Vitus Bering biography and discoveries. Vitus Bering (Vitus Jonassen Bering)

Ocean, ocean - endless space,
Only the sky and the waves, and the seagulls in the distance.
This course was once passed by the Commander,
So that today we can walk without risk.

Bad luck? Luck? It's not for us to argue.
Only the memory of him will not disappear forever.
Bering Island, as it is destined to be called.
An island in memory of this Big Man...

This is a fragment of a poem about the captain-commander of the Russian fleet, a polar navigator who lived in the 18th century. Vitus Bering is famous for discovering sea ​​passage between Asia and North America, connecting the Arctic and Pacific oceans. Its width is 86 km. It later received the name Bering Strait. Here is the most extreme eastern point of Eurasia - Cape Dezhnev. Many more discoveries and research commander are inscribed in the history of the development of the north-east of Russia and the north-west of America.

What discovered

Vitus Jensson (in other sources - Jonsson) Bering led two expeditions, during which a number of great geographical discoveries were made. For the XVIII century, such travel was considered unique. In addition, overland routes of about 40,000 kilometers were completed.

Sea voyages were of tremendous importance for the study of the water border between Siberia and the Russian Far East. During their implementation, communication across the Pacific Ocean with the American continent was opened. As a result of exploration of the northeastern coast of Kamchatka and the way to the American continent, many islands were discovered during the first and second expeditions.

Their names:

• Karaginsky;
• St. Lawrence;
• Krusenstern;
• Rotmanov;
• Ukamok;
• the Evdokeevsky group;
• part of the Shumagen and Aleutian;
• Bering;
• Chirikov.

The cartography of the Southern Cape of Kamchatka - Lopatka was created. During this period, the Bering Strait was discovered.

The second expedition reached the northwestern coast of North America (at the current border between Canada and the United States). For the winter, travelers settled in a bay located at the confluence of the Avacha River into the bay, later Bering gave it the name Petropavlovskaya. A settlement was also founded here. Gradually it grew and turned into the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

short biography

The biography is compiled on the basis of reliable facts, documented. Vitus Bering was born on April 12, 1681 in the Danish city of Horsens in the family of a customs officer and part-time church elder. Mother - a representative of a noble Danish family, Vitus bore her last name. Nothing is known about his life from birth to 1695. Further, his fate was closely connected with the sea.

The main milestones of the biography:

1. 1695 - Bering makes his first long voyage as a cabin boy on a ship bound for southeast India.
2. until 1703 - studying at the Amsterdam Naval Cadet Corps.
3. 1704 - accepted into service in the Russian fleet on the Baltic Sea with the assignment of the rank second lieutenant.
4. 1707 - promoted to lieutenant.
5. 1710 - received the rank of lieutenant commander.
6. 1710-1712 - transferred to the Azov fleet during the war between Russia and Turkey. Takes part in a sea voyage under the leadership of Peter I.
7. 1712 - returned to the Baltic Fleet.
8. 1715 - promoted to captain of the fourth rank.
9. 1712 1–723 - in command of various ships in the Baltic
10. In January-February 1724, the board of admiralties signed a report, according to which the captain resigns of his own free will.
11. In August of the same year, Vitus Bering, on the orders of Peter I, was again taken to the service, he was awarded the rank of captain of the first rank.
12. 1724–1730 - leads the first Kamchatka expedition.
13. 1733–1741 - is a member and leads the Great Northern Expedition.

Bering died on December 8, 1741 from scurvy on one of the Pacific islands, located 180 miles from Kamchatka. The great navigator Vitus Ensson (Ivan Ivanovich) Bering lived for 60 years. Of these, 37 gave selfless service to the Russian Empire. The entire life path of the commander is filled with deep dedication and exemplary performance of his official duties.

Education

Vitus Bering began his professional ascent along the path of sea pioneers at the age of 14 with a cabin boy, an acting sailor. In 1695, as an assistant to his half-brother, he made the first long voyage to the shores of Southeast India. Later, Vitus entered the Amsterdam Naval Cadet Corps, graduating in 1703.

