At the end of the 17th century, one of the most important tasks facing the Russian state was the struggle for access to the sea - to the Black and Baltic. The solution of this problem would create favorable conditions for the development of Russia's economic relations with other countries by sea, and would also ensure the external security of the state, whose borders in the south were attacked by the Crimean Tatars and Turks, and in the northwest by the Swedes. At the beginning of his reign, Peter I decided to direct his forces primarily to resolving the Black Sea problem, since during this period there was a military alliance of Russia, Poland, Austria and Venice against Turkey.

To achieve this goal, Peter I chose two areas of military operations: the mouth of the Don (main) and the lower reaches of the Dnieper (auxiliary). If successful, Peter acquired bases on the Azov and Black Seas, where it was possible to deploy the construction of the fleet. The Don connected the central regions of Russia with the Sea of ​​Azov and was a good communication, which, with poor road conditions, had great importance. At the mouth of the Don was the fortress of Azov. The Dnieper was also a convenient waterway connecting the southern regions of the country with the Black Sea. On the Dnieper, the Turks had fortresses: Ochakov, Kazikerman and Aslan-Ordek.

On January 20, 1695, a royal decree was announced in Moscow on the formation of Sheremetev's army in Belgorod and Sevsk for a campaign in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Not a word was deliberately mentioned about Azov in the decree in order to take the enemy by surprise and distract the Crimean Tatars from helping Azov. In early spring, the formation of Sheremetev's army was completed, and consisting of 120 thousand people, it moved to the lower reaches of the Dnieper.

In the meantime, the Azov army also completed its organization. It numbered about 30 thousand people, the best regiments were included in its composition: Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky, Lefortovsky, Butyrsky, etc. Peter I did not appoint a general commander-in-chief, but divided the Azov army into three detachments, headed by generals Gordon, Golovin and Lefort. To resolve issues related to the actions of the entire army, it was supposed to convene a military council consisting of Gordon, Golovin and Lefort. The resolutions of the council could be enforced only upon their approval by Peter.

At the end of April, Gordon's vanguard (9.5 thousand), concentrating in Tambov, began the Azov campaign. He moved across the steppe to Cherkassk, joined the Don Cossacks there, and then continued south.

2 Siege of Azov 1695

Azov, located on the left bank of the main branch of the Don, 15 versts from its mouth, was a rather strong fortress for that time in the form of a quadrangle with bastions. An earthen rampart towered in front of the stone walls. Then followed a moat with a wooden palisade. Upstream of the river there were two stone towers on different banks, between which three iron chains were stretched. They blocked the way along the river. The fortress was defended by a 7,000-strong Turkish garrison.

At the end of June, Gordon approached Azov and settled in a fortified camp on the left bank of the Don in view of the fortress. To facilitate the landing of the main forces, 15 versts above Azov, at the mouth of the Kaisuga River, he built the Mytishevaya pier, provided with a fortification with a special garrison. Meanwhile, the main forces (20 thousand), planted in Moscow on ships, moved on the Azov campaign by river along Moscow, the Oka and the Volga to Tsaritsyn, then by land to Panshin, and then again by river along the Don to Azov, at which they concentrated July 5, located south of the fortress to the Kagalnik River. The siege park and ammunition were temporarily left at the Mytisheva pier, from where they were brought to the army as needed.

The siege of Azov was launched by Gordon's vanguard on July 3rd, and on July 9th a heavy bombardment was carried out, the consequence of which was serious destruction in the fortress. On one of the batteries, the scorer Pyotr Alekseev himself stuffed grenades and fired around the city for 2 weeks. This is how it started military service tsar, about which he reported with a note: “He began to serve as a bombardier from the first Azov campaign.”

The siege moved slowly. The absence of a sufficiently strong fleet made it impossible for the Russians to establish a complete blockade of the fortress, thanks to which the garrison of Azov received both reinforcements and supplies by sea. The Turks, supported by the Tatar cavalry operating outside the fortress, made frequent sorties.

On the night of July 20, the forces of Peter I moved partly to the right bank of the main branch of the Don, built a fortification there and armed it with artillery, thus gaining the opportunity to fire at Azov from the north side. By the end of July, siege work was brought to 20-30 fathoms to the ramparts, and on August 5, Azov was stormed, but unsuccessfully. After that, siege work continued for another month and a half. On September 25, it was decided to repeat the assault. A mine explosion made a small collapse in the wall of Azov, on which some of the attackers climbed, and after a while the guards regiments and the Don Cossacks managed to capture the river wall and break into the city from the other side.

Despite these partial successes, it was not possible to take Azov: the Turks, taking advantage of the different times of the assaults and the inactivity of Golovin's division, consistently concentrated superior forces on the threatened areas and eventually forced the Russians into a general retreat. Peter decided to end the siege. On September 28, the disarmament of the batteries began, and on October 2, 1695, the last regiments left the vicinity of Azov and moved through Cherkassk and Valuyki to Moscow.

Sheremetev's actions on the Dnieper were more successful: he captured the fortresses of Kizikerman and Tagan and destroyed the fortresses of Orslan-Ordek and Shagin-Kerman abandoned by the Turks; but the failure in the main theater of the First Azov campaign forced the tsar to pull Sheremetev's army to the borders as well.

3 Preparing for the second campaign

Having failed in the first campaign against Azov, Peter I did not refuse to acquire access to the Sea of ​​Azov. On the experience of the previous campaign, he was convinced that the seaside fortress, provided with the supply of supplies and food from the sea, could not be taken by the ground forces alone. To capture Azov, a fleet was needed that could block the fortress and thereby deprive the besieged garrison of outside help.

With the creation of the fleet, Peter did not hesitate. On November 27, 1695, a royal decree was announced on a new campaign against the Turks and Tatars, and then in the village of Preobrazhensky, near Moscow, the hasty construction of fire ships and galleys began. At the same time, two 36-gun ships, the Apostol Peter and the Apostle Pavel, were laid down in Voronezh. In addition, in Kozlov, Dobry, Sokolsk and Voronezh, they began to build plows, sea boats and rafts, intended to transport the army and its convoy.

By the end of February 1696, parts for galleys and fire ships were made in the village of Preobrazhensky. In mid-March, these parts were delivered to Voronezh, where they were assembled, and in April the ships were launched. The newly built fleet consisted of two ships, four fireships, twenty-three galleys, 1300 plows, 300 sea boats and 100 rafts. Ship commanders and sailors were recruited from officers and soldiers of the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments numbering 4225 people.

Simultaneously with the construction of the fleet, Peter actively trained the ground forces. The army intended for the march on Azov was formed by the spring of 1696, consisting of 75,000 people, divided into three divisions (Gordon, Golovin, Regeman). A single commander, Generalissimo A. S. Shein, was placed at the head of the army. At the same time, a second army under the command of Sheremetev was being prepared, which was again entrusted with the task of demonstrating in the lower reaches of the Dnieper.

In the early spring of 1696, the army and navy were completely ready for the Second Azov campaign. Peter I appointed Voronezh as the assembly point for the Azov army, from where most of the troops were supposed to be sent to Azov by land, and the smaller part, artillery and weights, were transported by river. The infantry, which set out from Moscow on March 8, concentrated in Voronezh by the end of the month and began loading ships, which ended on April 22. The next day, the head units of the army were already advanced to Azov.

