In 1636, a militarya ship called "Frederick", but it belonged to another state - Schleswig-Holstein (land in the north of Germany, the capital - Kiel). Therefore, the ship "Eagle", built in 1667-1669, is considered the firstborn of Russian military shipbuilding.
The prehistory of its construction is as follows. Under Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich, who ruled Russia from 1645 to 1676, trade relations developed intensively with neighbors, including Persia (modern Iran). There was a need to establish navigation on the Caspian Sea. The times were troubled, and in the signed by the Russian Tsar and the Persian Shah trade agreement, a special clause stipulated the need to protect trade routes by military vessels. The ship "Eagle" arose as a result of this agreement.
In 1667 on the Oka River, just below the confluence of itMoscow River, in a village called Dedinovo, they started building a small shipyard. It was intended for the construction of one ship, a boat, a yacht and two boats. This was the original plan. For this purpose, the masters - Gelt, Minster and Van den Streck, were discharged from Holland and other countries of naval affairs. In addition to them, Colonel Van Bukovets, captain and foreman Butler, were invited to direct the leadership and organize the construction of warships. From the surrounding villages, 30 carpenters, 4 blacksmiths and 4 gunners were recruited. The general leadership of the process of the birth of the Russian Navy was entrusted to boyar AL Ordyn-Nashchokin, one of the most educated and intelligent royal dignitaries. He also owned the idea of establishing Russia's own navy.
It should be noted that the place for constructionthe shipyard was chosen sensibly. The village of Dedinovo stretches along both banks of the Oka. There were also oak forests, which are excellent building material. A squadron of frigate, yacht and two sloops along the Volga in 1669 arrived in Astrakhan. The yacht was armed with two six-foot cannons, each sloop had one squeak of the same caliber. Why only in 1669 did the convoy get to Astrakhan? The delay was due to a lack of finishing materials, and the Orel warship was forced to winter on the Oka. The appearance of the shipyard marked not only the birth of the national military fleet, but also contributed to the emergence of the Ship's Charter and the Russian commercial flag. "34 articles of articulation", received before the departure of the squadron of four ships headed by the galiot "Eagle", became the prototype of the Charter of the Navy. Tricolor, according to some reports, was also invented here for launching the "Eagle", although, according to other sources, Peter I personally drew it, came up with colors, sequence and direction of the bands. The first ship "Eagle" got its name in honor of the coat of arms of Russia. April 25, 1669 issued a decree on the appropriation of the ship this name.
In August, the frigate under the command ofCaptain Butler and other vessels dropped anchors in the Astrakhan raid. The city was already captured by the insurgent peasants under the leadership of Stepan Razin. According to some reports, the ships were burnt by Razinsky Cossacks, according to others, the first ship "Eagle" defended for many years in inactivity in the Kutum Channel until it came to complete disrepair. Such a sad fate befell frigate. He was not destined to accompany merchant ships to Persia, crossing the Khvalynsk (Caspian) Sea. But he will forever remain the first Russian warship. Peter I repeatedly visited the first Russian shipyard and noted that the first frigate, though not fulfilling its mission, but it was from him that all the naval work went. They say that the boat on the spire of the Admiralty is very similar to the glorious Russian ship "Eagle".
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