Invincible admiral (15 photos). Fyodor Fedorovich Ushakov, admiral: biography

Biography

early years

Fyodor Ushakov was born February 13 / February 24 (17450224 ) in the village Burnakovo (now Rybinsk district of the Yaroslavl region), in a poor noble family, was baptized in the Church of the Epiphany on the Island in the village Khopylevo ... Father - Fedor Ignatievich Ushakov (1710-1781), retired sergeant of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment, uncle - an old man Feodor Sanaksarsky ... Graduated Naval Cadet Corps (), served on Baltic Fleet.

On South

Russian-Turkish war 1787-1791

Kerch naval battle

The battle took place on July 8, 1790. The Turkish squadron consisted of 10 battleships, 8 frigates, 36 auxiliary vessels. She went from Turkey for the landing in the Crimea. She was met by a Russian squadron (10 battleships, 6 frigates, 1 bombardment ship, 16 auxiliary ships) under the command of Ushakov.

Using the upwind position of the Turkish fleet and superiority in artillery (1100 guns versus 836), the Turkish fleet attacked the Russian on the move, directing its main blow to the vanguard of the fleet leader GK Golenkin. However, he withstood the attack of the enemy and shot down his offensive impulse with an accurate return fire. Kapudan Pasha nevertheless continued his onslaught, reinforcing his forces in the direction of the main attack with ships with large guns. Seeing this, Ushakov, separating the weakest frigates, closed the ships closer together and hurried to help the vanguard.

With this maneuver, Ushakov tried to divert the enemy to weak ships, dividing his forces. However, Hussein Pasha kept increasing the pressure on the vanguard.

In the ensuing battle, it turned out that the nuclei from the Russian frigates, placed in line due to the lack of battleships, did not reach the enemy. Then Ushakov gave them a signal to leave the line for possible assistance to the vanguard, and the rest of the ships to close the distance formed between them. Unaware of the true intentions of the Russian flagship, the Turks were very happy about this circumstance. Their vice-admiral ship, leaving the line and becoming the leading one, began to descend to the Russian vanguard in order to bypass it.

But Ushakov foresaw a possible development of events, and therefore, instantly assessing the situation, he gave a signal to the reserve frigates to protect their leading ships. The frigates arrived in time and forced the Turkish vice admiral to pass between the lines under the crushing fire of Russian ships.

Using a favorable change in the wind by 4 rumba (45 degrees), Ushakov began to approach the enemy at a grapeshot range in order to activate all the artillery, including the small one. As soon as the distance allowed, a volley of all artillery was fired on command. The enemy was covered with buckshot. The change in the wind and the decisive attack of the Russians caused the Turks to be confused. They began to turn through the overstag with the entire column, exposing themselves to a powerful salvo from the flagship 80-gun ship of Ushakov "Christmas Christ" and the 66-gun "Transfiguration of the Lord", while receiving great destruction and losses in manpower (there were troops on board the Turkish ships, intended for landing in the Crimea). Soon, already in the wind, Ushakov gave another signal to the vanguard to make a turn "all of a sudden" (all together) through the overstag and, "without observing their places, each according to the ability of the case, with extreme haste to enter the wake" of his flagship, which became the leading ... After the completed maneuver, the entire Russian line, led by the admiral, "very soon" found itself in the enemy's wind, which significantly aggravated the position of the Turks. Ushakov, leaving the line, threatened to board.

Not hoping to withstand another attack, the Turks wavered and fled to their shores. An attempt to chase the enemy in a battle order was unsuccessful. The ease of movement of the Turkish ships saved them from defeat. Moving away from the pursuit, they disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Ushakov proved to be a skillful flagship, capable of thinking creatively and making extraordinary tactical decisions. “Without moving away from the main rules,” he was able to dispose of the forces of the fleet unconventionally. Carrying out stable control of the fleet, he strove to put the flagship at the head of the convoy and at the same time give a certain initiative in maneuver to his commanders ("each according to the ability of the case"). The battle clearly demonstrated the advantage of the Russian sailors in naval training and firepower training. By concentrating the main attack on the enemy's flagships, Ushakov used the power of artillery to the maximum extent.

The victory of the Russian fleet in the Battle of Kerch thwarted the plans of the Turkish command to seize the Crimea. In addition, the defeat of the Turkish fleet led to a decrease in the leadership's confidence in the safety of its capital and forced the Porto "to take caution for the capital, so that in the event of an assassination attempt by the Russian side, it could be protected."

Battle of Cape Tendra

On the morning of August 28, 1790, the Turkish fleet under the command of the young kapudan pasha Hussein, consisting of 14 battleships, 8 frigates and 14 small ships, anchored between Hajibey and Tendra Spit. Unexpectedly for the enemy from the direction of Sevastopol, the Russian fleet was discovered, sailing under full sail in a marching order of three columns, consisting of 5 battleships, 11 frigates and 20 smaller ships under the command of F.F.Ushakov.

The ratio of guns was 1360 against 836 in favor of the Turkish fleet. The appearance of the Sevastopol fleet led the Turks into confusion. Despite their superiority in forces, they hastily began to cut the ropes and retreat in disarray to the Danube. The leading Turkish ships, having filled their sails, retired a considerable distance. But Kapudan Pasha, noticing the danger hanging over the rearguard, began to join with him and build a battle line on the starboard tack.

Ushakov, continuing the rapprochement with the enemy, also gave the order to rebuild into the battle line of the left tack. But then he gave the signal "to turn through the countermarch and build a battle line on the starboard tack parallel to the enemy fleet." As a result, the Russian ships "very quickly" lined up in battle formation in the wind from the Turks. Using the change in the battle formation that had proved itself in the Battle of Kerch, Fyodor Fedorovich pulled out of the line three frigates - "John the Warrior", "Jerome" and "Protection of the Virgin" to provide a maneuverable reserve in case of a change in the wind and a possible enemy attack from two sides.

At 15 o'clock, approaching the enemy at a grapeshot range, FF Ushakov forced him into battle. And soon, under the powerful fire of the Russian line, the Turkish fleet began to duck into the wind and get upset. Coming closer, the Russian ships with all their might fell on the front part of the Turkish fleet. Ushakov's flagship "Rozhdestvo Khristovo" fought three enemy ships, forcing them to leave the line.

The entire brunt of the attack was directed at the front of the formation, since the Kapudan Pasha and most of the Turkish admirals were here.

By 17 o'clock, the entire Turkish line was finally broken. This was facilitated by the reserve frigates, which Ushakov put into battle in time. The leading enemy ships, pressed by the Russians, were forced to turn through the fordewind and take flight. Their example was followed by the rest of the ships, which became the leading as a result of this maneuver. But during the turn, a series of powerful volleys were fired at them, causing great destruction. Finally, the enemy fled towards the Danube. Ushakov pursued him until darkness and the intensified wind forced him to stop pursuit and anchor.

At dawn the next day, it turned out that the Turkish ships were in close proximity to the Russians. And the frigate "Ambrose Mediolansky" did find itself among the Turkish fleet. But since the flags had not yet been raised, the Turks took him for theirs. The resourcefulness of Captain M.N.Neledinsky helped him get out of such a difficult situation. Having weaned with other Turkish ships, he continued to follow them without raising a flag. Slightly lagging behind, Neledinsky waited until the danger was over, raised the Andreevsky flag and went to his fleet.