4 Siege of Azov 1696

On May 19, Gordon's vanguard (3.5 thousand people, in 9 galleys and 40 Cossack boats) landed near Novosergievsk (3 versts above Azov), and the lead echelon of ships established surveillance of the Turkish fleet standing in the roadstead. After small clashes at the mouth of the Don, the Turks at the end of May decided to send reinforcements to Azov, but as soon as the Russian flotilla began to anchor to attack the enemy, the landing ships returned. Following this, the covering squadron of the Turks, setting sails, went to sea and did nothing more to rescue Azov. The garrison of the fortress, apparently, did not expect a second siege. The Turks did not take any measures to strengthen the serfs and did not even fill last year's trenches. As a result, the Russian troops that approached between May 28 and June 3, having made minor corrections in the fortifications of their camps, immediately occupied the completely preserved last year's approaches and proceeded to deploy artillery.

The second siege of Azov was conducted much more successfully than the first. Only the Tatars, who concentrated in significant forces beyond the river. Kagalnik, from time to time disturbed the besiegers with their attacks, but the garrison of Azov, cut off from the outside world, defended itself much more passively than in the previous year. The direct management of the siege work came from Shein, and Peter I lived at sea in the galley "Principium" and only occasionally moved ashore to get acquainted with the course of the siege and give general instructions on further actions.

On June 16, in the evening, the bombardment of the fortress began, carried out simultaneously both from the left bank and from the right, where the fortification built during the last siege was again occupied by the Russians. But the shooting, which lasted for two weeks, did not give noticeable results: both the ramparts and the fortress walls of Azov remained intact.

Then it was decided to build a rampart higher than the rampart, gradually advance it to the fortress and, having filled the moat, make an assault. Up to 15,000 people were appointed daily to carry out this gigantic work: two ramparts were built simultaneously, one after the other, with the rear of them intended for the installation of artillery. In early July, the long-awaited Caesar (Austrian) engineers, miners and artillerymen arrived in the army of Peter I near Azov. The arrival of the latter was especially useful: under their leadership, the shooting went much more successfully, they managed to knock down the palisade in the corner bastion.

On July 17, the Cossacks, conspiring with the Don Cossacks (only 2 thousand Cossacks), made a surprise attack on the fortress and, having captured part of the earthen rampart, forced the Turks to withdraw behind the stone fence. This success of the Cossacks finally decided the outcome of the Second Azov campaign. After several unsuccessful counterattacks, repulsed with the help of reinforcements that arrived to help the Cossacks, the Turks began negotiations on surrender, and on July 19, Russian troops entered Azov.

Despite the success, at the end of the campaign, the incompleteness of the results achieved became obvious: without mastering the Crimea, or at least Kerch, access to the Black Sea was still impossible.

Preparation of the second Azov campaign

Tsar Peter carried out "work on the mistakes" and considered that the main problem was the river, sea component. The construction of a "sea caravan" - military and transport ships and vessels - immediately began. This idea had many opponents - there was too little time for this task (one winter), the issue was difficult in terms of organization, attracting resources, etc. But the plan was steadily implemented. From Moscow came one after another decrees, orders to governors, city governors on the mobilization of people and resources.

Already in January 1696, at the shipyards of Voronezh and in Preobrazhensky (a village near Moscow on the banks of the Yauza, the residence of Peter's father, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was located there) launched a large-scale construction of ships and ships. The galleys built in Preobrazhensky were dismantled, transported to Voronezh, reassembled there and launched on the Don. Peter ordered to make 1300 plows, 30 sea boats, 100 rafts by spring. For this, carpenters, blacksmiths, and working people were mobilized from all over Russia. The Voronezh region was not chosen by chance; for the local population, the construction of river vessels has been a common craft for more than one generation. In total, over 25 thousand people were mobilized. From all over the country, not only craftsmen and workers traveled, but they also brought materials - wood, hemp, resin, iron, etc. The work went quickly, by the beginning of the campaign, the plows had built even more than planned.

The task of building warships was solved in Preobrazhensky (on the Yauza River). The main type of ships being built were galleys - rowing ships with 30-38 oars, they were armed with 4-6 guns, 2 masts, 130-200 crew members (plus they could carry a significant landing force). This type of ship met the conditions of the theater of operations, galleys with their small draft, maneuverability, could successfully operate on the river, shallow waters of the lower reaches of the Don, coastal waters Sea of ​​Azov. In the construction of ships, early experience in shipbuilding was used. So, in Nizhny Novgorod in 1636, the Friderik ship was built, in 1668 in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka - the ship Oryol, in 1688-1692 on Lake Pereyaslavl and in 1693 in Arkhangelsk, with the participation of Peter, several ships were built. The soldiers of the Semyonovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, peasants, artisans, who were called from settlements where shipbuilding was developed (Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Nizhny Novgorod, etc.), were widely involved in the construction of ships in Preobrazhensky. Among the craftsmen, the Vologda carpenter Osip Shcheka and the Nizhny Novgorod carpenter Yakim Ivanov enjoyed universal respect.

All winter long, the main parts of the ships were made in Preobrazhensky: keels (hull base), frames (“ribs” of the ship), stringers (longitudinal beams running from bow to stern), beams (transverse beams between frames), pillers (vertical racks supporting the deck ), boards for sheathing, decking, masts, oars, etc. In February 1696, parts were prepared for 22 galleys and 4 firewalls (a ship stuffed with combustible substances to set fire to enemy ships). In March, ship parts were transported to Voronezh. Each galley was delivered on 15-20 wagons. On April 2, the first galleys were launched, their crews were formed from the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments.

In Voronezh, the first large three-masted ships (2 units) were also laid down, with rather strong artillery weapons. They required a large complex of shipbuilding works. It was decided to install 36 guns on each of them. By the beginning of May, the first ship was built - the 36-gun sailing and rowing frigate Apostol Peter. The ship was built with the help of the Danish master August (Gustav) Meyer. He became the commander of the second ship - the 36-gun Apostle Paul. The length of the sailing and rowing frigate was 34.4 m, the width was 7.6 m, the ship was flat-bottomed. In addition, the frigate had 15 pairs of oars in case of calm and for maneuver. Thus, in the Russian state, far from the seas, in an extremely short time they were able to create an entire shipbuilding industry and built a “marine military caravan” - a detachment of warships and transport ships. When the troops arrived from Moscow to Voronezh, a whole armada of military transport ships was already waiting there - 2 ships, 23 galleys, about 1500 plows, rafts, barges, boats.

Frigate "Apostle Peter"

In the same period, the army was significantly increased (doubling - up to 70 thousand people), a single commander-in-chief, the boyar Alexei Semyonovich Shein, was placed at its head. He was a member of the campaigns of Prince V. Golitsyn, during the first Azov campaign he commanded the Preobrazhensky and Semyonovsky regiments, thus he knew the theater of military operations very well. Shein was the first in Russia to officially receive the rank of Generalissimo. As a result, the problem of unity of command was solved. True, Peter could put another experienced military leader, Sheremetev, at the head of the army, but for some reason the tsar did not like him. Perhaps due to age. Young Shein was closer to the king and he introduced him into his circle. Sheremetev was awarded for the successful campaign of 1695 and sent back to Belgorod.