From 1704 he served in the Russian Navy, where he was continuously engaged in self-education. Starting with the rank of second lieutenant, he rose to the very top of the career ladder. Due to the high level of professional training in 1724, by decree of Emperor Peter I, he was promoted to the rank of captain of the first rank, and later was awarded the rank of commander.

Family

In 1713, while serving in the Baltic, Vitus Bering met the daughter of a local merchant, Matthias Pülse. The girl's name was Anna Christina. Soon they got married: on October 8, 1713 they were recorded in the church book of the Swedish parish of Vyborg as legal spouses. In total, they had 8 children. But, due to the harsh climatic and living conditions, only four survived.

In the metric book of the Copenhagen church of St. Nicholas on June 27, 1716, the baptism of a son named Vitus is recorded. Unfortunately, the boy did not live long. Survivors were: Jonas (Jonah), Thomas, Anton and a girl - Anna Hedwig Helena.

During the second Kamchatka expedition, the wife accompanied Bering, at least to Okhotsk. There are no reliable facts about her further fate. The descendants of the glorious commander still live in Russia.

Discoveries

The future commander served in one of the most dynamic periods in history, and by his deeds earned the right to be called a worthy son of his new Fatherland.

First Kamchatka expedition

Vitus began his journey as a discoverer and pioneer as a leader and participant in this expedition. It was initiated by Peter I. Its task was to determine the shortest route between Asia and America. Therefore, the presence of a strait between the continents at that time was unknown.

The highest order to the members of the expedition was prescribed:

1. Get by land to Okhotsk.
2. Build one or two ships on the spot.
3. Climb along the eastern tip of Kamchatka to the north.
4. Further - to pass through the territory of America to the nearest settlement of Europeans to establish contact with them.
5. Put all new discoveries on the map.

Bering enthusiastically set about carrying out the mission entrusted to him. Already in September, the first part of the expedition set off for Okhotsk. All the main equipment of the future ship was taken immediately with them. The path was long and difficult. The most unsuitable places for the movement of the convoy began after Tobolsk. The last crossing from Yakutsk to Okhotsk, 1000 kilometers long, was hampered by the almost complete absence of roads and difficult terrain.

Upon arrival at the place, the expedition members had to equip themselves, build new residential and economic houses. At the same time, a small vessel called Fortuna was laid down and launched in a short time. On it and one boat, on August 22, 1727, the travelers left Okhotsk and after two weeks of sailing reached Bolsheretsk. From there, a pedestrian crossing was made to Nizhne-Kamchatsk, where the expedition boat "Saint Gabriel" was built. The ship was about 18 meters long, 6 meters wide, and had a draft of about 2.3 meters.

On July 14, 1728, a historic event takes place. The sea part of the trip begins: the ship with the captain and crew go to sea. The first geographical discovery took place on the third day of the voyage. The expedition saw the island, which was named Karaginsky. This was followed by the discovery of the islands named after St. Lawrence and Krusenstern.

On the 34th day of the voyage, the Saint Gabriel entered the Chukchi Sea. It became clear that there was no land connection between Asia and America. The captain gives the order to turn back. On the way back, Saint Diomede Island was discovered. Members of the marine expedition returned to the shores of Kamchatka, where they spent the winter at the mouth of the river of the same name.

On June 5, 1729, Bering and his crew set sail to search for the American continent. The path lay to the east. Weather conditions created great difficulties and, not seeing the possibility of further travel, they turned back. July 23 of the same year, "Saint Gabriel" moored in Okhotsk.

Second Kamchatka expedition

Based on the results of the first expedition, Bering concluded that the exploration of the territories of Siberia and the Far North could be of great benefit to Russia in the future. He drew up a memo and presented it to the leadership of the Admiralty.

