The Presidential Library’s materials illustrate the Russian Navy: "It will forever stay a faithful, strong support of its dear fatherland"

On July 26, 2020, Russia celebrates the Day of the Russian Navy (Navy Day). The Presidential Library’s portal presents rare books and documents that captured the history of the Navy, rich in events and exploits. The entire course of development of the Russian navy is reflected in such rare publications as Brief information about Russian naval battles over two centuries from 1656 to 1856 (1871), The Russian Imperial fleet (1915), Brief History of the Russian fleet (1893), From Sevastopol to Tsushima: memoirs; Russian fleet during the period from 1866 to 1906 (1930) and many others.

Since ancient times, the rulers of the state, endowed with a strategic mind, have realized that without a strong navy, a power will never become powerful and independent. The historian of the navy, general of the fleet Theodosius Veselago, in particular, writes about this in his work Brief History of the Russian Fleet (1893). And although Peter the Great is considered the founding father of the Russian fleet, references to distant naval campaigns of the Slavs have been found in Russian chronicles since the second half of the 9th century.

The military historian, captain of the 1st rank, participant of the Battle of Tsushima Pyotr Belavenets, in his essay The Bicentennial of the Russian Fleet (1896), makes a short excursion into the history of the fleet, from the first ships of the ancient Slavs and Varangians to the development of the fleet of the leading sea powers of the XV-XVII centuries. And right there - the first mentions of the victories of the military fleet of the Slavs: “The first sea voyage to Greece was made by Rurik's warriors who captured Kiev, who appeared before Constantinople in 865, among 200 ships. Svyatoslav's son, Vladimir, walked along the Volga against the Kama Bulgarians and conquered Chersonesos from the Greeks. In another of his work "The Importance of the Fleet in the History of Russia" (1909), which is available in the electronic reading room of the Presidential Library, Peter Belavinets notes: "From the frequent and formidable campaigns and voyages of Russian ships, the Black Sea itself received the name Russian".

The aforementioned edition The Bicentennial of the Russian Fleet says: “There were many opinions about what should be considered the beginning of the fleet. Some suggested that the discovery of the boat by Tsar Peter, which he later called "Grandfather of the Russian Fleet", others - the beginning of sailing on Lake Pereyaslavskoye, but all this was just fun, while the foundation of the Azov fleet in 1696 was far from fun; this fleet in the very first days of its existence helped the Tsar to defeat the Turks, and our young fleet frightened the Muslims so much that they did not appear later in the Sea of ​​Azov".

It was then that Peter I clearly showed his associates and the entire Russian people, for which it was necessary to invest colossal efforts in the creation of his own fleet.

The first Russian flotilla was built just in time: in the summer of 1714, during the Great Northern War, the famous Battle of Gangut took place on the Baltic Sea - the first sea battle of galley fleets. For the only time in the history of Russia, the naval forces in battle were directly led by the head of state himself - Emperor Peter I. The rarest details of this battle are available in the book of the writer, author of popular stories about Russian sailors Maria Lyalina The exploits of Russian admirals Peter Mikhailov, Spiridov, Ushakov, Senyavin, Heyden, Lazarev, Nakhimov and others (1900), and the video lecture "Knowledge of Russia" also tells about the battle. 300 years of the Battle of Gangut; Peter the Great's Naval Charter” - these materials are available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

The rise of Russia as a naval power can be traced back to the publication The Russian Imperial Fleet (1913). On January 13 (24), 1720, Peter I approved the first Russian Naval Regulations, laying the legal foundations of the navy. Subsequently, the necessary changes were made to it in accordance with the time. The Presidential Library’s portal features, for example, the Draft Maritime Charter, with Links and Explanations (1853) and Maritime Charter (1885). Many of their provisions continue to remain relevant to this day, according to the video lecture The Naval Regulations of Peter the Great and the Military Legislation of Peter the Great's Time.  

The publication The Russian Fleet during the Reign of Empress Catherine II from 1772 to 1783 (1889) notes the role of the naval forces in strengthening Russia's position in the world and in expanding its territories.

The "Marine" selection of the Presidential Library also includes the electronic collection Expedition of the Russian Fleet to the Shores of North America (1863-1864), dedicated to the campaign in the 1860s of two Russian cruising squadrons to the shores of the United States. The documentaries included in the selection, in particular, The Russian Fleet off the Coast of America, reveal a complex political collision of those days: thanks to this campaign, an armed uprising of a coalition of European states against Russia was thwarted. In addition, the Russian fleet made a significant contribution to the turning point of the Civil War of the North and South, in many ways predetermining the victory of Abraham Lincoln and the creation of the United States of America.

The Presidential Library’s portal also spotlights thematic collections Sevastopol - the city of Russian Naval Glory and Kronstadt - the city of Russian Naval Glory. They combine archival documents, studies, essays, photographs and other materials that spotlight the historical past of strategically important ports for the Navy.

For a number of years, the Presidential Library has been closely cooperating with the Russian Navy, holding joint events on a regular basis. In the building at Senate Square, 3 the Day of Naval Knowledge and the Day of the Cadet are held annually. They are attended by personnel and students of secondary and higher naval institutions, including the Kuznetsov Naval Academy. The library has been digitizing unique documents on the history of the Navy, including historical nautical charts, atlases and other materials.

According to Pyotr Belavenets, in his work The Bicentennial of the Russian Fleet, “The spirit of the fleet will not change, and it will forever stay the faithful, strong support of its dear fatherland”.