Peter also took care of attracting military specialists in engineering, artillery and mines. Poorly knowing the capabilities of the Russian army and the abilities of its commanders and exaggerating everything foreign, Pyotr Alekseevich began hiring specialists in Germany and Holland. Later, including taking into account the Narva defeat in the war with Sweden, Peter gradually began to rely on national cadres, and tightened the selection of foreigners, among whom there were many different riffraff who coveted high wages in Russia.

The campaign plan has changed. Most of the troops were taken from Sheremetev - border regiments, noble cavalry and half of the Little Russian Cossacks. He was left with an auxiliary detachment - 2.5 thousand soldiers, about 15 thousand Cossacks. Sheremetev was supposed to go down the Dnieper and distract the enemy from Ochakov. Under the leadership of Shein, the main forces were assembled - 30 soldier regiments, 13 archers, local cavalry, Don, Little Russian, Yaik Cossacks, Kalmyks (about 70 thousand people). The troops were divided into three divisions - Golovin, Gordon and Riegeman. Peter appointed Lefort to command the fleet. Peter left for himself the role of "scorer Peter Mikhailov", and gave the command entirely to Shein.

Second Azov campaign

On April 23, 1696, the first echelon of 110 transport ships with troops, artillery, ammunition and food began the campaign. After that, other ships, warships began to leave. The 1000-kilometer trip was the first test for the crews, in the process the skills of the sailors were honed, and shortcomings were completed. The movement went quickly, sailed and oared, day and night. During the campaign, the process of developing rules for organizing service on galleys, conducting naval combat was underway - they were announced in a special “Decree on galleys”. The "Decree" spoke about the procedure for signaling, anchoring, sailing in march formation, discipline, and conducting active hostilities against the enemy.

On May 15, the first detachment of galleys approached Cherkassk, where the avant-garde also came ground forces(the troops went on ships and land). Cossack intelligence reported that several enemy ships were stationed near Azov. On May 16, Azov was besieged. On May 20, the Cossacks on their boats captured 10 transport ships (tunbass) with a surprise attack, and a panic began in the Turkish squadron. Taking advantage of the first success, the Cossacks were able to approach the Turkish squadron (it was at night) and set fire to one of the ships. The Turks took the ships away, and burned one themselves, before they had time to raise the sails.

On May 27, the Russian flotilla entered the Sea of ​​Azov and cut off the fortress from supply sources across the sea. Russian ships took up positions across the Gulf of Azov. In the same period, the main forces approached the fortress, they occupied trenches and earthen fortifications built in 1695. The Turks, in their carelessness, did not even destroy them. The Ottomans tried to make a sortie, but it was expected. 4 thousand Don Cossacks of the chief ataman Savinov were at the ready and repelled the attack.

Shein refused an immediate assault and ordered "to proceed with the trenches." The volume of engineering work was planned huge. Azov was surrounded by a semicircle, both flanks rested on the Don. An "earth town" was erected across the river. Above the city, a floating bridge was built on ships. Built batteries for siege weapons. Russian artillery began to shell the fortress. Fires broke out in Azov. Two strong batteries were placed at the mouth of the Don in order to strengthen the forces of the naval blockade. If Turkish ships broke through our flotilla, these batteries should have prevented enemy ships from directly approaching Azov.

These precautions were not redundant. About a month later, a Turkish squadron of 25 pennants with 4 thousand troops approached to help the Azov garrison. Having discovered the Russian galleys that blocked the mouth of the Don, the Turkish admiral Turnoch Pasha stopped his forces at a considerable distance. On June 28, the Turkish fleet tried to land troops on the shore. On the Russian ships they prepared for battle, weighed anchors and went towards the Turkish ships. The Ottomans, seeing the determination of the Russian flotilla to fight, retreated. Thus, the Turkish fleet abandoned attempts to help the besieged garrison, Azov was left without outside help. This played an important role in further developments: The Azov fortress was cut off from the supply of reinforcements, ammunition and food. Yes, and psychologically - it was a victory, the Turks became discouraged, having lost hope for the help of their comrades.

Russian artillery broke the outer ramparts of Azov, and the infantry tirelessly dug the ground, moving the trenches closer and closer to the fortress. On June 16, our soldiers came close to the ditches. The garrison was offered to surrender, but the Turks responded with fire. Turkish soldiers still hoped to sit behind the powerful stone walls and towers, they were so thick that the cores did not take them. However, Shein still refused to storm. The commander-in-chief ordered to pour a huge rampart around the fortress. We decided to move it and in this way overcome the moat and climb the walls with the help of assault ladders and other devices. Large-scale engineering work began again. 15 thousand people worked in shifts. When foreign specialists arrived, invited by Tsar Peter, they were no longer needed. They did without them, they only marveled at the scale of the work that the Russians had done.

Contemporaries described these works as follows: “Great Russian and Little Russian troops, who were in the surroundings near the city of Azov, an earthen rampart to the enemy ditch from everywhere evenly rolled and because of that rampart, having swept and leveled the ditch, with the same rampart through that ditch they reached the enemy Azov rampart and the ramparts reported only close, hedgehog was possible with enemies, except for tormented with one hand; already the earth was pouring into the city behind their ramparts.

On June 10 and June 24, our troops repulsed strong sorties of the Turkish garrison, which was trying to help 60 thousand troops of the Crimean Tatars, camped south of Azov, across the Kagalnik River. The Crimean prince Nureddin with his horde attacked the Russian camp several times. However, Shein put up against him the noble cavalry and Kalmyks as a barrier. They brutally beat and drove away the Crimean Tatars, Nureddin himself was wounded and almost captured.

The shaft approached the walls, caught up with them in height. Batteries were installed on its crest, they shot through the entire Azov and inflicted heavy losses on the garrison. In addition, three mine trenches were prepared to undermine the walls. The garrison was again offered to leave the city and leave freely, the Ottomans responded with fierce shooting. On July 16, our troops completed the preparatory siege work. On July 17-18, Russian troops (1.5 thousand Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks) captured two Turkish bastions.

After that, the Turkish garrison completely lost heart: the losses were heavy, the sorties failed, there was no help from Istanbul, the loss of the main positions began, artillery shelling now caused significant damage, since the Russian army had heavy guns. On July 18, the white flag was thrown out, negotiations began. The Ottomans were allowed to leave with their personal belongings, and they left all the artillery and supplies to the victors. Shein even kindly offered to take them on Russian ships to Kagalnik, where the Tatars were stationed. The Russian command put forward only one categorical demand: to extradite the “nemchi Yakushka” - the defector Yakov Jansen, who spoiled a lot of blood of the Russian army in 1695. Jansen at that time was already “fooled” - he converted to Islam, signed up for the Janissaries. The Ottomans did not want to extradite him, but in the end they conceded. On July 19 (29), the head of the garrison Hassan Bey capitulated.