The paper proposed the following action plan:

1. Go around and explore in detail the sea south of Kamchatka to Japan and the mouth of the Amur.
2. Walk along the entire northern coast of Siberia and conduct a description of it.
3. Go east from Kamchatka to discover, probably not far from the shores of America.
4. Establish trade relations with the natives.

This proposal found a lively response at the very top of the government. The Admiralty Board supported Bering's plan to organize the next expedition to Kamchatka. To this was added an extensive research program. The entire project was called the "Great Northern Expedition". The highest decree on its organization and beginning was signed on April 17, 1732. The responsibility for the leadership of this grandiose project at that time was assigned to Captain V.E. Bering.

The plan provided for a series of extensive research activities. Their implementation was carried out by separate naval detachments under the leadership of: V. Walton, V.V. Pronchishchev, A.I. Chirikova, M.P. Spanberg, brothers Khariton and Dmitry Laptev and others. Bering himself coordinated their work. At the beginning of 1734, he reached Tobolsk, from where he sent an Ob-Yenisei detachment and several parties of surveyors to the north.

Later, the city of Yakutsk was chosen as the center for coordinating survey activities. From here, Bering led the northern detachments and organized the supply of the eastern ones. At the same time, two boats were being built in Okhotsk for a sea voyage to America. They were given the names "Saint Peter" and "Saint Paul" in honor of the chief apostles.

On September 8, 1740, equipped and manned ships left Okhotsk. It was too late to sail to America, so it was decided to spend the winter on the eastern coast of Kamchatka. October 14 "St. Peter" and "St. Pavel" entered Avacha Bay (this date was later celebrated as the birthday of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk). Seeing its convenient location and structure, Vitus Jonssen orders to lay a settlement here, the basis of the future city.

In Kamchatka, German academicians, who arrived especially for this purpose, joined the expedition. They were met by student Stepan Krasheninnikov on behalf of the scientists.

By this time, he had already traveled around the peninsula several times and described:

• mountains and volcanoes;
• Hot Springs;
• customs of the indigenous people;
• local flora and fauna.

These works were later evaluated by specialists as the work of an entire institute expedition.

In early June 1741, "St. Peter" under the command of Bering and "St. Paul", captained by Alexei Chirikov, set sail. They headed southeast, presumably there was the land of "Juan da Gama", which consisted of pure silver. The search did not give a result, then the ships headed east-northeast. At this time, the fog thickened significantly, and the ships lost sight of each other. As it turned out - forever.

One by one, they reached the American continent with a difference of one day. Chirikov's ship reached the desired shore on the night of July 16th. Then he moved northwest along the islands of the Alexander archipelago, finding a suitable place, the sailors anchored.

A group of 11 sailors went ashore in a boat. They did not return within a week. Then another boat with 4 sailors was sent to help them. She didn't come back either. The team began to run out of fresh water and the captain decided to return. The weather was calm, with a light wind, so the road home stretched for 1.5 months. Along the way, several islands from the Aleutian group were discovered. "St. Paul" entered the harbor of Petropavlovsk on October 10, 1741.

The fate of the team and captain Bering was more dramatic. After the sailors reached America on July 17, the ship passed along the coast from the Gulf of St. Elijah to the tip of Alaska. It was possible to make only a short visit to the coast for several hours, during which the naturalist Steller managed to collect a large collection of plants of the local flora. Then the captain gave the order to return. This was due to the large number of sailors who fell ill with scurvy, including Bering himself.

On the way back, the expedition members discovered the islands:

• Montagu;
• Kodiak;
• Tumanny (later renamed Chirikov Island);
• Semmidi;
• Shumagin.

When another land appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was Kamchatka. The ship moved closer to the shore. However, as a result of a gust of strong wind, the ship was thrown over the coastal cliffs and was captured on the island.

Due to the circumstances, it was decided to spend the winter on the spot. They dug six dugouts and covered them with sails. In harsh conditions, 20 people died from scurvy. Among them is the famous Commander Vitus Jonssen Bering. This happened on December 8, 1741.

