The birth of the future navigator is not marked by any important events. No one imagined that the child would become not just a sailor, but a great discoverer, and even in the service of another state. It is difficult to say what reasons prompted the boy to enter the naval service in the Russian Empire: our state was not so powerful at that time. Perhaps Bering was able to see certain prospects for himself. Which, to some extent, contributed to the discoveries made by him, which had practical, geographical, and historical significance. Bering not only discovered new lands and islands in the north of the country, but also made 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 did not differ in anything special: several churches and monasteries - that's all the sights. It began to develop only after 1442, when a trading charter was issued to it, andgradually 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 native place. It is not very clear why, but at the very beginning of his career as a sailor, the teenager took his mother's surname.
The sea attracted 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 link 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 exact information on this matter. It is only known that at that time, on the orders of the Russian sovereign Peter the Great, Admiral of the Russian fleet Kornely Ivanovich Kruys was recruiting experienced sailors for service. Sievers and Senyavin introduced the boy, saying that he had already been to the East Indies, therefore, he still had some kind of experience. From other sources it is known that Vitus wanted to serve, like his cousin Sievers, in the Navy, and certainly in the Russian Empire. Whatever it was, but his dream came true, and Bering went to St. Petersburg. There he was assigned to manage a ship that transported timber for the constructionFortress Kronstadt. Not God knows what, but still the sea!
Soon Vitus Bering received the rank of lieutenant and began to carry out more responsible and complex assignments. He took part in the Azov campaign, tracked the movement of Swedish ships in the Gulf of Finland, participated in the campaign from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt, served on the Pearl ship during its transfer from Hamburg to St. Petersburg. And suddenly, not having reached the rank of captain of the first rank, Bering leaves the military service.
Vitus Bering's track record
If we compile in chronological order all the ranks and titles that the navigator Bering received during his military career, we will get the following table:
| Year | Event |
| 1703 | Admission to the military naval service of the Russian fleet |
| 1707 | Received the rank of lieutenant (the current rank of lieutenant) |
| 1710 |
Vitus Bering transferred to serve in the troops on the Sea of Azov Awarded the rank of Lieutenant Commander Instructed to command the shnyavy "Munker" |
| 1710-1712 | Service in the Azov Fleet, participation in the war with Turkey |
| 1712 | Transfer to serve in the B altic Fleet |
| 1713 | Vyborg, marriage to Anna Kristina |
| 1715 | Achieved the rank of captain rank 4 |
| 1716 | Bering takes command of the ship "Pearl", which he must deliver from Hamburg to Russia |
| 1717 | Captain Rank 3 |
| 1719 | Takes command of the Selafael ship |
| 1720 |
The future navigator receives the rank of captain of the 2nd rank Transferred under the command of the ship Malburg |
| 1723 | Vitus Bering retires with the rank of captain 2nd rank |
These are the titles and honors awarded to Vitus Bering for 20 years of service. 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.
Development and annexation of Kamchatka to the Russian Empire
The ever-increasing oppression of serfdom could not but affect the history of Russia. The runaway peasants were looking for lands that would serve as a refuge from persecution. So gradually people got to Siberia, and then to Kamchatka. But the territory was already inhabited, so campaigns were organized to seize and develop lands rich in natural resources, furs, etc. In 1598, the Siberian Khanate was defeated, and the territory became part of the Russian Empire.
The need to explore Kamchatka
The development of Kamchatka and other Siberian lands was a matter ofstate importance. First of all, it was necessary to replenish the treasury. But the pioneers were mostly poorly educated people who first of all looked for 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 issues a decree on organizing a campaign against Kamchatka, headed 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.
Vitus Bering's first Kamchatka expedition
Having received the position of leader and the rank of captain of the first rank, the future traveler began to fulfill the order of the sovereign. After 2 weeks - January 25, 1725 - the first members of the expedition set off from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka. The group included two more naval officers (Alexey Chirikov and Martyn Shpanberg), surveyors, shipbuilders, navigators, rowers, sailors, cooks. The total number reached 100 people.
The road turned out to be difficult and difficult. I had to get there in various ways: carts, sledges with dogs, river boats. Arriving in Okhotsk in 1727, they began building ships to fulfill the main tasks of the expedition. On these ships, Vitus Bering traveled to the Western coast of Kamchatka. In Nizhnekamchatsk, the warship "Saint Gabriel" was rebuilt, on which the navigator and the crew went further. The ship passed through the strait between Alaska and Chukotka, but due tosailors were unable to see the shores of the American continent due to weather conditions.
