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Fyodor Ushakov

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Admiral Ushakov" redirects here. For other uses, seeAdmiral Ushakov (disambiguation).
In this name that followsEastern Slavic naming customs,thepatronymicisFyodorovichand thefamily nameisUshakov.

Fyodor Ushakov
Portrait by Peter Bajanov,Central Naval Museum(1912)
Native name
Фёдор Фёдорович Ушаков
Nickname(s)Ushak Pasha
Born(1745-02-24)24 February 1745
Burnakovo,Moscow Governorate,Russian Empire
Died14 October 1817(1817-10-14)(aged 72)
Alekseevka,Tambov Governorate,Russian Empire
Buried
Sanaksar Monastery,Temnikov
AllegianceRussia
Service/branchImperial Russian Navy
Years of service1766–1812
RankAdmiral
CommandsBlack Sea Fleet
Battles/wars
Awards
RelationsHouse of Ushakov
Saint

Feodor (Theodore) Ushakov
Russian icon of Saint Fyodor Ushakov
Holy Righteous Warrior
Venerated inEastern Orthodoxy
Canonized7 August 2001,Sanaksar Monastery,Temnikov,RussiabyRussian Orthodox Church
MajorshrineSanaksar Monastery,Temnikov,Russia
Feast2 October 23 July, 23 May
AttributesAdmiral attire
Telescope
Scroll
Medals
PatronageRussian Navy
Nuclear bombers
Monument to Admiral Fyodor Ushakov for thebattle of Cape Kaliakra,Kaliakra,Kavarna

Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov(Russian:Фёдор Фёдорович Ушаков,romanized:Fëdor Fëdorovič Ušakov,IPA:[ʊʂɐˈkof];24 February [O.S.13 February] 1745 – 14 October [O.S.2 October] 1817) was a Russian naval commander andadmiral.He won every engagement he participated in as the admiral of the Russian fleet, and is regarded as one of the greatest naval commanders in history, and one of the most capable naval commanders of Russia of all time.[1][2][3]

Life and naval career

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Ushakov was born in the village ofBurnakovoin the Yaroslavlprovince,Moscow Gubernia,to a modest family of the minor nobility. His father, Fyodor Ignatyevich Ushakov, was a retired sergeant of thePreobrazhensky Regimentof the Russian Imperial guards. By the time Fyodor Ushakov submitted his statement of background (skaska) to themilitary,his family had not been officially confirmed in the so-called 'dvoryanstvo', yet they surely belonged to serving gentry. In the submission Ushakov stated that he neither had a coat-of-arms, nor a royal patent for a landed estate, and had no way to prove nobility. In 1798, Ushakov, as avice-admiralof theBlack Sea Fleet,submitted a request for official nobility and an arms providing a genealogical record. In 1807 his coat-of-arms was added to the General all-Russian bookheraldry.In 1815 Fyodor Ushakov and his family were added to the part 6 (ancient nobility) of theYaroslavlgenealogical book.[4]

On 15 February 1761, he signed up for theImperial Russian NavyinSaint Petersburg.Aftertraining,he served on agalleyin theBaltic Fleet.In 1768 he was transferred to theDon Flotilla(Azov Flotilla) inTaganrog,and served in theRusso-Turkish War (1768–74).He commandedCatherine II's ownyacht,and was active in protecting Russian merchant ships in theMediterraneanduring theFirst League of Armed Neutrality.

After the Russian Empire conquered theCrimean Khanatein 1783, Ushakov personally supervised the construction of a naval base inSevastopoland the building of docks inKherson.During theRusso-Turkish War (1787–92),he defeated theOttomansatFidonisiunderMarko Voinovich's leadership (1788), theKerch Strait(1790),Tendra(1790), andCape Kaliakra(1791). In these battles, he demonstrated the ingenuity of his innovative doctrines in the art of naval warfare.

In 1798 Ushakov was promoted to fulladmiraland given command of asquadronwhich sailed to the Mediterranean viaConstantinople,where it joined with a Ottoman squadron. Thecombined Russian-Ottomanfleet then operated under Ushakov's command in theWar of the Second Coalitionagainst theFrench Republic.The expedition started by conquering theIonian islands,acquired by Francethe year before from the defunctRepublic of Venicein theTreaty of Campo Formio.This action culminated in theSiege of Corfu (1798–1799),and led to the subsequent creation of theSeptinsular Republic.In establishing this republic, Ushakov proved himself to be a skilful politician and diplomat. Ushakov's squadron thenblockadedFrench bases inItaly,notablyGenoaandAncona,and successfully assaultedNaples(Henry Baillie's[ru]landing party of 600 men) andRome(the detachments ofPyotr Balabin[ru]and Colonel Skipor, 800 men). The Italians greeted the Russians asliberators:according to Balabin's report, with the wordsVivatPavlo primo,vivat moscovito!The seizures of Naples and Rome became possible for Russia because the local French were forced to meet the Coalitiontowards Trebbia.Shortly after the capture of Rome, the Russian detachments returned to the squadron.Ferdinand IVasked Ushakov at the very end of 1799, during the departure of the Russian squadron, to leave Baillie and his party in Naples for some time.[5]

Tsar Paul,in his capacity as the Grand Master of theOrder of St. John,ordered Ushakov to proceed toMalta,which aBritishfleet underNelsonwasassisting in besieging.