Only 46 people survived until spring. From the remains of the packet boat, they built a smaller ship and on it got to Petropavlovsk. The island where the heroes-travelers found their last resting place was later named in honor of Captain Bering. The entire group of nearby islands is now called Commander Islands.

Meaning

During the period from 1724 to 1741, the expedition members explored vast territories.

Along the way, they had to overcome incredible difficulties:

• walking with caravans;
• the need to build ships;
• supplying troops with food and materials;
• complete Russian off-road.

They periodically sent collected collections of plants and minerals, their own observations, descriptions, reports, maps, drawings, drawings to St. Petersburg. A significant part of these documents has been preserved in the St. Petersburg branch of the Archive of the Academy of Sciences and the Russian State Archive of the Navy.

In recent decades, expedition documents have been actively introduced into scientific circulation thanks to the international research project "Sources on the history of Siberia and Alaska from Russian archives." The Great Northern Expedition made a huge contribution to the study of Eastern Siberia.

What was done:

• an inventory of individual territories of the coast of the Arctic Ocean was made;
• vast areas of Eastern Siberia were surveyed;
• the existence of a strait between Asia and America has been confirmed;
• mapped many newly discovered islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea;
• surveyed most of Kamchatka and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk;
• many species of representatives of flora and fauna are described and sketched.

What is named after Bering

In the name of the famous Russian navigator, captain-commander Vitus Jonssen (Ivan Ivanovich, as he was called in Russia) Bering are named: the strait, bay, sea, archipelago and island, as well as an underwater canyon, river and lake, glacier and the land of Beringia, which disappeared as a result tectonic processes that once connected Asia and America.

In 1991, 250 years after the famous voyage, a Soviet-Danish expedition to Bering Island was organized. She was able to find the graves of the commander and several sailors. Experts have reconstructed the appearance of Vitus. There was absolutely no resemblance to his well-known images. Further research confirmed that Bering was painted from a portrait of his uncle. They were full namesakes, from this at one time there was confusion.

Vitus also became famous among the Chukchi and Kamchatka locals for his fair attitude towards them. Many documentary sources noted his high demands on the leaders of the detachments for good treatment of the local natives and decent pay for those of them who were involved in work for the purposes of the expedition.

In memory of Bering

Grateful descendants, as a sign of respect for the great sea traveler and discoverer, in different periods (change of statehood in Russia, the times of the USSR) gave his name to many geographical and cartographic objects.

Streets in Anadyr, Artem, Astrakhan, Murmansk, St. Petersburg, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and in 10 other cities of Russia are named after Bering.

In Moscow there is Beringov and Novy Beringov proezd. The activities of the commander were reflected in documentary and fiction literature, works were created about the glorious deeds of the commander and his associates.

The following books saw the light of day:

1. Vaksel Savely Lavrentievich, the navigator of the St. Peter, who after the death of Bering led the remaining detachment, wrote the book "Vitus Bering's Second Kamchatka Expedition".
2. In 2014, the EKSMO publishing house published the book Kamchatka Expeditions in the Great Travelers series.
3. "The Last Expedition of Vitus Bering". Progress Pangea Publishing House, 1992.
4. In many scientific and artistic publications, fragments or the entire diary of Georg Steller, an active participant in that expedition, was placed: “Description of the voyage from Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka to the western coast of America, as well as incidents that took place on the way back.”
5. "A quarter of a millennium later" published a report on the work of scientists to restore the true appearance of Commander Bering.
6. In the book about famous travelers of the 18th century, Jules Verne briefly, but to the point, describes the Second Kamchatka Expedition and gives it a high rating.

In the Soviet Union, postage stamps were issued in memory of the famous sailor. In 1943, in honor of the 200th anniversary of the death of Bering, a block of four stamps was introduced into circulation.

Main images:

• map of the strait named after the discoverer;
• view of Kamchatka from the sea;
• expedition itinerary;
• the ship "Saint Peter", on which sailors reached the western coast of America in 1741.