Ushakov gave the command to raise anchors and set sail to pursue the enemy, who, having a windward position, began to scatter in different directions. However, two heavily damaged ships lagged behind the Turkish fleet, one of which, the 74-gun Kapudania, was Said Bey's flagship. The other was the 66-gun Meleki Bahri (King of the Seas). Having lost his commander Kara-Ali, killed by a cannonball, he surrendered without a fight. And "Kapudania" stubbornly resisted until it was completely engulfed in fire. Before the explosion, the boat from the Russian ship took off the Turkish admiral Said-bey and 18 officers, after which the ship took off into the air together with the remaining crew and the treasury of the Turkish fleet ...

The victory of the Black Sea Fleet at Tendra left a bright mark in the combat annals of the Russian fleet. The Federal Law "On the Days of Military Glory (Victory Days) of Russia" dated March 13, 1995, "The Day of the Victory of the Russian Squadron under the command of F.F.Ushakov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Tendra" was declared the Day of Military Glory of Russia.

It is inscribed in the red line in the history of naval art. Ushakov's tactics were active and offensive. If in the two previous battles the Black Sea Fleet carried out initially defensive actions with a transition to a counterattack, then in this case there was initially a decisive attack with a clear tactical plan. The factor of surprise was skillfully and effectively used, and the principles of concentration of forces on the direction of the main attack and mutual support were skillfully implemented.

During the battle, Ushakov used the so-called "reserve corps", which proved itself in the Battle of Kerch, which would later be further developed. The firepower of ships and frigates was used to the maximum extent by reducing the range of the salvo. Considering the fact that the combat stability of the Turkish fleet was determined by the behavior of the commander and his flagships, the main blow was inflicted precisely on the enemy's flagships.

Ushakov actively participated in all episodes of the battle, being in the most responsible and dangerous places, showing his subordinates an example of courage, by personal example encouraging them to take decisive action. At the same time, he provided junior flagships and ship commanders with the opportunity to act "to each according to the ability of the case," without hindering their initiative. In the course of the battle, the advantage in naval training and artillery training of Russian sailors was evident. Moreover, their perseverance and courage contributed significantly to the achievement of victory.

Losses

As a result, the Turks lost 2,000 wounded and killed. The Russians lost only 21 (!) People killed and 25 wounded. Such a huge difference was explained by the exceptional courage and decisiveness of the attacks of the Russian ships, which made the Turks become confused and shoot without proper restraint and guidance.

Battle of Cape Kaliakria

The battle at Cape Kaliakria took place on July 31, 1791. The Turkish fleet consisted of 18 battleships, 17 frigates and 43 smaller ships anchored off the coast under the cover of coastal batteries. The Black Sea Fleet under the command of FF Ushakov consisted of 16 battleships, 2 frigates, 2 bombardment ships, 17 cruising ships, a fire-ship and a rehearsal vessel. The ratio of guns was 1800 against 980 in favor of the Turks. The composition of the forces of the Turkish fleet has undergone changes. It was strengthened by the Algerian-Tunisian corsairs under the command of Seit-Ali, who successfully operated in the Mediterranean in the 1790 campaign against the detachment of the Russian reinforcement Major Lambro Kachioni. For these purposes, by order of the Sultan, he was allocated 7 battleships from the Turkish fleet, from which a squadron was formed, independent of the kapudan pasha.

To reduce the time of approach to the enemy, Ushakov began to approach him, remaining in the marching order of three columns. As a result, the initial disadvantageous tactical position of the Black Sea Fleet became advantageous for an attack. The situation began to take shape in favor of the Black Sea Fleet. The unexpected appearance of the Russian fleet confused the enemy. On Turkish ships, in a hurry, they began to cut ropes and set sails. Having lost control on a steep wave, in a gusty wind, several ships collided with each other and were damaged.

The Algerian flagship Seit-Ali, carrying the entire Turkish fleet with it, with two ships and several frigates, tried to win the wind and, as in previous battles, round the lead ships of the Black Sea Fleet. However, having guessed the maneuver of the Algerian Pasha, Rear Admiral Ushakov, completing the rebuilding of the fleet into a battle order, on the fastest flagship Rozhdestven Khristovo, contrary to the established rule in naval tactics, according to which the commander was in the center of the battle formation, left the wake and went ahead, overtaking his leading ships. This allowed him to thwart the plan of the Algerian Pasha, and with accurate fire from a distance of 0.5 kbt, inflict significant damage on him. As a result, the Algerian flagship was wounded and forced to retreat into the interior of its combat formation.

Around 17 o'clock, the entire Black Sea Fleet, having approached the enemy at an extremely short distance, "together" attacked the Turkish fleet. It should be noted that the crews of the Russian ships, following the example of their flagship, fought with great courage. Ushakov's flagship, becoming the leading one, entered into battle with four ships, preventing them from developing an attack. At the same time, Ushakov ordered "John the Baptist", "Alexander Nevsky" and "Fyodor Stratilat" to approach him with a signal. But when they approached the "Nativity of Christ", all four Algerian ships were already so damaged that they departed from the battle line and opened their pasha. "Nativity of Christ" entered the middle of the Turkish fleet, firing from both sides, and continued to hit the ship Seit-Ali and the ships nearest to it. With this maneuver, Ushakov finally violated the order of battle of the forward part of the Turks. By this time, all the forces of both fleets were involved in the battle. Carrying out a steady fire defeat of the enemy, the Black Sea Fleet successfully developed the attack. At the same time, the Turkish ships were so cramped that they fired at each other. Soon the resistance of the Turks was broken and they, turning to the Russian fleet astern, fled.

Thick powder smoke enveloping the battlefield and the ensuing darkness prevented the continuation of the pursuit of the enemy. Therefore, at half past eight in the evening, Ushakov was forced to stop the pursuit and anchor. At dawn August 1 there was not a single enemy ship on the horizon. On the same day, Ushakov received news from Field Marshal N.V. Repnin about the conclusion July 31 truce and order to return to Sevastopol.

As in the previous battle, Ushakov's tactics were of an active offensive nature, and the use of tactical techniques was determined specifically by the evolving situation. The passage between the coast and the enemy fleet, the rapprochement in the marching order, the placement of the corps de battalion (the central squadron of the fleet) and the flagship at the head of the wake column allowed the Russian commander to make the most of the surprise factor, attack the enemy from a tactically advantageous position and disrupt his plan. The main blow was struck on the front, the most active part of the enemy, in the wake of which the rest of the Turkish fleet was walking along with the kapudan pasha. This made it possible to disrupt the formation of Turkish ships and, despite the enemy's significant advantage in artillery, to carry out effective fire damage from short distances, as a result of which the enemy suffered heavy losses in manpower and materiel.

Actions in the Mediterranean

Ushakov's grave in the Sanaksar Monastery, September 2007

Last years

May 18, 1805 arrived by invitation M.I. Platova to bookmark and consecrate a new capital Don troops - Novocherkassk ... I also had contact with my relatives who lived in the former Donetsk district and the village of Kamenskaya.

Ushakov's merits were not appreciated by the emperor Alexander I , who appointed him to the secondary position of the chief commander of the Baltic rowing fleet and the head of the naval commands in St. Petersburg, and in 1807 year fired. During Patriotic War of 1812 Ushakov was elected head of the militia Tambov province , but due to illness, resigned.