From the garrison he had only 3 thousand people left. Turkish soldiers and residents began to leave the fortress, loaded onto plows and boats that were waiting for them. Gassan Bey was the last to leave Azov, laid down 16 banners at the feet of the commander-in-chief, presented the keys and thanked him for the honest fulfillment of the contract. Russian troops entered the fortress. 92 guns, 4 mortars, large stocks of gunpowder and food were found in the city. He could resist for a long time, if not for the skillful actions of the Russian army. On July 20, the Turkish fortress Lyutikh, which was located at the mouth of the northernmost branch of the Don, also capitulated.

The first regiments went north to Moscow in early August. On August 15, the king left the fortress. In the Azov fortress, 5.5 thousand soldiers and 2.7 thousand archers were left as a garrison. In Moscow, an unprecedented celebration was held in honor of the Azov Victoria.

Results

Thus, the entire course of the Don became free for Russian ships. Azov became the Russian bridgehead in the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov. Tsar Peter I, realizing the strategic importance of Azov as the first Russian fortress in the Black Sea region and the need to defend the conquests (the war continued), already on July 23 approved the plan for new fortifications of Azov. The fortress was heavily damaged by Russian artillery. In addition, they decided to create a base for the Russian fleet, without which it was impossible to conquer the Black Sea region. Since Azov did not have a convenient harbor for basing navy, already on July 27 they chose a more successful place on Cape Tagany, where two years later they founded Taganrog.

On June 28, 1696, voivode A. S. Shein received the title of Generalissimo (the first in Russia) for military successes. Later, Shein was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, commander of artillery, cavalry, and manager of a foreign order. Since 1697, Shein led the work in Azov, the construction of a sea harbor in Taganrog, repelling the constant attacks of the Tatars and Turks.

The Azov campaigns in practice showed the importance of artillery and fleet for warfare. And Peter drew conclusions from this, he cannot be denied organizational skills and strategic thinking. On October 20, 1696, the Boyar Duma proclaims "Sea ships to be ...". An extensive program of military shipbuilding of 52 (later 77) ships is being approved. Russia begins sending nobles to study abroad.

"Cut through a window" to the south completely failed. It was necessary to capture the Kerch Strait in order to get a passage from the Azov to the Black Sea or completely capture the Crimea. The king understood this very well. After the capture of Azov, he told his generals: “Now, thank God, we already have one corner of the Black Sea, and in time, maybe we will have all of it.” To the remark that it would be difficult to do this, Peter said: "Not suddenly, but little by little." However, the war with Sweden began and plans for the further expansion of Russian possessions in the Black Sea region had to be postponed, and as it turned out for a long time. It was only under Catherine II that Peter's plans were fully realized.

Predating the Age of Peter National history left many unresolved issues, and one of them is the lack of access to the seas, which seriously hampered the development Russian state. Muscovite Russia has always waged a stubborn struggle for the right to own the southern expanses. The development of any power depends on the ability to enter the world trade arena and the ability to conduct a competent foreign policy. The lack of direct access to the sea deprived Russia of enormous opportunities.

Reasons for trips to Azov

The urgent need for further growth of the state arose at the turn of the century, marked by the reign of the great reformer Peter 1, who set the main task of strengthening the internal unity of the country, strengthening its military power and increasing world significance. The search for ways to enter the world political arena led to the inevitability of a southern military campaign, which was called the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. We will briefly describe other reasons for their occurrence.

Historians assure that for many centuries almost five million people were driven into slavery by raids of the Crimean Tatars from Russian lands. The need to resist the barbarian hunt for people was another reason for the start of the southern campaigns. Undertaken in the second half of the 17th century by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the Crimean expeditions of Prince Golitsyn did not bring proper results, leaving the issue of strong positions in the Black Sea lands unresolved. Therefore, young Peter could not help but focus all his attention on resolving issues of border security and the opportunities for the country's foreign policy growth that opened up with access to the southern seas.

In the war with Turkey and the Crimea that began in the 1670s, Russia acted as part of the strongest powers - members of the Christian coalition. In the 1690s, Russia's allies - Poland and Austria - concluded agreements with Turkey on peace conditions without taking into account Russian interests - this is what history says. Peter the Great put forward demands for the cessation of raids and the possibility of free navigation of the Russian flotilla in the Azov and Black Seas. They were disputed by the Turks for several years. Negotiations dragged on until 1694. Then Peter 1 decided to achieve the fulfillment of the conditions by force of arms.

The main goal was located at the mouth of the Don and blocking access to the Black Sea. Its capture opened up access to the sea for Russia, made it possible to build a navy and create an outpost for further military operations. The years of the Azov campaigns of Peter 1 became a turning point in the history of the country.

First trip plans

With courage and maximalism characteristic of youthful age, the young emperor at the beginning of 1695 announced a campaign against the Crimea. This was the first Azov campaign. To disorientate and divert the attention of the enemy from Azov, a gathering of warriors was announced in Moscow, gathering to march to the lower reaches of the Dnieper under the command of B.P. Sheremetyev. At the same time, the 30,000-strong Azov Army was secretly formed, consisting of the three best divisions under the command of Generals Lefort, Gordon, Golovin, armed with more than 100 mortars and 40 squeakers.

The emperor himself was listed in the army as bombardier Pyotr Alekseev. The command of the troops was not concentrated in one hand. Important issues were resolved at military councils and approved by Peter 1.

The first trip to Azov

The Azov campaigns of Peter 1 began in 1695. In the spring, the vanguard of Gordon's division, having concentrated in Tambov, moved to Azov. He walked through the steppe to Cherkassk, where he was joined by Don Cossacks. The fortress of Azov, located on the left bank of the Don, not far from its mouth, was a magnificently fortified citadel on all sides.

At the end of June, Gordon reached his final goal and camped near the fortress. For the landing of the main forces above Azov, near the Kaisuga River, he built the Mytisheva pier. At the same time, the main forces reached Tsaritsyn along the Moscow, Volga and Oka rivers, then overland to Panshin, and then again along the Don to Azov, dispersed near which in early July, settled south of the fortress, stretching to the Kagalnik River. The siege park and ammunition were temporarily stored at the Mytisheva pier, which became a kind of base from where shells were transported to the army.

The siege by the advanced units of Gordon's troops began in early July with a heavy bombardment of the fortress, as a result of which its walls were seriously damaged. But the city, besieged from the land, held on due to the receipt of food and ammunition from the sea. The Russian troops were on the ground, did not have a strong fleet and could not interfere with the enemy, which is why the siege did not bring the desired effect. The Turks, supported by the cavalry of the Crimean Tatars, who fought outside the walls of the citadel, made frequent sorties.

On the night of July 20, several units of the army of Peter I crossed to the right bank of the main Don and, having built fortifications and armed the soldiers with artillery, were able to shell the city from the north. As close as possible to the Russian troops on August 5, they launched an assault. Azov survived. The siege continued for a long time, it was decided to re-storm. Breaking into the city through a small collapse from a mine explosion, Gordon's soldiers were crushed by Turkish troops. The attack again failed, the Turks forced the Russian troops to a general retreat. The Azov campaigns of Peter 1, in particular, the first of them, revealed errors and blunders in the command and conduct of a siege battle.