In 1981, a postage stamp was issued to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Commander's birth. On it, he is depicted in a marine uniform according to his rank.

In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a monument to Vitus Bering and a stele with figures of the ships "St. Peter" and "St. Paul" are erected in memory of the famous expeditions. On the island that bears his name, a memorial sign was erected in 1966, and in 1981 - a monument on the Commander Islands.

In 1970, a feature film adaptation of the feat of the pioneers, the film Bering and His Friends, was released.

Video

Watch the video in which historians analyze the results of Bering's First Expedition.

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, and gradually 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 for what reason, 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 construction of the Kronstadt fortress. 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 military service.

The track record of Vitus Bering

If we compile in chronological order all the ranks and titles that the navigator Bering received during his military career, we get the following table:

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 accession 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 furs, etc. In 1598, it 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 of national 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, led 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 a way to the cities of Europe from there.

The first Kamchatka expedition of Vitus Bering

Having received the position of leader and title, 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 to weather conditions, the sailors could not see the shores of the American continent.

Partially, the goals of the expedition were fulfilled. However, returning in 1730, he 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 navigator returned, 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 good maps.

The second expedition of Vitus Bering had the following goals: exploring 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 faithful to Peter's precepts. Therefore, influential officials from the Admiralty 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

This time it was more successful. But at the same time tragic - during the wintering 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 has been done:

• Petropavlovsk was founded in the Achinsk Bay.
• Through the modern Bering Sea, the coast of Alaska is reached.
• On the way back, the Aleutian and Shumaginsky Islands were discovered.
• The Aleutian Range is mapped.
• Evdokeevsky Islands and Chirikov Island (Misty) were discovered and mapped.
• Bering Island was discovered, on which the navigator died in 1741.
• The territories of northern and eastern Russia, the interior territories of Siberia are plotted on the map.
• The Kuril Islands are 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 mild 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 and Anna 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.

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 geographical research, 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 value of the navigator's discoveries

One cannot fail 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 well-known now got its name from the light hand of James Cook.

Vitus Bering a brief biography and interesting facts from the life of a Russian navigator, captain-commander are set out in this article.

Vitus Bering short biography

The great navigator (the years of Vitus Bering's life - 1681-1741) was born in Denmark, the small town of Horsens in the family of a customs officer. With his cousin and comrade, he went on a Dutch ship to the East Indies.

After graduation, the young man entered the cadet Naval Corps. In the period of 1695-1696 he took part in the Azov campaign. Soon he was enlisted as a non-commissioned officer in the Russian Navy. And in 1706, Bering received the rank of lieutenant.

Soon Peter I included him among the commanders of the expedition, which was supposed to pass under the flag of Russia from the ports of the Azov Sea around Europe to the Baltic.

On behalf of the emperor in 1725, Vitus led the first Kamchatka expedition in the Pacific Ocean, the purpose of which was to discover the isthmus between America and Asia. She was very successful. The first expedition of Vitus Bering ended with the fact that in 1730 he was awarded the rank of captain-commander. Taking advantage of the favor of the emperor, he was again appointed head of the second Kamchatka expedition. It began in 1733. Its result is a survey of Alaska and drawing the outline of the coast of the land on the map, as well as the Aleutian and Kuril Islands. In addition, on the way home, the navigator met a number of previously unexplored lands. These islands are named after Vitus Bering in today's time, or rather part of them. Here the team stayed for the winter. Most of the sailors died of scurvy, including the commander himself. Vitus Bering's journey ended on December 8, 1741, with his death.

Vitus Bering interesting facts

Bering's parents were quite wealthy people, his two older brothers studied at the university in Copenhagen. The young Bering himself chose a different path and, as soon as he was 15 years old, he was hired as a cabin boy on a ship.

From 60 years of his life Vitus Bering 38 was in the Russian service. Of these, 15 years were occupied by the Kamchatka expeditions.