In the last years of his life on the estate, FF Ushakov devoted himself to prayer and broad charitable work. According to the message of Hieromonk Nathanael to Archbishop Athanasius of Tambov:

“This admiral Ushakov ... and the famous benefactor of the Sanaksar monastery, upon his arrival from St. Petersburg for about eight years, led a secluded life in his own house, in his village Alekseevka, three versts from the monastery through the forest, which on Sundays and holidays came to pray to the monastery to the servants of God at all times, and during Lent he lived in the monastery in a cell for his visit ... for a whole week and every long service with the brethren in the church he stood faithfully, listening reverently. In obedience to the monastery, he did not apply to any, but from time to time he sacrificed from his zeal for significant beneficence, to the same poor and needy he gave the everlasting merciful alms in all help. In honor and memory of his beneficent name, he made expensive vessels, an important Gospel and expensive brocade clothes for the throne and for the altar in the monastery in the Cathedral Church. He passed the rest of his days with extreme restraint and ended his life as a true Christian and faithful son of the holy church should.

6 october 2004 year Bishops' Cathedral The Russian Orthodox Church ranked Fyodor Ushakov among the Church-wide saints in face righteous ... Memory is committed (by julian calendar) May, 23rd (Cathedral of Rostov saints), July 23 and 2 October ... Fyodor Ushakov (should not be confused with his uncle and namesake monk Feodor Sanaksarsky) is revered as the patron saint of the Russian navy (since 2000) and the strategic air force (since 2005).

In Kerch, on the YugNIRO building, on the site of the former admiralty, 14 september 2007 year a memorial plaque in honor of Admiral F.F.Ushakov was opened.

In 2000, in the village of Molochkovo, Soletsky District, Novgorod Region, by the forces of the Soletsky military garrison, a bathhouse in the name of St. Fyodor Ushakov.

In honor of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov (Admiral Ushakov) in 2011. a temple-chapel was erected in the Krasnoarmeisky district of Volgograd. As of August 2012, three more churches are under construction: in the Khostinsky district of Sochi, next to the metro station of the same name in Moscow, Yuzhnoye Butovo and on pl. Victory in the town of Sovetskaya Gavan, Khabarovsk Territory. Services are held at construction sites in temporary premises.

On October 15, 2012, an ark with a particle of the relics of the holy naval commander was installed in the military church in the name of the holy right-believing prince Alexander Nevsky at the Yaroslavl Air Defense Forces of the Air Defense

see also

Notes

Literature

	Fyodor Ushakov in Wikiquote
	Fyodor Ushakov at Wikimedia Commons

• Admiral Ushakov / Ed. and with entry. article by R.N.Mordvinov. T. 1-3.-M .: Voenmorizdat, 1951-1956.
• Ganichev V.N. Ushakov. - M .: Mol. Guard, 1990 .-- 462 p .: ill. - (Life of people noticed. Ser. Biogr .; Issue 712).
• Ganichev V.N. Fleet leader: [About FF Ushakov]. - M .: Patriot, 1994 .-- 463 p .: ill.
• P.E. Garmash Storming Corfu. - M .: Voenizdat, 1990. -110 pp. - (Heroic past of our Motherland).
• A. I. Zonin Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov. - M .: Mol. Guard, 1944 .-- 88 p.
• A. A. Lebedev Frigates against ships. An inevitable and invaluable episode of the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791. SPb. IPK Gangut. 2011. ISBN 978-5-904180-42-3
• Lebedev A.A. At the origins of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The Azov flotilla in the struggle for the Crimea and in the creation of the Black Sea Fleet (1768-1783). SPb. IPK .: Gangut. 2011. ISBN 978-5-904180-22-5
• Lebedev A.A. From Fidonisi to Corfu. Behind the scenes of F.F. Ushakova // Gangut 2011 - 2012. № 66 - 67
• "Glory not to me, but to our people ...": [To the 250th anniversary of the birth of FF Ushakov] // Geopolitics and security. - 1994. -No. 2.- S. 180-196.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov. - M .: Andreevsky flag, 1995 .-- 127 p .: ill.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Serving the Fatherland. (Admiral F. F. Ushakov: unknown pages of life). Yaroslavl, 1993;
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Holy Righteous Admiral Fyodor Ushakov. M .: MGF "Veteran of Moscow", 2001. - 376 p.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Saint Admiral Ushakov (1745-1817). Historical story about the earthly path of the holy righteous warrior. M .: OLMA-PRESS, 2003 .-- 511 p.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Pedigree of the Ushakovs // Marine collection, 1991. № 9.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Diamond crown of a naval commander // Russian House, 2001. № 9.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Son of the Fatherland - Son of God // Military History Journal, 2003. № 2.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. "Akhtiyar is the best harbor in the world": To the 220th anniversary of Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet // Military History Journal, 2003. No. 5.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. The naval heritage of Admiral FF Ushakov // Military History Journal, 2009. No. 2. P. 22-26.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Spiritual and moral heritage of Admiral FF Ushakov // Military History Journal, 2009. No. 3. P. 43-45.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. The naval legacy of Admiral FF Ushakov and the theoretical activity of MA Petrov in substantiating the tactics of sea battle // Marine collection, 2009. No. 3. P. 69-75.
• Ovchinnikov V.D. Admiral F.F.Ushakov. Homeland and holiness. Rybinsk: RMP, 2009 .-- 64 p.
• Rakovsky L. I. Admiral Ushakov: Roman. - Simferopol: Tavria, 1990 .-- 228 p .: ill. - (Marine library; Book 63).
• Sergeev-Tsensky S.N. Admiral F.F.Ushakov: East. sketch // Sergeev-Tsenskiy SN Knights of the seas: Ist. sketches, stories, short stories, articles. - M .: Military Publishing, 1985. -S. 36-63.
• Snegirev V.L. Admiral Ushakov. - Moscow: Military Publishing, 1947 .-- 361 p .: ill. - (Note Russian military leaders).
• Stanislavskaya A.M. Political activity of F.F.Ushakov in Greece, 1798-1800 - Moscow: Nauka, 1983 .-- 302 p.
• Tarle E.V. Admiral Ushakov on the Mediterranean Sea // Under the St. Andrew's flag: XVIII century. - M .: Patriot, 1994 .-- S. 514-525.
• Stanislavskaya A.M. FF Ushakov's political activities in Greece. 1798-1800. M., 1983.
• Yakhontova M.S. "Ships go to the bastions"
• Lyubavin-Bogaevsky Yu. I., Ushakov-Bogaevsky O. V. Hail on the Midnight Mountains. Novocherkassk, 2011.
• Potrashkov, S History of the Russian Navy. Eksmo, 2006

Works by F.F.Ushakov

• Holy Russian Host: Key to the Adriatic. M .: Eksmo, 2012 .-- 480 p., Ill. - (Great generals). - 3000 copies, ISBN 978-5-699-53644-3

Links

• The site of the Church of the Epiphany "on the island" of the village of Khopylevo, where Fyodor Ushakov was baptized
• Autograph of Admiral Fyodor Ushakov

Commanders of the Black Sea Fleet
Commanders over the fleet	Potemkin (1783-1791) Kakhovsky (1791-1794) Teeth (1794-1796) Chichagov (1811-1812) Menshikov (1854-1855) Gorchakov (1855)
Commanders

In the history of our army and navy, there are many outstanding personalities. These are people who have had a strong influence on the development of not only the military industry, but the entire statehood of the country. One of these was Admiral Ushakov. The biography of this wonderful person is given in this article.