Disappointed by failures and heavy losses, Peter gave the decision to end the siege: on September 28, they began to disarm the batteries, and on October 2, all the troops went to Moscow.

Sheremetyev's successes

Sheremetyev's actions taken on the Dnieper somewhat compensated for the bitterness of defeat in the Azov campaign. He took possession of two fortresses, ruined the citadels abandoned by the Turks. And although the failure in the main direction of hostilities forced the young emperor to pull Sheremetyev's army to the borders, his contribution to the Azov campaigns of Peter 1 was considerable.

Preparing for a new trip

Understanding the importance of achieving the set goals and analyzing the reasons for the failures, Peter 1 began preparations for the next southern campaign. He realized that the basis for the failure of this campaign was the lack of a fleet, and successful conduct of hostilities is possible only in the unified interaction of the ground army and the military flotilla, capable of blocking the approaches to Azov from the sea, thereby depriving it of replenishment with outside help. which were full of great events, ordering to start building ships in Preobrazhensky and Voronezh, he himself led the construction.

At the same time, regiments of the new Azov army were formed, partially reinforced by the forces of Sheremetev's troops, the recruitment of civilians and the call of the Cossacks. To make up for the lack of army engineering personnel, Peter turned to the heads of the allied states, Poland and Austria.

Second southern campaign

The Azov campaigns of Peter 1 continued. In the spring of 1696, the army under the command of Generalissimo A. S. Shein, consisting of the divisions of Generals Gordon, Golovin and Regeman with a total number of 75 thousand people, was prepared for the Second Azov campaign. During the winter, a fleet was built, which Lefort began to command. It consisted of 2 ships, 23 galleys and 4 firewalls. Peter 1 appointed Voronezh as the collection point for the army, from where it was planned to send the main part of the troops to Azov by land, and the artillery and the remaining formations to be transported by water. The infantry set out from Moscow on March 8 and by the end of the month, having concentrated in Voronezh, began loading ships, after which the head units of the army headed for the fortress.

On May 19, the advance units of Gordon's division landed at Novosergievsk, just above Azov. The main echelon of Russian ships controlled the movement of the Turkish fleet. After several insignificant clashes, the Turks did not dare to launch a landing force to reinforce the city. Their squadron went to sea, doing nothing to save the citadel. The garrison of the fortress did not expect a second siege. Using this omission, the Russian troops, who had approached by the beginning of June, fortified the camps, occupied the well-preserved approaches, and proceeded to install artillery.

Fortress siege

The second siege of Azov by Peter I was carried out much more successfully. And although the Tatars, dispersed across the steppe, periodically attacked the besiegers, the Azov garrison, isolated from the outside world, did not defend very actively. Carried out management of siege works. The ships of Peter the Great were in the roadstead, he himself was at sea and only occasionally moved ashore to control the course of hostilities.

Development of events

The two-week bombardment of the citadel, begun in mid-June, did not bring desired results- ramparts and walls were not seriously damaged. Then an extraordinary, but effective solution was found: to build a rampart higher than the fortress, move it to the wall and, having filled the moat, start the assault. It was a gigantic job. Every day, 15 thousand people were engaged in it: two shafts were built at the same time, and the outer one was intended for the installation of artillery. The Austrian specialists who arrived in the army - engineers, miners and artillerymen supervised the work, using the latest methods of military engineering of that time.

The capture of Azov by Peter 1 in 1696

The capture of Azov happened quickly: in mid-July, the Cossacks, tired of a long siege, together with the Don Cossacks, made a surprise attack on the citadel and, immediately taking possession of part of the earthen rampart, forced the Turks to retreat. This success decided the final outcome of the war. Thus ended the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. Having briefly and powerfully beat off several unsuccessful counterattacks, the Russian formations offered to surrender. The besieged Turks began negotiations on terms of surrender. On July 19, Peter's army entered Azov.

It is difficult to overestimate the significance of this victory for Russia and the youngest tsar, who began ruling the country with the triumphant victory brought by the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. The comparison table of the historical events of both campaigns shows how quickly the emperor analyzed and evaluated mistakes, how brilliantly they were corrected.

Politics of Peter 1

Azov campaigns of 1695 and 1696 - Russian military campaigns against the Ottoman Empire; were undertaken by Peter I at the beginning of his reign and ended with the capture of the Turkish fortress of Azov.

The choice of the southern direction as the first goal is due to several main reasons:

War with Ottoman Empire seemed an easier task than the conflict with Sweden, which closes access to the Baltic Sea;

The capture of Azov would make it possible to secure the southern regions of the country from the raids of the Crimean Tatars;

Russia's allies in the anti-Turkish coalition (the Commonwealth, Austria and Venice) demanded that Peter the Great begin military operations against Turkey.

It was decided to strike not at Crimean Tatars, as in the campaigns of Golitsyn, but along the Turkish fortress of Azov. The route has also been changed: not through the desert steppes, but along the Volga and Don regions.

The number of the Russian army participating in the First Azov campaign was 32 thousand people. It should be noted that this Russian army consisted for the most part from the new troops, arranged according to a foreign model, with foreign commanders, as well as from the former amusing Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments.

The fortress of Azov was defended by a 7,000-strong garrison under the command of Bey Gassan-Araslan. With the capture of this strategic Turkish fortress, the land connection between the possessions of the Crimean Khanate in the Northern Black Sea region and the North Caucasus was broken.

Owning Azov, the tsar strengthened control not only over the khanate, but also over the Don Cossacks. The relative convenience of communication also played an important role in the choice of the object of the campaign. Unlike the road to Perekop, the path to Azov ran along the rivers (Don, Volga) and through fairly populated areas. This freed the troops from unnecessary carts and long marches across the sultry steppe.

In the winter and spring of 1695, transport ships were built on the Don: plows, sea boats and rafts to deliver troops, ammunition, artillery and food from the deployment to Azov. This can be considered the beginning, albeit imperfect for solving military problems at sea, but - the first Russian fleet.

In the spring of 1695, the 3rd army groups under the command of Golovin, Gordon and Lefort moved south.

The entire detachment, according to the original order, was under the command of a "council" of three persons: Golovin, Lefort and Gordon; During the campaign, Peter the Great combined the duties of the first scorer and the actual leader of the entire campaign .. Rivalry and disagreement between these commanders, weak discipline and grumbling of individual units against foreign commanders, the tsar’s inexperience in military matters, who, moreover, did not have any military talent, and also lack of horses and provisions could not promise a favorable outcome for this company.

Gordon was more experienced than the others, but the layman in military affairs Lefort had more influence on Tsar Peter the Great.

The Azov campaigns (1695-1696) of Peter I were a continuation of Russia's policy in a southerly direction. After the unsuccessful Crimean campaigns (1687, 1689), Peter planned a campaign not directly against the Crimea through the endless waterless steppes, but along the Don, to its mouth - the Turkish fortress of Azov

First Azov campaign

"Azov seat" (1637-1641). The prologue to the Azov campaigns of Peter I was the so-called Azov seat - the defense of the Azov fortress by the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks, taken from the Turks in 1637. In 1641, the Cossacks withstood the siege, in the summer of 1642, having destroyed the fortifications, they left Azov. Reflected in the military story, created on the Don - "Poetic Tale" (1642).