In Russia, he was called Ivan Ivanovich.

All domestic sources indicate Bering's date of birth - August 12, 1681. But where this date came from is unknown. Indeed, from the church books of Denmark it is known that he was baptized on August 5, 1681. Therefore, we can make a more accurate assumption about the date of his birth - most likely it happened on August 2, 1681.

He was named after his uncle, his mother's brother: chronicler of the Royal Court.

In 1713 he married Anna Christina, the daughter of a burgher. It is known that the couple had 8 children, of whom only 4 survived. the wife, on duty of her husband, also had to get used to the nautical business to accompany him everywhere.

An island, a strait and a sea in the north Pacific Ocean, as well as the Commander Islands, are named after Bering.

Bering's merits were not immediately recognized. The first traveler to confirm the accuracy of Bering's research was the English navigator James Cook. It was he who proposed to name the Bering Strait between Chukotka and Alaska.

Bering Vitus Jonassen (Ivan Ivanovich) (1681-1741), Russian navigator, captain-commander (1730).

A native of Denmark. He was born on August 12, 1681 in the city of Horsens in the family of a customs officer. Together with his cousin Sven and comrade Sivere (the future admiral of the Russian fleet T. Sanders) went to the East Indies on a Dutch ship.

After school he entered the Naval Cadet Corps. In 1695-1696. participated in the Azov campaign of Peter I, in 1701-1703. - sailing to the shores of the East Indies. Then he met with Vice-Admiral of the Russian Navy K. I. Kruys (Norwegian by origin), with whose assistance he was soon enrolled as a non-commissioned lieutenant in the Russian Navy. In 1706 he was promoted to lieutenant.

Later, Peter I included Bering in the number of commanders who were to lead the first ships under the Russian flag around Europe from the ports of the Sea of ​​​​Azov to the Baltic, and then approved him as the commander of the then largest warship in Russia - the 90-gun battleship Lesnoy.

In 1725, on behalf of the emperor, Bering led the 1st Kamchatka expedition, sent to the Pacific Ocean in search of a land isthmus between Asia and America. The expedition went overland through Siberia to Okhotsk. In Nizhnekamchatsk, the ship "Saint Gabriel" was built, on which Bering went around the shores of Kamchatka and Chukotka, discovered the island of St. Lawrence and the strait (now the Bering Strait), entered the Chukchi Sea and reached a latitude of 67 ° 18 ′.

In 1730, Bering returned to St. Petersburg, where he was awarded the rank of captain-commander. In 1733 he was entrusted with the leadership of the 2nd Kamchatka, or Great Northern, expedition, the purpose of which was to describe the northern and eastern coasts of Asia and to familiarize themselves with the coasts of North America and Japan. Having left St. Petersburg in 1733, Bering reached Okhotsk in 1737, and only in 1741, on the ships St. Peter and St. Paul built there, did he set off to sea. The ships parted in the storm. Bering reached Alaska, explored and mapped its shores, several Aleutian Islands, a number of Kuril Islands. On the way back, he met a group of unknown islands (now the Commander Islands). On one of them (now Bering Island), the ship's crew spent the winter. Here, many, including Bering himself, died of scurvy.

The rest of the team in the summer of 1742 returned to Kamchatka. Of the 38 years that Bering lived in Russia, for 16 years he led the Kamchatka expeditions. In addition to the strait and islands, the sea, a cape on the coast of the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk, etc. bear the name of Bering.

At the beginning of the 18th century, Russia completed its "meeting the Sun" movement. The extreme eastern points of its Pacific coast were plotted on the map. The most important role in the design of the eastern borders of the state was played by two expeditions led by Vitus Bering (1681 - 1741). The talented naval officer showed himself not only as a capable captain, but also as an excellent organizer and supplier. The achievements of the two expeditions became a real breakthrough in the exploration of Siberia and the Far East and brought fame to the native of Denmark as a great Russian navigator.