His fame is evidenced by at least the fact that there were several ships named after him in the navies of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. In particular, even one cruiser of the USSR Navy. Since 1944 the Order and Medal of Ushakov have existed. A number of objects in the Arctic are named after him.

Initial period of life

Fyodor Ushakov, the future admiral, was born in the tiny village of Burnakovo, lost in the vastness of Moscow province, in February 1745. He came from the family of a landowner, but not too rich. It is not surprising that he had to go to school early, so as not to force his parents to spend money on his maintenance. In 1766 he studied in the cadet corps, receiving the rank of midshipman. His naval career began on the Baltic Sea. Ushakov immediately showed himself as a capable commander and

The beginning of the service, the first successes

Already in 1768-1774, during the first war with the Turks, Ushakov exercised command of several at once. He also participated in the heroic defense of the Crimean coast.

In the Baltic, Fyodor Ushakov commanded the frigate "St. Paul", and later on it made the transition to the Mediterranean Sea. He carried out important assignments for the transportation of timber at the St. Petersburg shipyard. In 1780, he was even appointed commander of the imperial yacht, but the future admiral refuses this boring post and applies for a transfer back to the battleship of the line. At the same time, Ushakov received the rank of captain of the second rank.

From 1780 to 1782 he was in command of the battleship Victor. During this period, Ushakov was constantly on raids: he and his crew were guarding trade routes from English privateers, who at that time were completely unbound.

Role in the creation of the Black Sea Fleet

Admiral Ushakov is especially famous for one act. His biography includes the fact that it was this man who was one of the founders of the entire Black Sea Fleet. Since 1783, he was busy with the construction of the Sevastopol base for the fleet, personally supervised the training of new crews on the ships. By 1874 Ushakov became. Then he received the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree for his fight against the plague epidemic in Kherson. After that, he was entrusted with the command of the ship "St. Paul" and was given the rank of brigade captain.

War with the Turks

During the next war with the Turks, from 1787 to 1791, the most notorious victories of the Russian fleet are associated with the name of Ushakov. So, in the naval battle near the island of Fidonisi (now it is called the Serpentine), which took place on July 3, 1788, Admiral Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov personally led the vanguard of four frigates. The Turkish fleet at that time consisted of 49 ships at once, and Eski-Gassan commanded them.

We had only 36 ships, and the number of ships of the line was five times less. It was Ushakov, skillfully maneuvering and not allowing the Turks to approach, who managed to drive off two of their forward ships of the line, turning his guns to flight. This battle lasted three hours, as a result of which the entire Turkish fleet preferred to retire. For this battle, the future Admiral Ushakov (his biography is described in the article) was awarded the Knights of St. George.

New feats

The next two years did not work out. Nevertheless, in 1790, the entire Black Sea Fleet was transferred under the control of Ushakov. The active officer immediately began training the crews of the main ships of the line. Soon the opportunity presented itself to check the work: at Sinop, the squadron of Rear Admiral Ushakov bombed almost thirty enemy ships. In response, the entire Turkish squadron entered the raid. Foreseeing this, the talented commander brought his fleet out in advance and anchored it near in order to block the breakthrough of Turkish ships to the Crimea and prevent the landing of enemy troops. So the Kerch naval battle began. Subsequently, it was included in almost all textbooks on naval combat, since the techniques used then by the admiral were really advanced for their time.

New battle

However, soon Ushakov Fyodor Fedorovich (whose biography contains many such episodes) decided to meet the Turkish squadron. This temptation turned out to be insurmountable for the Turks: relying on a favorable wind, they decided to rush into the Russian fleet and destroy it.

However, their plan for Ushakov was obvious, and therefore he timely gave the command to rebuild and allocate several battleships for reliable cover of the vanguard. When the latter tied the Turks in battle, the rest of the Russian ships arrived. By three o'clock in the afternoon, the wind began to favor our fleet. The ships of the two squadrons quickly began to converge, and soon their artillerymen entered into a tense duel.

The Russian gunners proved to be excellent in this battle. Soon, most of the Turkish ships, due to the strong destruction of the equipment, could no longer participate in the battle. A little more, and the Russians began to celebrate a complete and unconditional victory. The Turks managed to escape only thanks to the best characteristics of their compact and nimble ships. Thus, the history of the Black Sea Fleet was replenished with another glorious victory.

Many historians note that in that battle the enemy did not lose a single ship sunk, but the state of the Turkish squadron was such that it could not go into battle in the coming months. In addition, their crews suffered huge losses in manpower, and the landing units were seriously worn out. The Russians killed only 29 people. It was in honor of this victory in 1915 that one of the battleships of the fleet was named "Kerch".

Battle near Tendra

At the end of the summer of 1790, a rather significant battle took place at Cape Tendra, where Ushakov's squadron suddenly stumbled upon the Turks, who were at ease at anchor. The admiral disregarded all the traditions of the fleet, ordering an attack on the move, without long rebuilding. Confidence in success was fueled by the presence of the traditional reserve of four frigates.

Kapudan Pasha Hussein commanded the Turkish squadron. He was an experienced naval commander, but even he had to retreat after hours of intense fighting. The flagship of the Russian fleet, Rozhdestven Hristovo, under the command of Ushakov himself, fought simultaneously with three enemy ships. When the Turks fled, the Russian ships pursued them until nightfall, after which they had to anchor.

The next day, the battle resumed with renewed vigor. Several hours of battle ended in complete victory for our fleet. For this, the admiral was awarded the Order of St. George of the 2nd degree, as well as half a thousand attributed to the Mogilev province. After that Ushakov Fyodor Fedorovich, in short, became a "purebred" landowner-landowners. However, he practically never visited his estates, being constantly busy with the fleet.

Battle of Kaliakria, new victories

On land, Turkey suffered constant defeats. The Sultan Pasha decided to recoup by taking revenge at sea. Warships were being assembled throughout the empire, and soon an incredibly powerful fleet was stationed near Istanbul. He, in the number of 78 ships, soon anchored near Cape Kaliakria. Since the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha began at that time, some of the crews were released ashore.

However, the Russian government at this time began negotiations with the weakened enemy, which the Turks were only happy about. But Admiral Ushakov (his biography was thus replenished with another battle) did not know about this when he stumbled upon the Turkish fleet. According to his old habit, he instantly gave the order to rebuild into a stowed position, simultaneously firing at the enemy squadron from all guns.

The Turks tried to repeat the maneuver, removing from the raid under fire. This is how the battle began with the already mentioned flagship of the Russian fleet "Christmas Christ" attacked the enemy on the move. Soon after, the enemy squadron was dispersed, and in 1791 a peace treaty was finally signed.

Post-war work

After the war, the admiral devotes all his strength and time to the preparation and development of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1793 he was promoted to vice admiral. During this period, Fyodor Fedorovich Ushakov, whose biography is full of significant events, already has tremendous authority in the fleet, he is respected even by his enemies.

And then a curious turn of history happens: Russia, as part of a coalition against the French, becomes an ally of Turkey, with which Ushakov fought a couple of years ago. During the Mediterranean expedition of 1798-1800, the admiral visited Istanbul, where the fleet of Kadir Bey joined his squadron. The task was difficult: to liberate many islands (including the Greek Corfu), and also to connect with the British under the command of Nelson.

