|
Fyodor Fyodorovich
Ushakov
Fyodor
Fyodorovich Ushakov (February 24, 1744–October 2, 1817) was
the most illustrious Russian naval commander and admiral of
the 18th century.
He
was born in the village of Burnakovo in the Yaroslavl gubernia,
to a modest family of the minor nobility. On February 15, 1761,
he signed up for the Russian Navy in Saint Petersburg. After
training, he served on a galley in the Baltic Fleet. In 1768
he was transferred to the Don Flotilla (Azov Sea Navy) in Taganrog
and served in the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774. He commanded
Catherine II's own yacht, and later defended Russian trade ships
in the Mediterranean from the British pirate attacks.
After
Crimea was annexed by the Russian Empire, Ushakov personally
supervised the construction of a naval base in Sevastopol and
the building of docks in Kherson. During the Second Russo-Turkish
War he brilliantly defeated the Turks at Fidonisi, Kerch Strait,
Tendra, and Cape Kalakria. In these battles, he demonstrated
the excellence of his innovative, Suvorov-influenced doctrines
on art of naval fighting.
In
1799, Ushakov was promoted to full admiral and sent to the Mediterranean
to support Suvorov's Italian campaign. During this expedition,
Ushakov single-handedly carved out the Greek Republic of Seven
Islands. He cleared the French from Corfu and all the Ionian
islands. His squadron then blocked the French bases in Italy,
notably Genoa and Ancona, and successfully assaulted Naples
and Rome.
Emperor
Paul, in his capacity of the Grand Master of the Order of St
John, ordered Ushakov to proceed to Malta, which had been besieged
by the British to no effect. Admiral Nelson couldn't bear the
idea that he would have to follow Ushakov's orders (the Russian
commander being his senior in the naval ranks) and suggested
that the Russian squadron should be dispatched to Egypt instead.
Grave
of Ushakov in Sanaksar AbbeyBrewing conflict between the commanders
was prevented by Ushakov's being recalled to Russia in 1800,
where the new Emperor, Alexander I, failed to appreciate his
victories. Ushakov resigned command in 1807 and withdrew into
the Sanaksar Abbey in modern-day Mordovia. He was asked to command
the local militia during the Patriotic War of 1812 but declined.
On
March 3, 1944 the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
established the Order of Ushakov which, among several other
decorations, was preserved in Russia upon the dissolution of
the USSR, thus remaining to be one of the highest military awards
in the Russian Federation. In addition to the Order of Ushakov,
there have been the Ushakov Medal and several warships named
after Admiral Ushakov. The Baltic Navy Institute in Kaliningrad
also carries his name.
The
Russian Orthodox Church glorified him as a patron saint of the
Russian Navy in 2000. His relics are preserved in Sanaksar.
He was also declared the patron saint of Russian nuclear-armed
strategic bombers in 2005 by Patriarch Alexius II.

Fyodor
Fyodorovich Ushakov
|