1. In honor of Bering, not only the Commander Islands, the sea, the cape, the village, the strait, the glacier and the island are named, but also a huge biogeographic region. Beringia includes the eastern part of Siberia, Kamchatka, Alaska and numerous islands.

2. The famous Danish watch brand is also named after Vitus Bering.

3. Vitus Bering was born, grew up in Denmark, received a maritime education in Holland, but served, with the exception of a few youthful years, in the Russian fleet.

4. Like many foreigners in the Russian service, Bering came from a noble but ruined family.

5. For eight years, Bering jumped in the ranks of all four captain ranks that existed then in the Russian fleet. True, in order to become a captain of the 1st rank, he had to submit a letter of resignation.

6. The first Kamchatka expedition was the first expedition in the history of Russia, which had exclusively scientific goals: to explore and map the sea shores and discover the strait between Eurasia and America. Prior to this, all geographical research was carried out as a secondary part of the campaigns.

7. Bering was not the initiator of the First Expedition. She was ordered to equip and send Peter I. Bering was offered to the leaders in the Admiralty, the emperor did not mind. He wrote the instructions to Bering with his own hand.

8. The Bering Strait would be more appropriate to call the Strait of Semyon Dezhnev, who discovered it back in the 17th century. However, Dezhnev's report got stuck in bureaucratic millstones and was found only after Bering's expeditions.

9. The sea part of the First Expedition (transition from Kamchatka to the Bering Strait, navigation in the Arctic Ocean and back) lasted 85 days. And in order to get by land from St. Petersburg to Okhotsk, Bering and his team took 2.5 years. On the other hand, a detailed map of the route from the European part of Russia to Siberia was compiled with a description of roads and settlements.

10. The expedition was very successful. The map of sea coasts and islands compiled by Bering and his subordinates was very accurate. It was generally the first map of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, compiled by Europeans. It was re-released in Paris and London.

11. In those days, Kamchatka was explored extremely poorly. In order to get to the Pacific Ocean, the expedition's cargo was transported by dogs overland across the entire peninsula for a distance of more than 800 kilometers. To the southern tip of Kamchatka from the place of transfer there were some 200 km, which could well have been passed by sea.

12. The second expedition was entirely Bering's initiative. He developed its plan, controlled the supply and dealt with personnel issues - more than 500 specialists were expected to participate.

13. Bering was distinguished by fanatical honesty. Such a trait was not to the liking of the authorities in Siberia, who expected to profit considerably while supplying such a large expedition. Because of this, Bering had to spend time refuting the denunciations that came against him and controlling the entire supply process for his wards.

14. The second expedition was more ambitious. Her plan to explore Kamchatka, Japan, the shores of the Arctic Ocean and the North American Pacific coast was called the Great Northern Expedition. Only the preparation of supplies for it took three years - each nail had to be transported through all of Russia.

15. The city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was founded during the Second Bering Expedition. Before the expedition, there were no settlements in the Peter and Paul Bay.

16. The results of the Second Expedition can be considered a disaster. Russian sailors reached America, but due to the depletion of supplies, they were forced to immediately turn back. The ships have lost each other. The ship, captained by A. Chirikov, although having lost part of the crew, managed to get to Kamchatka. But the "St. Peter", on which Bering went, crashed in the Aleutian Islands. Bering and most of the crew died of starvation and disease. Only 46 people returned from the expedition.

17. The second expedition was ruined by the decision to search for the non-existent Companian Islands, allegedly consisting of pure silver. Because of this, the ships of the expedition instead of the 65th parallel went along the 45th, which almost doubled their journey to the American shores.

18. The weather also played a role in the failure of Bering and Chirikov - the sky was covered with clouds throughout the voyage and the sailors could not determine their coordinates.

19. Bering's wife was Swedish. Of the ten children born in marriage, six died in infancy.

20. After the discovery of Bering's grave and the exhumation of the remains of the sailor, it turned out that, contrary to popular belief, he did not die from scurvy - his teeth turned out to be intact.

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