Taking Corfu

Almost all the intended targets were captured on the move, but Corfu was a powerful fortress, and therefore at first Ushakov ordered to take it into the ring of the naval blockade. The united squadron did not have enough infantry, so it was premature to think about an assault. After long and persistent negotiations, the Turkish side finally sent 4.5 thousand troops, and another 2 thousand were the local militia. It was possible to draw up a plan to take the object.

The Russian paratroopers, who had landed on the shore under fire from the fort, began to quickly build two artillery batteries. The rest of the infantry was ordered to attack the forward fortifications of the French. At the same time, the assault on the island of Vido began, the garrison of which quickly surrendered.

The ship's artillery successfully suppressed the French batteries, after which the assault began. Part of the wall was quickly captured, after which the garrison realized that further resistance would not lead to anything good. On the admiral's ship St. Paul, negotiations for surrender began.

Diplomat career

For this operation, Ushakov was promoted to full admiral. Even the Turks presented their former enemy with many valuable gifts, recognizing his military talent. After these events, the Russian squadron actively helped the land forces of Suvorov, which at that time were involved in Northern Italy. Actively operating in the Mediterranean Sea, the Russian admiral completely fettered the enemy's trade routes, blocking the ports in Genoa and Ancona along the way. The landing of his ships proved to be excellent in the assault and liberation from the French troops of Naples and Rome.

At this time, the old sailor amazed everyone with his talent as a subtle and skillful diplomat, who knew how to extinguish problems and negotiate with opponents. It was he who contributed to the formation of the Republic of the Seven Islands in Greece, and together with other diplomats created the Greek Senate. The introduction of the new order was enthusiastically received by almost all the islanders. These innovations glorified Ushakov in those parts, but caused extreme discontent.

End of career

All those six months that the admiral spent in the Ionian Islands was an incessant triumph. Locals treated the naval commander as their liberator from the French occupation. The squadron returned to its homeland on September 26, 1800, mooring in Sevastopol. The emperor was extremely dissatisfied with the republican views of Ushakov, but he could not do something with him, fearing the reaction of the army and navy. In 1802, he was removed from the really important areas, being appointed chief of the rowing fleet in the Baltic and the training camps for sailors.

However, Ushakov himself was glad of this: many years of sailing did not contribute to improving health, and therefore already in 1807 he retired. During the attack of the French in 1812, he led the Tambov militia, but due to poor physical health, he personally did not participate in battles. The famous naval commander died in 1817 and was solemnly buried in the Sanaskar Monastery.

Ushakov entered the history of nautical affairs of the whole world not only as an admiral unsurpassed by anyone in terms of performance, but also as the author of a completely new tactics of the battle of the sailing fleet. He paid great attention to the training of the crews of each ship of his squadron, which was very different from the commanders of those years. The admiral was loved by his subordinates: he was tough and demanding, but not cruel.

What else is Ushakov known for? Interesting facts about him are striking: when the order and the medal of his name were established in the USSR, it turned out ... that no one knows what the great naval commander looked like in reality. His only portrait was dated 1912, when the admiral had been dead for a hundred years. The solution to the problem was proposed by the famous anthropologist Gerasimov: the admiral's crypt was opened (and it turned out that some vandals had already managed to steal all personal belongings and a golden sword), the scientist took measurements from the skull, on the basis of which a reconstruction of the appearance was created. It happened in 1944.

But that's not all. In our time, this outstanding person was canonized by the Orthodox Church. Now the holy Admiral Ushakov patronizes all travelers and those people who are just going to embark on a long journey.

And one more fact. In the Sanaksar Monastery there are graves ... of two Fedor Ushakovs. One of them is the admiral himself. The other belongs to his uncle, who during his lifetime was the abbot of this monastery. Studying the archives, scientists found out that the famous sailor loved to be in these walls, resting from the bustle of the world. That is why he wrote a will, according to which he was to be buried next to his uncle.

Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov

The future admiral was born on February 13 (24), 1744 (according to other sources, in 1745) in the village of Burnakovo (now the Tutaevsky district of the Yaroslavl region), into a poor noble family: his father was Fedor Ignatievich Ushakov (1710-1781), a sergeant in retirement, and the uncle - the elder Theodore Sanaksarsky.
The attraction to the sea arose in the boy's soul under the influence of the stories of an old fellow villager who had served as a gunner in the Peter's fleet. A sixteen-year-old boy was sent by his relatives to Petersburg and assigned to study at the Marine Corps. Two years later, already a midshipman, he made his first training voyage on the ship "Saint Eustathius", in 1766 - graduated from the corps as an officer, midshipman, and was enrolled in a galley fleet sailing in the Baltic.

In 1783, Fyodor Fedorovich, already in the rank of captain of the 1st rank, actively participated in the construction of a naval base in Sevastopol, in the construction of ships in Kherson. One of the newly built powerful battleships, the 60-gun "St. Paul", came under his command. When in 1787 Catherine II visited Sevastopol and got acquainted with the fleet created in a short time, she was very pleased. Among the naval officers she encouraged was Ushakov, whom she promoted to the captain of the brigadier rank.
Six months later, the Russian-Turkish war began, which made Ushakov's name known not only in Russia, but also abroad. True, the first military campaign of the Black Sea squadron was unsuccessful. In view of Varna, a strong storm, which lasted for several days, scattered the ships across the sea, and "St. Paul" Ushakov almost died, but the courageous and skillful captain managed to save him.

In the summer of 1788 the squadron went to sea again and on July 3 met with the Turkish fleet off the island of Fidonisi. The Turks outnumbered the Russians twice in the number of ships, had a triple advantage in guns and were the first to open fire on the Russian vanguard ("St. Paul" and three frigates). The distance prevented the Russian frigates from effectively firing their 12-pounder cannons, and Ushakov, who led the vanguard, undertook a bold maneuver. He ordered the frigates to bypass the Turkish lead ships from the windward side, in order to put them "in two fires", and he himself went out of action on "St. Paul" and decisively attacked the flagship of Gassan Pasha. As a result of the battle, which lasted for about three hours, the enemy's flagship was seriously damaged. This forced Gassan Pasha, and after him, all the ships of his squadron to leave the battle area. Potemkin highly appreciated the martial art of Ushakov, the latter was awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree, promoted to rear admiral and was given command over the entire ship fleet in Sevastopol.

From that moment on, the true military formation of this fleet began, its glorious combat traditions began to be laid. In May 1790 Fyodor Fyodorovich went with a squadron under the walls of Sinop and Anapa, burned and sank enemy ships, reconnoitred Turkish fortresses, and with the fire of his cannons thrilled their garrisons. In July, near the Kerch Strait, he blocked the path of the Turkish squadron, which was rushing into the Azov Sea; Boldly maneuvering and firing well-aimed fire, Ushakov repulsed the enemy's attack, and then he went ahead, approached the Turks at a grapeshot range and put into action all the artillery. Turkish ships, a significant part of which were damaged, began to withdraw and were able to escape pursuit only due to their high speed. Fyodor Fyodorovich was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree.

In August, following with a squadron from Sevastopol to Ochakov, Ushakov discovered a Turkish squadron at anchor near Tendra Island. He immediately attacked the enemy without rebuilding his squadron from the stowed position. Turkish ships began to withdraw in disorder to the mouth of the Danube. The Russian Rear Admiral destroyed two ships of the line, several small ships, the Turks lost over two thousand people, including more than seven hundred prisoners.
Potemkin wrote:
Ours, thanks to God, gave the Turks such a pepper that they liked it. Thanks to Fedor Fedorovich!
From that time on, the Turks began to frankly fear Ushakov, and he received another award from Catherine II - the Order of St. George, 2nd degree.

