The Russian Navy: Past and Present

The founder of the Russian military and merchant fleet was Emperor Peter the Great. father, Alexei Mikhailovich, by returning Russia to the sea.

Russian merchant and military ships confidently traveled through the Baltic and Black seas in the early Middle Ages. By the middle of the 15th century, the situation had changed. Then, exclusively Greek ships sailed in the south and German Hanseatic However. This situation became a danger during the Livonian War under Ivan the Terrible. For the first time, Russia had to cede part of the Baltic coast to Sweden. After briefly regaining what was lost, Russia was forced to give both the Baltic coast and Lake Ladoga, including the ancient Valaam and Konevets monasteries, to Sweden in 1617. Alexey Mikhailovich spent his entire life fighting to regain Russian lands lost during the Time of Troubles. While he was successful in the war against Poland, he failed to achieve victory against Sweden, which dominated the Baltic Sea at the time. Alexei Mikhailovich commissioned the construction of Russia's first warship, the "Eagle", on the Volga River for use in the Caspian Sea. However, this project was not a success. Peter I, however, fully realized his father's vision. With the aid of a new navy, he challenged Turkey's dominance in the Black Sea by capturing Azov. He also defeated Sweden, recaptured the mouth of the Neva River and built a new fortress, Kronstadt, to protect the young capital, St. Petersburg. Under the protection of this navy, Russia rapidly became one of the major powers in the geopolitical landscape of modern Europe.

The collection presents the history of the Russian Navy from its very beginning, through research and documents. It reveals diverse aspects of the lives and services of officers and sailors, as well as the training and education system. The lists of personnel are particularly interesting. A significant part of the collection is occupied by materials on shipbuilding, including government regulations for the purchase of materials and ships abroad in the early 20th century. Additionally, there is a collection of authentic maps from the 18th and 19th centuries