First Azov campaign (1695). The first Azov campaign began in March 1695. The main blow to Azov was dealt by an army commanded by generals Avton Golovin, Franz Lefort and Patrick Gordon (31 thousand people). In this army, the tsar himself was in the position of commander of the bombardment company. Another less significant grouping, led by Boris Sheremetev, operated in the lower reaches of the Dnieper to divert the troops of the Crimean Khan. Sheremetev captured 4 Turkish fortresses on the Dnieper (Islam-Kermen, Tagan, etc.), destroyed two of them, and left Russian garrisons in the other two.

However, the main events unfolded on the Don. In July 1695, all Russian detachments finally gathered under the walls of Azov and on the 8th began shelling the fortress. On one of the batteries, the scorer Pyotr Alekseev himself stuffed grenades and fired around the city for 2 weeks. Thus began the military service of the tsar, about which he reported with a note: "He began to serve as a bombardier from the first Azov campaign."

Azov was a strong Turkish fortress, surrounded by stone walls, in front of which an earthen rampart towered. Then followed a moat with a wooden palisade. Upstream of the river there were two stone towers on different banks, between which three iron chains were stretched. They blocked the way along the river.

The fortress was defended by a 7,000-strong Turkish garrison. The siege lasted for 3 months, but it was not possible to achieve a complete blockade of the fortress. The lack of a Russian fleet allowed the besieged to receive support from the sea. The delivery of food to the Russian camp along the river was hindered by watchtowers with chains. They were taken by storm. But this was, perhaps, the only success of the first Azov campaign.

Both assaults on Azov (August 5 and September 25) ended in failure. Artillery was not able to punch holes in the fortress wall. The stormers did not act in concert, which allowed the Turks to regroup their forces in time to fight back. In October the siege was lifted and the troops returned to Moscow. The only trophy of the campaign was a captured Turk, who was led through the streets of the capital and shown to the curious.

After the overthrow of the government of Princess Sophia, military operations against the Turks and Tatars were suspended. Russian troops only reflected the raids of the Tatars. In 1694, it was decided to resume active hostilities and strike not at the Crimean Tatars, as in Golitsyn's campaigns, but at the Turkish fortress of Azov. The route was also changed: not through the desert steppes, but along the Volga and Don regions. In the spring of 1695, the army of the 3rd group under the command of Golovin, Gordon and Lefort moved south. During the campaign, Peter combined the duties of the first scorer and the actual leader of the entire campaign.

In the spring of 1695, the 3rd army groups under the command of Golovin, Gordon and Lefort moved south. During the campaign, Peter combined the duties of the first scorer and the actual leader of the entire campaign. The Sheremetyev group and Mazepa's Cossacks acted from the Ukrainian side.

On the Dnieper, the Russian army conquered three fortresses from the Turks (July 30 - Kyzy-Kermen, August 1 - Eski-Tavan, August 3 - Aslan-Kermen), and at the end of June the main forces besieged Azov (a fortress at the mouth of the Don). Gordon stood against the south side, Lefort to his left, Golovin, with whose detachment the tsar was also located, to the right. On July 2, troops under the command of Gordon began siege work. On July 5, the corps of Golovin and Lefort joined them. On July 14 and 16, the Russians managed to occupy the towers - two stone towers on both banks of the Don, above Azov, with iron chains stretched between them, which blocked river vessels from entering the sea. This was in fact the highest success of the campaign. Two attempts were made to storm (August 5 and September 25), but the fortress could not be taken. On October 20, the siege was lifted.

The Azov campaign is the first campaign of the Russian army with the participation of Tsar Peter I (31 thousand people) against the Turkish fortress of Azov in July-October 1695 (Russian-Turkish war, 1686-1700). The fortress was defended by a 7,000-strong garrison under the command of Bey Gassan-Araslan. Taking into account the experience unsuccessful campaigns Prince V.V. Golitsyn (see Crimean campaigns of 1687, 1689), Peter decided to deliver the main blow to Azov, which blocked Russia's access to the sea. With the capture of this strategic Turkish fortress, the land connection between the possessions of the Crimean Khanate in the Northern Black Sea region and the North Caucasus was broken. Owning Azov, the tsar strengthened control not only over the khanate, but also over the Don Cossacks. The relative convenience of communication also played an important role in the choice of the object of the campaign. Unlike the path to Perekop, the path to Azov ran along the rivers (Don, Volga) and through fairly populated areas. This freed the troops from unnecessary carts and long marches across the sultry steppe.

In July 1695, the Russian army laid siege to Azov. On July 8, shelling began. On one of the batteries, the scorer Pyotr Alekseev (Peter 1) himself stuffed grenades and fired around the city for 2 weeks. Thus began the military service of the king, about which he wrote: "He began to serve as a scorer from the first Azov campaign."

It was not possible to achieve a complete blockade of the fortress. The lack of a Russian fleet allowed the besieged to receive support from the sea. The delivery of food to the Russian camp along the river was hindered by watchtowers with chains. They were taken by storm. But this was the only serious success of the first Azov campaign. Both assaults on the fortress itself (August 5 and September 25) ended in failure. Artillery was not able to punch holes in the fortress wall. The stormers acted inconsistently, allowing the Turks to regroup their forces in time to repulse.

Second Azov campaign (1696).

After the failure of the 1st Azov campaign, the king did not lose heart. Peter discovered remarkable strength to overcome obstacles. Returning from the campaign, he began to prepare for a new campaign. It was supposed to use the fleet. The place of its creation was Voronezh (founded in 1585 as a fortress). The king himself worked here with an ax in his hands. By the spring of 1696, 2 ships, 23 galleys, 4 firewalls, as well as a significant number of plows (1300) were built, on which Peter set out on a new campaign in the spring of 1696.

In the 2nd Azov campaign, the number of Russian forces, led by the governor Alexei Shein, was brought to 75 thousand people. To divert the troops of the Crimean Khan, the Sheremetev group was again sent to the lower reaches of the Dnieper.

As a result of joint actions of the army and navy, Azov was completely blocked. The attacks of the Crimean troops, who tried to prevent the siege, were repulsed. The onslaught from the sea was also reflected. On June 14, 1696, Cossack planes attacked a Turkish squadron with a 4,000-strong landing force that entered the mouth of the Don. Having lost two ships, the squadron went to sea. Behind her, the Russian squadron entered the sea for the first time. The attempt of the Turks to break through to Azov was unsuccessful, and their ships left the combat area.

After the naval victory, the assault Cossack detachments under the command of chieftains Yakov Lizogub and Frol Minaev (2 thousand people) went on the attack. They were driven out of the inner fortifications, but managed to gain a foothold on the rampart, from where a direct shelling of the fortress began. After that, Peter ordered all the troops to prepare for a general assault. However, it did not follow. Deprived of support, the garrison threw out the white flag and surrendered on July 19, 1696. The capture of Azov was Russia's first major victory over the Ottoman Empire.