Partial goals of the expedition were fulfilled. However, having returned to St. Petersburg in 1730, the navigator submits a report on the work done and draws up a project for the next expedition. Most of the first persons of the state and academicians did not understand, like Vitus Bering himself, what he had discovered. But the main thing was proved - Asia and America are not connected. And the traveler received the rank of captain-commander.
Second expedition to Kamchatka
After the return of the navigator, his words, records and maps were treated with a certain distrust. It was necessary to defend his honor and justify the highest trust placed in him. And the goals have not yet been achieved. You can't stop half way. So, the second expedition is appointed, and Vitus Bering commands it. A biography written by the traveler's contemporaries 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, but all these discoveries have not been documented. The Dane was lucky - he was educated, knew how to structure and analyze the results obtained, and made maps well.
The second expedition of Vitus Bering had the following goals: exploration of 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 were found there.
Despite the fact that Anna Ioannovna sat on the imperial throne, Russia still remained faithfulPeter's precepts. Therefore, influential officials from the Admir alty became interested in the project. The decree on the campaign was issued in 1732. Having reached Okhotsk, in 1740, Bering builds two packet boats - St. Peter and St. Paul. On them, the researchers went to the eastern coast of Kamchatka.
Expedition results
The sea voyage this time was more successful. But at the same time tragic - during the winter in 1741, Vitus Bering died. What he discovered could only be appreciated later. 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 maps compiled by Vitus Bering. The discoveries of the great pioneer made it possible to engage in the development and exploitation of new lands.
So, the following was done:
- Petropavlovsk was founded in Achinsk Bay.
- The coast of Alaska will be reached through the modern Bering Sea.
- On the way back, the Aleutian and Shumaginsky Islands were discovered.
- Mapped on the Aleutian Range.
- Evdokeevsky Islands and Chirikov Island (Misty) were discovered and mapped.
- Bering Island was discovered, on which the navigator died in 1741.
- Mapped on the map of the territory of northern and eastern Russia, the interior of Siberia.
- The Kuril Islands have been mapped.
- Found a way to Japan.
If you carefully study the history of geographical discoveries, you will find that this expedition was only part of a larger campaign. It was completed only a few years after Bering's death, and even then only thanks to his organizational talent. After all, it was he who divided the participants of the Northern Expedition into groups, giving each of them certain tasks. Despite the human losses, the campaign was completed very successfully.
What did Vitus Bering look like?
The appearance of the discoverer is questionable by some biographers. It turns out that the familiar paintings depicting Vitus Bering (there was no photo then) do not correspond to reality. These are portraits of his uncle. The controversy was resolved by examining the skull and recreating 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 detract from the importance of his discoveries.
Character of the great navigator
According to reports, the navigator had a somewhat soft character, which was not at all suitable for the head of the expedition. Nevertheless, Bering was twice appointed to this position. It should be noted one more oddity. The explorer of Siberia did not like to bring things to the end result - he could stop at the moment when the goal was within easy reach. This feature of Bering was noted by both friends and participants in the campaigns. And yet it was he who was recommended as a leader and organizer to both Peter the Great andAnna Ioannovna. How can this be explained? It must be that, despite all his shortcomings, Vitus Bering was an experienced navigator. He knew how to follow orders, was very responsible and executive, and, no less important, devoted to the state in whose service he was. Yes, most likely, it was for these qualities that he was chosen to carry out such important geographical research.
The grave of the explorer of Kamchatka
After Vitus Bering met his death on the island, which he also discovered, he was buried and, according to the traditions of that time, a wooden cross was erected. It is clear that over time the tree decayed and crumbled. However, in 1864, at the place where, according to the records of Bering's associates, 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 the researcher of Siberia. The grave of not only Bering, but also five more sailors was discovered on the island. The remains were recovered and sent to Moscow for research. The appearance of the traveler was restored from the bones and skull. Also, scientists were able to find out that he died not from scurvy, as previously assumed, but from another disease (which one, exactly, is not known for certain). After the research was completed, 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 geographicalresearch, 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 significance of the navigator's discoveries
It is impossible not to recognize the importance of Vitus Bering's sea voyages. It was thanks to him that the first competently drawn maps of Siberia appeared. Subsequently, this greatly helped the development of the Asian part of the Russian Empire. Thanks to his expeditions, active development of the region began. They began to extract minerals, 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 increased. And most importantly, the country got the opportunity to trade with those countries that could not be reached by the already mastered routes. After all, these territories were under the jurisdiction of other states, which charged a considerable fee for their crossing. Nevertheless, despite all his merits, Vitus Bering received recognition posthumously, only after other travelers confirmed his discoveries. So, the now well-known Bering Strait got its name from the light hand of James Cook.