On July 31, 1791, Ushakov won a brilliant victory over the Turkish fleet in the battle at Cape Kaliakria. In this battle, he attacked the enemy in a marching formation of three columns. The outcome of the battle was decided by bold maneuvering actions - the passage of the Russian squadron between the coast and the Turkish ships to occupy an advantageous windward position before the attack, the exit of Ushakov's flagship "Christmas Christ" from the wake formation during the pursuit of the enemy flagship. Having suffered heavy losses, the Turkish ships stopped the battle and, taking advantage of the darkness, went to the Bosphorus. This defeat dashed the last hopes of the Ottoman Port and hastened the signing of the Yassy Peace Treaty, which was victorious for Russia.
Catherine II in a rescript addressed to the naval commander wrote:
The famous victory ... serves as new proof of your zeal for our service, your special courage and art. Most mercifully, we have bestowed upon you the Knight of our Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

In this war, Ushakov resorted to a new maneuverable tactic that he created, which was fundamentally different from the linear one adopted at that time. The main features of Ushakov's tactics were: the use of uniform marching combat formations, the allocation of a reserve ("Kaiser-flag squadron"), a decisive rapprochement with the enemy for a short distance without rebuilding the battle formation, the concentration of main efforts against the enemy's flagships, a combination of targeted artillery fire and maneuver , pursuit of the enemy until it is completely destroyed or captured. Attaching great importance to the naval and fire training of personnel, Ushakov was a supporter of Suvorov's principles of educating subordinates. Without losing a single vessel in naval battles, Ushakov inflicted irreparable damage to the Turkish fleet in more than 50 ships, recapturing the entire Black Sea region for Russia. The Turks were frightened by F. Ushakov's victories to such an extent that their fleet did not dare to leave the Bosphorus Strait, fearing to meet with the formidable admiral for them, who received the nickname "Ushak Pasha".

Along with military exploits, F. Ushakov showed high administrative abilities. In 1783, he successfully fought the plague in Kherson, and the measures he took against the spread of the infection provided for the means of fighting the plague, developed by science many decades later. Improves the military port and the city of Sevastopol. After the war with Turkey, he immediately proceeded to put in order the ships of the Black Sea Fleet: their repair, the construction of new ships, piers, barracks for ship crews, a hospital. According to historians, the administrative abilities of F.F. Ushakov and the ability to take on any business, contributed to the fact that during the 15 years of his stay in Sevastopol, not only the new Black Sea port became a reliable refuge for the fleet, but the city itself reached impressive dimensions.
On September 13, 1793 F. Ushakov was promoted to vice admiral (he became rear admiral on April 25, 1789).

With the growth of the aggressive aspirations of France and the creation of an anti-French coalition of European states with the participation of Russia, Fedor Fedorovich found himself at the epicenter of the events taking place in the Mediterranean. In 1798, Paul I entered into an alliance with a recent enemy - Turkey, and the Black Sea Fleet was instructed to act together with the Turks in the Mediterranean against the French. At the same time, Full Admiral Kadyr-Bey received an order from his Sultan not only to be subordinate to the Russian Vice-Admiral, but also to learn from him. Having taken the Turkish squadron, which had joined the Black Sea Fleet, under his command in Constantinople, Ushakov headed to the Archipelago. By force of arms, he liberated the islands of Cerigo, Zante, Kefalonia, Saint Maura from the rule of the French, and in October laid siege to France's most important strategic base in the Ionian Sea - the island of Corfu.

It was extremely difficult to attack Corfu from the sea and take the fortress by storm, since the enemy had large forces and powerful fortifications, and Ushakov lacked ground forces, did not have siege artillery. But four months of blockade operations near Corfu convinced the Russian naval commander of the need for an assault, and he organized it brilliantly. The seizure of a strong fortress and island in a short time (February 18-20, 1799) became an example of bold, well-planned and coordinated actions of the ships and landings of the Allies with the decisive role of the Russian squadron and its expeditionary detachment, which proved to be extremely valiant.
Upon learning of Ushakov's victory, Suvorov exclaimed:
Why wasn't I even a midshipman at Corfu!
For the capture of the fortress and the island of Corfu, Fyodor Fedorovich was promoted to admiral, in addition, he received awards from the Turkish sultan and the King of Naples.

With the withdrawal of Suvorov's army to Northern Italy in April 1799, Ushakov moved his operations to the shores of Southern Italy, where his expeditionary forces occupied a number of cities, including Naples, and disorganized enemy communications. But soon relations between Russia and the allies worsened, and Fyodor Fedorovich received an order from Paul I to return the squadron to his homeland (at the same time Suvorov was recalled to Russia). In October 1800, the naval commander brought the ships to Sevastopol. As a result of Ushakov's actions in the Mediterranean, France lost its dominance in the Adriatic, lost the Ionian Islands, and Russia's acquisition of the Corfu naval base helped the Allies in subsequent wars with France in 1805 - 1807.
Reviewing the events of this war, D.A. Milyutin in his writings called Admiral F.F. Ushakov "the most famous naval commander since the time of Peter the Great."

Being a representative of Russia during his stay in the Mediterranean Sea, Ushakov discovered a lot of political tact, natural intelligence, diplomatic skill, and, thanks to his abilities, he found ways out of the most difficult situations far from his homeland among foreign peoples. Ushakov reflects the spirit of those historical nuggets that marked the reign of Catherine II, and which created the glory of her century, which brought Russia to the fore among the European powers. Like many other prominent figures of the reign of Catherine II, Ushakov was able to successfully apply his talents to everything, whatever the benefit of the Fatherland required of him. To serve the Motherland, he gave all his strength, all his personal life, and donated his property as a gift to his fatherland.

The merits of F.F. Ushakov were not appreciated by Alexander I, who in May 1802 appointed him to a secondary position of the chief commander of the Baltic rowing fleet and head of the naval commands in St. Petersburg (in the fall of 1804), and in 1807 he dismissed him. In 1809, Ushakov acquired the village of Alekseevka in the Temnikovsky district of the Tambov province, where he moved at the end of 1810 - the beginning of 1811. During the Patriotic War of 1812, Ushakov was elected head of the militia of the Tambov province, but due to illness, he resigned ... He died on September 21 (October 2), 1817 at his estate and was buried in the Sinaksar monastery near the town of Temnikov. At the grave of Admiral F.F. Ushakov, a black marble pedestal rises, ending with a bust of the admiral. On this pedestal there is a plate on which the inscription is engraved: "Here lies the ashes of His Excellency Boyar of the Fleet, Admiral and various Russian and foreign orders, Knight Fyodor Fedorovich Ushakov, who died in September 1817, 74 years old."

The activities of Admiral F.F. Ushakova left a deep mark on the history of the development of the naval power of the Russian state, and he justly had to take its rightful place among the historical figures of our Fatherland. That is why November 30, 2000 became truly historic for the Russian Navy. By the decision of the Commission for the Canonization of the Russian Orthodox Church, the outstanding naval commander Fyodor Fedorovich Ushakov was numbered among the locally revered saints of the Saransk diocese. So Russian naval sailors, after performing the rite of church glorification of the admiral of the Russian fleet, the faithful boyar Fyodor Ushakov, found their heavenly patron. His military path and naval victories are forever inscribed in the tablets of Russian history, and his dedication to service, faith and Fatherland is an example of service for many generations of Russian soldiers.