After the first Azov campaign, the tsar began preparing a new campaign, in which it was supposed to use the fleet. For this, the construction of the fleet began in Voronezh.

By the spring of 1696, 30 ships had been built. The Russian army faced the Second Azov campaign.

All the Dutch and English shipbuilders who were there were transferred from Arkhangelsk to Voronezh, and carpenters from neighboring provinces were driven away. Up to 26 thousand people worked all winter. All interests were relegated to the background. The thirst for victory over the Turks seized the king. His inexorable will strengthened the activity of the masters.

By the spring of 1696 the fleet was ready. Lefort was appointed admiral of the new fleet, and command of the land army was handed over to the boyar Shein.

The second Azov campaign of the Russian army against the Turkish fortress of Azov took place in March - July 1696. It became a logical continuation of the First Azov campaign of Peter I. In this campaign, the number of Russian forces was increased to 75 thousand people.

Throughout the winter of 1696, the Russian army was preparing for the second campaign. In January, large-scale shipbuilding was launched at the shipyards of Voronezh and Preobrazhensky. The galleys built in Preobrazhensky were dismantled, transported to Voronezh, where they were reassembled and launched on the Don. Over 25 thousand peasants and townspeople were mobilized from the nearest district for the construction of the fleet. Craftsmen from Austria were invited to build the ships. 2 large ships, 23 galleys and more than 1300 plows, barges and small ships were built.

The command of the troops was also reorganized. Lefort was placed at the head of the fleet, the ground forces were entrusted to the boyar Shein.

The highest decree was issued, according to which the serfs who joined the army received freedom. The land army doubled in size, reaching 70,000 men. It also included Ukrainian and Don Cossacks and Kalmyk cavalry.

On May 20, Cossacks in galleys at the mouth of the Don attacked a caravan of Turkish cargo ships. As a result, 2 galleys and 9 small ships were destroyed, and one small ship was captured. On May 27, the fleet entered the Sea of ​​Azov and cut off the fortress from sources of supply by sea. Turkish military flotilla did not dare to fight.

On June 10 and June 24, attacks by the Turkish garrison were repulsed, reinforced by 60,000 Tatars camped south of Azov, across the Kagalnik River.

On July 16, the preparatory siege work was completed. On July 17, 1,500 Don Cossacks and part of the Ukrainian Cossacks broke into the fortress without permission and settled in two bastions. On July 19, after prolonged artillery shelling, the Azov garrison surrendered. On July 20, the Lyutikh fortress, located at the mouth of the northernmost branch of the Don, also surrendered.

Already by July 23, Peter approved a plan for new fortifications in the fortress, which by this time had been badly damaged as a result of artillery shelling. Azov did not have a convenient harbor for basing the navy. For this purpose, on July 27, 1696, a better place was chosen on Tagany Musa, where Taganrog was founded two years later.

Voivode Shein became the first Russian generalissimo for his services in the second Azov campaign.

The value of the Azov campaigns

The Azov campaign demonstrated in practice the importance of artillery and navy for warfare. It is a notable example of the successful interaction of the fleet and ground forces during the siege of a seaside fortress, which stands out especially brightly against the background of the failures of the British in the storming of Quebec (1691) and St. Pierre (1693) close in time.

The preparation of campaigns clearly showed Peter's organizational and strategic abilities. For the first time, such important qualities as his ability to draw conclusions from failures and gather strength for a second strike appeared.

Despite the success, at the end of the campaign, the incompleteness of the results achieved became obvious: without the capture of the Crimea, or at least Kerch, access to the Black Sea was still impossible. To hold Azov, it was necessary to strengthen the fleet. It was necessary to continue the construction of the fleet and provide the country with specialists capable of building modern sea vessels.

On October 20, 1696, the Boyar Duma proclaims "Sea ships will be ..." This date can be considered the birthday of the Russian regular navy. An extensive shipbuilding program is approved - 52 (later 77) ships; new duties are introduced to finance it.

The war with Turkey is not over yet, and therefore, in order to better understand the balance of power, find allies in the war against Turkey and confirm the existing alliance - the Holy League, and finally, strengthen the position of Russia, the "Great Embassy" was organized.

The war with Turkey ended with the Treaty of Constantinople (1700).

Constantinople Peace Treaty of 1700 - concluded on July 3 (14), 1700 between Russia and Turkey in Constantinople. It was the result of the Azov campaigns of Peter the Great.

Russia received Azov with the adjacent territory and newly built fortresses (Taganrog, Pavlovsk, Mius) and was exempted from the annual payment of tribute to the Crimean Khan. Turkey was returning the part of the Dnieper region occupied by Russian troops with small Turkish fortresses, which were subject to immediate destruction. The parties pledged not to build new fortifications in the border zone, not to allow armed raids. Turkey was supposed to release Russian prisoners, and also give Russia the right to diplomatic representation in Constantinople on an equal footing with other powers. The treaty ensured the neutrality of Turkey and allowed Peter I to enter the Northern War.

The contract concluded for 30 years was observed until November 1710, when the Sultan declared war on Russia.

In Azov, the Russians took 96 copper cannons, 4 mortars and a large number of military shells.

Peter the Great made a reconnaissance of the sea coast and laid the foundation of the port and fortress of Troitskaya on Taganrog. After that, leaving a strong garrison in Azov, headed by Prince Lvov, he returned to Moscow in triumph. The whole burden of protecting this fortress again fell on the Cossacks. All the following years were spent in hot battles between the Donets and the Turks and Tatars, both at sea and on land.

The capture of Azov was the first major victory for Russia in the wars with the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. This serious strategic success of the Russians was secured in 1700 by the Treaty of Constantinople. Azov ceased to serve as the northeastern stronghold of Turkey's imperial aspirations, and access to the sea in southern Russia became open.

The significance of the Azov campaigns in the history of Russia is not limited to the sphere of military success. Their consequences became more important. These campaigns gave rise to the most important undertakings of Peter I, which largely determined the further character of his reign.

Azov's experience convinced the tsar of the need to reorganize the Russian armed forces. The Azov campaigns marked the beginning of the creation of the Peter's fleet.

In honor of the capture of this fortress, a medal with the image of Peter the Great was knocked out. The inscription on it read "Winner with lightning and waters."

The capture of Azov made a great impression on contemporaries. The authority of the Russian state abroad has grown even more. Almost no one imagined that Peter, after the failure of the campaign of 1695, would be able to capture Azov so quickly. Many misunderstood Peter's plans. Others were inclined to believe that by taking Azov, the task set by Peter was resolved. However, with all his actions, Peter showed that the capture of Azov marks only the first step in his further actions in the south. The very next day after the surrender of Azov, engineer de Laval received Peter's order to urgently develop a plan for creating new reliable fortifications in Azov, in accordance with all the rules of military art. This plan was completed in three days. According to the plan, it was supposed to build 5 stone bastions with rabvelins in the west, with crownwork in the east, with a retrenchment in the steppe on the Kuban side. A separate fort should be built on the right bank of the Don against Azov. Having approved the plan, Peter ordered that soldiers be immediately sent to work on the construction of fortifications.

