is not known reliably). After completing the research, the remains were returned to the island and reburied.
Objects that bear the name of the great navigator
In memory of the traveler and his contribution to geographical research, the following objects are named after him:
- Streets in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Murmansk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Tomsk, Yakutsk.
- Island, strait, cape, glacier, sea.
- Icebreaker and diesel electric ship.
- State University in Kamchatka.
- Plants that grow in the Far East.
In addition, the film “The Ballad of Bering and His Friends” was shot about the traveler.
The value of the seafarer's discoveries
One cannot but recognize the importance of the sea voyages of Vitus Bering. It was thanks to him that the first correctly composed maps of Siberia appeared. Subsequently, it greatly helped the development of the Asian part of the Russian Empire. Thanks to his expeditions, the active development of the region began. Minerals began to be mined, and the mining and foundry industries began to develop.
The Russian Empire received an influx of money into the treasury and new territories, its global significance and influence intensified. And most importantly - the country got the opportunity to trade with those countries, to which it was impossible to reach already mastered ways. After all, these territories were under the jurisdiction of other states, which levied a considerable duty for their crossing. Nevertheless, despite all his merits, Vitus Bering received a posthumous recognition only after confirmation of his discoveries by other travelers. So, the now famous Bering Strait got its name from the light hand of James Cook.