Grave of Ushakov inSanaksar Abbey

However, after rendezvousing with the Coalition forces on Malta, Ushakov was almost immediately recalled back home to Russia in 1800 (along with his fleet), where the newEmperor,Alexander I,failed to appreciate his victories. Ushakov resigned command in 1807 and withdrew into theSanaksar Monasteryin modern-dayMordovia.He was asked to command the localmilitiaduring thePatriotic War of 1812,but declined.

In the course of 43 naval battles under his command he did not lose a single ship and never lost a battle.

Russian squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral F. F. Ushakov, sailing through thestrait of Constantinopleon 8 September 1798.Painting byM. M. Ivanov(1799).Russian Museum

Tactics

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Distinguishing features of Ushakov's tactics were: use of unified marching and fighting orders; resolute closing to close quarters with the enemy forces without evolution of a fighting order; concentration of effort against enemyflagships;maintaining a reserve (Kaiser-flag squadrons); combination of aimed artillery fire and maneuvering; and chasing the enemy to its total destruction or capture.

Giving great value to sea and fire training of his staff, Ushakov was a supporter ofgeneralissimoSuvorov's principles of training for sailors and officers. Ushakov's innovations were among the first successful developments of naval tactics, from its "line"to maneuvering concepts.

Legacy

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Ushakov on a 2024 stamp of Russia

Several warshipshave been named after Admiral Ushakov.

On 3 March 1944 thePresidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSRestablished theOrder of Ushakovfor Navy officers who showed outstanding achievement leading to victory over a numerically superior enemy. This medal was one of several which was preserved in Russia upon thedissolution of the Soviet Union,thus remaining one of the highest military awards in theRussian Federation.TheUshakov Medalwas established simultaneously for servicemen who had risked their life in naval theatres defending the Soviet Union. In May 2014, the medal was presented to 19 surviving British sailors who had served on theArctic convoysduringWorld War IIin a ceremony aboardHMSBelfast.[6]

The Baltic Naval Institute inKaliningradalso carries his name. Theminor planet3010 Ushakov,discovered bySovietastronomerLyudmila Ivanovna Chernykhin 1978, is named after him.[7]

In 1953 two Soviet films were released portraying his career:Attack from the SeaandAdmiral Ushakov.In both films he was played byIvan Pereverzev.

Ushakov is one of the eight patrons depicted in theCathedral of the Resurrection of ChristatPatriot Park,Moscow.

Canonization

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On 7 August 2001 theRussian Orthodox ChurchglorifiedUshakov as a Saint and declared him the patron of the Russian Navy. His relics are enshrined inSanaksar Monastery,Temnikov,Russia.

State Corporation Rostec implemented a project to bring Ushakov's relics fromMordoviato Russia.[8]

In 2005, in theCathedral of St. Theodore UshakovinSaransk(Mordovia),Patriarch Alexius IIdeclared Saint Feodor (Theodore) Ushakov the patron saint of Russian nuclear-armed strategic bombers.

Hisfeast daysare 2 October (day of death), 23 July (glorification) and 23 May (saints ofYaroslavl and Rostov).[9]

References

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  1. ^"Сто великих полководцев – История.РФ"[A hundred great military commanders].100.histrf.ru.Russian Military Historical Society. Archived fromthe originalon 25 March 2023.Retrieved30 July2023.
  2. ^Скрицкий, Н. В. (2016).100 великих адмиралов[100 Great Admirals] (in Russian). Вече. pp. 134–137.ISBN978-5-4444-8659-7.
  3. ^Egorov, Boris (19 August 2020)."5 GREAT Russian naval commanders".www.rbth.com.Retrieved27 April2024.
  4. ^Ovchinnikov, V. D. (2012)."Адмирал Ф.Ф. Ушаков: архивные документы против легенд".Herald of an Archivist(2).
  5. ^Tarle, Y. V.Адмирал Ушаков на Средиземном море (1798–1800)[Admiral Ushakov at the Mediterranean Sea]. pp. 191, 205, 207–208.
  6. ^John Naughton (22 May 2014)."Arctic Convoy veterans honoured by Russia on HMS Belfast".Daily Telegraph.Archived fromthe originalon 28 June 2014.Retrieved23 May2014.
  7. ^Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – p.247
  8. ^"Александр Назаров: биография топ-менеджера Ростеха".global38.ru.Retrieved22 March2023.
  9. ^"5 июня 2022 – Православный Церковный календарь".azbyka.ru(in Russian).Retrieved4 August2021.

Sources

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Bibliography:

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