From the address of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral of the Fleet Vladimir Kuroyedov to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia:
With his righteous earthly life, Fyodor Ushakov showed the world the brightest example of selfless service to the Fatherland and his people, both on the battlefield and in the field of charity and mercy, an example of an Orthodox warrior to whom God's help was sent down ... The Admiral, brought up in piety, himself brought up a whole galaxy talented naval commanders, officers and simply faithful sons of their Motherland - the soldiers of Christ, always, not sparing their belly, who stood up to the end for the Faith and the Fatherland. According to the moral precepts of Admiral Ushakov, the Russian Navy still lives today ...
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad:
… An amazing person, an amazing person. He was canonized, of course, for the sanctity of life in the first place. But his valor, his exploits cannot be torn away from his whole life ... Just as the great warrior Admiral Ushakov was invincible by the power of prayer and intercession before God in battles with the visible enemy, so we together with him will now be invincible in the invisible battle for greatness, dignity and prosperity our Fatherland.

F.F. Ushakov graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps, served in the Baltic Fleet, and as part of the Don (Azov) flotilla participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. He was appointed commander of the 16-gun ship "Modon", one of the largest in the Azov flotilla. Since 1775 Ushakov commanded a frigate. In 1780 he was appointed commander of the imperial yacht, but soon abandoned his court career. And in 1780-1782. commanded the battleship "Victor", which guarded Russian merchant ships in the Mediterranean from pirate operations of the British fleet. Since 1783, in the Black Sea Fleet, he oversaw the construction of ships in Kherson, participated in the construction of the main base in Sevastopol. At the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. F.F. Ushakov commanded the battleship "St. Paul".

In the battle at about. Fidonisi (1788), commanding the vanguard of the squadron, Ushakov defeated the superior forces of the Turks and in 1789 was promoted to rear admiral. In March 1790, His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky appointed him commander of the Black Sea Fleet. From that moment on, the true military formation of this fleet began, its glorious combat traditions began to be laid.

Commanding the Black Sea Fleet, Ushakov won brilliant victories over the Turkish fleet in the Kerch naval battle at about. Tendra (1790) and at Cape Kaliakria (1791), resorting to the new maneuverable tactics he created, which was fundamentally different from the linear tactics adopted at that time. Its main features were the use of uniform marching combat formations, a decisive rapprochement with the enemy for a short distance without rebuilding the battle formation, the concentration of main efforts against the enemy's flagships, the allocation of a reserve ("Kaiser flag squadron"), a combination of targeted artillery fire and maneuver, enemy until it is completely destroyed or captured. Attaching great importance to the naval and fire training of personnel, Ushakov was a supporter of Suvorov's principles of educating subordinates.

In 1793 Fyodor Fedorovich Ushakov was promoted to vice admiral. During the Mediterranean campaign of 1798-1800. he again proved himself as a major naval commander, a skilled politician and diplomat, especially during the creation of the Greek Republic of the Seven Islands under the protectorate of Russia and Turkey. Ushakov demonstrated examples of organizing interaction between the army and the navy in the capture of the Ionian Islands and especially about. Corfu, during the liberation of Italy from the French, during the blockade of Ancona and Genoa, during the capture of Naples and Rome. In 1800, Ushakov's squadron returned to Sevastopol.

Ushakov's merits were not appreciated by Alexander I, who appointed him to the secondary position of the chief commander of the Baltic rowing fleet and the head of the naval commands in St. Petersburg. In 1807 Ushakov resigned and went to his estate in the Tambov region. To the message of the emperor, who wished to know about the true reasons for his dismissal from service, the admiral replied: “My spiritual feelings and my sorrow, which have drained the strength of strength and health, God knows - may his holy will be done. I accept everything that has happened to me with the deepest blessing. " During the Patriotic War of 1812, Ushakov was elected head of the militia of the Tambov province, but due to illness he resigned. He died on his estate and was buried in the Sinaksar Monastery near the town of Temnikov.

A bay in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea and a cape on the northern coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk are named after Ushakov. The name of Ushakov was borne by the warships of the Russian and Soviet navies. On March 3, 1944, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR established the military order of Ushakov of two degrees (the order of the first degree was awarded 47 times, the second degree - 194 times) and a medal. In 2004, he was canonized as a righteous warrior Theodor Ushakov.

Name:Fedor Ushakov

Age: 71 years

Activity: admiral, naval commander, commander of the Black Sea Fleet

Family status: was not married

Fedor Ushakov: biography

The Russian fleet did not know a more victorious admiral than Fyodor Ushakov. Under the command of a talented strategist, the Crimea was conquered and the French were expelled from the Mediterranean. Throughout his career, the naval commander did not suffer a single defeat and did not lose a single ship.

Childhood and youth

Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov was born on February 13, 1745 in the village of Burnakovo (now the Rybinsk District of the Yaroslavl Region). The strategist's father, Fyodor Ignatievich, served as a sergeant in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards regiment until he was retired, and Paraskeva Nikitichna's mother was engaged in home life.

The upbringing of the future admiral was carried out by his uncle Theodore Sanaksarsky and an old fellow villager who had served in the Peter's fleet. Since childhood, Ushakov dreamed of the sea, as overland fun seemed boring to him.

From a young age, the strategist loved sails and water, there was no more enjoyable occupation for him than carving toy ships from wood. Fellow villagers often visited the Ushakovs' house to admire the creations of the talented needleworker.

Once the local hunter Prokhor suggested that Fedor go with him to the bear, and the boy, without hesitation, told the man that he would go to the beast only if he met him on the water.

Monument to Fyodor Ushakov near the Museum of Shipbuilding and Fleet in Nikolaev

At the age of 16, the parents brought their beloved child to St. Petersburg. In the northern capital, a strong village youth entered the naval cadet corps. It is worth noting that at that time young noblemen from noble families were reluctant to enter the navy, mainly the children of one-courtiers studied in this institution.

Ushakov stubbornly studied science, poring over textbooks until nightfall, and in 1766, after five years of training, graduated with honors from the corps, receiving the rank of midshipman. The future admiral sailed in the Baltic Sea at the beginning of his career, and on the eve of the Russian-Turkish war, a talented officer was transferred to the Azov flotilla, where he served for a couple of months.

Military service

With the beginning of the war, the future invincible naval commander gets the first chance to distinguish himself and uses it. So, commanding a sixteen-gun ship, his crew successfully repelled the attacks of the Turks who landed in Balaklava, after which no one doubted his strategic decisions.

It is known that the young officer was entrusted with the transfer to the Black Sea of \u200b\u200bthe Baltic warships disguised as merchants. Fedor also delivered ship timber to the St. Petersburg shipyards, entering into desperate quarrels with dishonest contractors.

After that, Ushakov was appointed captain of the imperial yacht. However, the proximity to the imperial person did not attract an ambitious naval officer, and Fedor achieved a transfer to a ship of the line, on which he regularly went as part of a squadron on campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea. Later, the naval commander organized the construction of the Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol.

Soon the captain of the first rank Ushakov was appointed commander of the ship, which had just begun to be built at the Kherson shipyard. The sailors did not have time to get involved in the work (at that time they participated in the construction of the ship on a par with the shipbuilders), as a plague epidemic broke out in Kherson.

Ushakov took his team out of town. There, the sailors built ditches, lit fires on all sides and, for preventive purposes, began to wipe themselves with vinegar and chopped herbs. Thanks to the efficiency of Fedor Fedorovich, none of the crew members contracted a fatal disease. As a result, the construction of the ship was nevertheless completed.

Monument to Fyodor Ushakov in Kherson

Upon returning to his homeland, the admiral was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir. It is worth noting that Ushakov was awarded not for military merit, not for victories, but for timely witness and resourcefulness.

Then the strategist set himself a new task - by all means, to make the sailors of his ship the most experienced team of the Russian combat fleet. Ushakov developed a unique training method: a weapon was installed on a swinging swing, and the crew members had to get into a sail attached to a raft not far from the ship.

Thanks to this course, Ushakova achieved that his sailors perfectly mastered the art of conducting massive fire. On the occasion of the emergence of a new force capable of competing with the Ottoman Empire for power in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, the Empress hosted a reception for foreign delegations in Simferopol.

Contemporaries in the age of high technology do not understand how difficult it was to navigate the sea at that time. Then the sailors, in order to steer the ship without deviating from the set course, paid attention to the strength and direction of the wind, and also watched the current. During the battles, Ushakov not only monitored the amount of ammunition, but also controlled the actions of each crew member.

It is worth noting that Fedor Fedorovich was the first in history to break all the laws of naval combat. Then there was an unspoken code of battle, which said that before a battle, opponents should approach each other within the distance of a pistol shot, line up and only then attack.

Ushakov, however, stated that this was a waste of time and that the emphasis should be placed on the main ship, destroying it in the first place. This tactic helped Fedor Fedorovich win the battle with the Ottoman fleet. Then the admiral opposed the enemy's numerical superiority with a new strategy - and he was not mistaken. The Russian fleet, rebuilding on the move, cut off the main ships of the Turks, for which they were not ready.

Enemies in panic began to raise anchors and cut the ropes. Thus, destroying the enemy command, Ushakov's fleet, one by one, defeated the entire Turkish squadron.

After this victory, the field marshal general, the prince became the patron saint of the eminent admiral and, in a letter to the empress, praised his brave protégé. In 1790, Potemkin, with the approval of Catherine II, entrusted Ushakov with the leadership of the entire Black Sea fleet, and Fedor Fedorovich, raising the flag on the ship "St. Paul", set off with the fleet to the shores of Turkey. There he bombarded Sinop, destroyed 26 enemy ships, and then repelled the attack of the Turks near the Kerch Strait.

Monument to Fedor Ushakov at Cape Kaliakra

It is noteworthy that the defeated enemies often asked Ushakov for mercy, sending envoys and offering money. The admiral never ruined human destinies, but he did not spare enemy ships.

The captain understood that the conclusion of peace is possible only after all the ships of the Turkish fleet are defeated. The battle that made his name immortal took place on July 31, 1791, in the Black Sea, near Cape Kaliakra (northern Bulgaria). Then the commander-in-chief of the Turks announced that he would take Ushakov prisoner, not yet realizing that his entire fleet would fall.

The Ottomans were waiting for Russian ships near the shore, on which a battery was installed. Fyodr Fedorovich, famous for the fact that he often conducted reconnaissance before the battle, knew about the location of the enemy and about the installation. As a result, he bypassed the Turks, passing between the coast and their ships, caught a favorable wind and defeated the enemy fleet.

Cathedral of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov in Saransk

The peace treaty concluded with Turkey secured the entire northern Black Sea region, including Crimea, to Russia. While winning victories on land, Ushakov proved to the world that Russia is the rightful mistress of the sea.

In August 1798, he sent Ushakov's Black Sea squadron to the Ionian Islands (at that moment the French dominated their shores), so that he consolidated the Russian presence in the Mediterranean Sea. This time on the side of Fedor Fedorovich was a recent rival - the Ottoman Empire.

True, this time, too, the admiral demonstrated incredible resourcefulness. According to legend, Ushakov dressed his henchmen in ladies' outfits, and when the French saw ladies with guns landing ashore, they said that they did not howl with the representatives of the weak half of humanity and raised a white flag. Coming closer, the soldiers realized that they had been deceived.

This was followed by the capture of the fortress of Corfu (the building fell in one day), after which the liberation of the Ionian Islands from the French presence was completed. For this operation, Fedor Fedorovich was elevated to the rank of admiral, and the Turkish sultan presented the strategist with a sable fur coat and a diamond feather.

He is the founder of the Russian fleet, but after the death of the reformer, his life's work was going through hard times, and when Europe improved its maritime art, Russia underestimated the strength and importance of the naval army. This continued until Fyodor Ushakov took the helm of the dying fleet, who brought many victories to his country.

Personal life

The personal life of the naval commander was not as successful as his career. It is reliably known that Fedor Fedorovich was not married and did not have children. The strategist devoted himself entirely to serving the Fatherland and never regretted it.

Death

The last place of life on earth for Admiral Ushakov was the quiet village of Alekseevka in Temnikovsky district, near the Sanaksar Rozhdestven-Theotokos monastery. It is known that during the Patriotic War of 1812 Fyodor Fedorovich was elected head of the militia of the Tambov province, but due to illness he resigned, devoting himself to prayers.

The naval commander died on October 2, 1817 at his estate, in the village of Alekseevka. The righteous soldier was served in the Transfiguration Church of the city of Temnikov. When the coffin with the body of the deceased admiral, with a large crowd of people, was carried out of the city, they wanted to put it on a cart, but the people continued to carry it to the Sanaksar monastery, where the admiral was buried.

In 1953, director Mikhail Romm directed the films Admiral Ushakov and Ships Storm Bastions, based on the life of a talented strategist.

Canonization

After the 1917 revolution, the Sanaksar Monastery was closed, and the chapel built over the admiral's grave was destroyed.

In 1943, he established the Order of Ushakov, but the creation of the award required the image of Fyodor Fedorovich. None of the biographers and artists knew how to reliably portray the admiral, and, as you know, the use of an inaccurate image in state symbols is unacceptable.

Therefore, in 1944, a state expedition to the Sanaksar monastery took place, in which the admiral's burial was opened. Subsequently, the appearance of Ushakov was restored from the found skull, and the grave of the eminent admiral, along with the remains of the monastery complex, was taken under state protection.

In August 2001, the Russian Orthodox Church elevated Theodore Ushakov to the rank of saints. Now icons depicting a talented naval commander are kept in churches and monasteries.

Memory

• A bay in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea and a cape on the northern coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk are named after the naval commander.
• There is a Ushakov Museum of Local Lore in Temnikov
• Moscow has Admiral Ushakov Boulevard and the metro station of the same name
• In St. Petersburg, an embankment and a bridge are named after Admiral Ushakov, a monument is erected
• In October 2002, in Greece, on the island of Corfu, a monument to Admiral Fyodor Ushakov was erected
• In Kerch on April 11, 2009, on the day of the liberation of the city from Nazi invaders, a monument to the admiral was erected
• In Kaliningrad, the Naval Institute named after the admiral
• In 2015, a monument to Admiral F.F.Ushakov was unveiled in Tambov, at the intersection of Sovetskaya and Lermontovskaya streets
• In the city of Rybinsk, in the vicinity of which the admiral's homeland is located, his bust was installed. On April 29, 2016, the boulevard was named after him. A museum is also open.