In honor of this victory, a medal with the image of Peter was knocked out. The inscription on it read: "Winner with lightning and waters." For successful actions in the 2nd Azov campaign, governor Alexei Shein was the first in Russia to receive the rank of generalissimo. The consequences of the Azov campaigns for the history of Russia were enormous.

First, they expanded Peter's foreign policy plans. Access to the Sea of ​​Azov did not solve the problem of Russia's access to the Black Sea, since the way there was reliably covered by Turkish fortresses in the Kerch Strait. To solve this problem, Peter organizes the Great Embassy to European countries. The tsar hoped with their help to oust the Turks from Europe and achieve Russia's access to the Black Sea coast.

Secondly, the experience of the Azov campaigns convincingly confirmed the need for further reorganization of the Russian armed forces. The Azov campaigns marked the beginning of the creation of the Russian fleet. From 1699, the recruitment of a new regular army began. Its distinctive feature was the lifelong service of conscripts (in the regiments of a foreign system, soldiers, after a military campaign, as a rule, went home). The mission of the Great Embassy did not justify the hopes of Peter. In Europe in those years, the confrontation between France and Austria escalated, and no one sought a serious fight with Turkey. In 1699, at the Karlovitsky Congress, representatives of the countries of the "Holy League", with the exception of Russia, signed peace with the Ottoman Empire. A year later, Russia also concluded peace with Turkey. According to the Treaty of Constantinople (1700), the Russians received Azov with adjacent lands and stopped the tradition of sending gifts to the Crimean Khan. The collapse of the Black Sea hopes leads to the reorientation of Peter's foreign policy plans to the Baltic coast. Soon the Northern War began there, which became a turning point in the history of Russia.

Azov campaigns. 1695–1696

In 1694, Peter suffered a huge loss. In January, before reaching the age of 43, his mother, Tsaritsa Natalya Kirillovna, died. Until the very end, she provided strong influence on Peter, with difficulty keeping his son from the desire to finally break with that ceremonial and boring life for him, which the Moscow tsars lived. This life was already unbearable for Peter I. He took the death of his mother hard. She was the closest and dearest person to him. Nevertheless, even after the death of the queen, he did not take up public administration. The largest event of 1694 was the so-called Kozhukhovsky maneuvers near Moscow - multi-day exercises of a large number of troops with firing, storming fortifications. Moreover, both amusing and archery regiments participated in the maneuvers.

But soon the war games suddenly ended - a real war was approaching. Actually, it has been going on for a long time, since the government of Sophia, fulfilling an allied duty to the participants in the anti-Turkish Holy League - Poland, Venice and Austria, opposed Turkey and its vassal, the Crimean Khanate. In 1687, and then in 1689, two Crimean campaign which were headed by Prince VV Golitsyn. They were extremely unsuccessful. And although there were no special military actions until 1695, Russia was still at war with the Crimea and the Ottoman Empire. The allies in the League insisted that Russia should fight the Tatars and the Turks. Indeed, in exchange for participation in the war, Russia received Kyiv in its possession (more precisely, it bought the city for 100 thousand rubles). Now this great prize had to be worked out on the battlefield. In order not to be like Prince Golitsyn, who barely swept his feet from under Perekop, it was decided to attack Azov, a Turkish fortress at the mouth of the Don at its confluence with the Sea of ​​Azov.

Then, in 1695, it seemed to Peter I that the experience of the Kozhukhovsky maneuvers and assaults on Pressburg would be quite enough to take Azov, a small, outdated fortress. But the tsar was cruelly mistaken: neither he nor his generals had enough skill and experience to master Azov. Moreover, the bold attacks of the Turks inflicted sensitive damage on the besiegers. The garrison of the fortress courageously repulsed the assault of the superior forces of the tsarist army. On October 20, to their shame and disgrace, the Russians had to lift the siege of Azov in order to hastily retreat home - a difficult winter was approaching.

Under the walls of Azov, Peter I for the first time showed those qualities that later made him great statesman and commander. It turned out that failures do not discourage him, but only spur him on, give him strength. Peter had the courage to take responsibility for the defeat, he was able to soberly assess his own mistakes, consider all the circumstances that led to the insulting breakdown, and draw the necessary conclusions. So it was after the Azov campaign of 1695. Peter realized that in order to take the fortress, professional military engineers were needed, whom he urgently hired in Austria. In addition, he realized that without a fleet that could cut off Azov from the sea and prevent the delivery of everything necessary to the fortress, it was impossible to fight. Returning from a campaign in November 1695, Peter I made a historic decision: he ordered to build a fleet.

Siege of Azov.

It is noteworthy and symbolic for land-based Russia that the Russian Navy began to be built far from the sea coast - such was the situation of Russia cut off from the seas. From Arkhangelsk near Moscow, to the palace village of Preobrazhenskoye, in the winter of 1695-1696, a disassembled Dutch galley was delivered (it was ordered in Amsterdam back in 1694). After that, carpenter teams began to copy all its elements and send them to Voronezh, where the galleys were already assembled and launched into the water. Meanwhile, thousands of peasants were herded into the Voronezh groves. They began to cut wood, float it along the rivers to Voronezh, where Dutch, English and other shipbuilders began to build ships at the hastily erected shipyards. Unbelievable, but true: by April 1696, there were 22 galleys, the St. Peter galley and 4 fireships in service. At the head of the fleet descending to Azov, the Principium galley, commanded by Peter I himself, sailed. They believed that the king, after the bitter lesson of the previous year, would forget the way to their fortress for a long time. On May 27 of the same year, that is, less than two months later, the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov first saw the Russian flag. The fleet from the galleys, surrounded by small ships, went out to the open sea. And it is not so important that the Russians did not have the ability to manage the fleet, that the ships were built hastily, from damp wood, with many imperfections. The very fact of the appearance of the fleet was important. On July 19, 1696, Azov, taken under close siege, surrendered.

The Azov victory inspired Peter, and he ordered to restore the ruined Azov to the ground and populate it and the surrounding area with Russian settlers and disgraced archers. Without waiting for the conclusion of peace and having received access to the sea, the tsar ordered the founding (on the basis of the Voronezh squadron of 1696 and the Voronezh Admiralty) of the Azov Navy, which already consisted of large naval ships. On October 20, 1696, the Boyar Duma adopted a historic decision: "There will be sea vessels." The cost of the ships was distributed in proportion to the number of taxpayers in the form of an emergency tax, with some wealthy boyars and monasteries - owners of hundreds of households - having to finance the construction of entire ships.

During the Azov campaigns, another important feature of Peter I as a future reformer appeared. He did not limit himself to the restoration of the destroyed Azov, but decided to establish a harbor and the city of Taganrog on Cape Taganrog. In theory and original plan, which quickly began to be implemented, they began to build a city on the shores of the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, so unlike traditional Russian cities. The Azov experience in building a European city turned out to be important for the future construction in 1703 of the Neva capital and fortress - St. Petersburg, and Taganrog itself became a testing ground for the methods and techniques of building a city in a desert place. Russia declared its claims to access to the Black Sea by deed.

Under Azov, Peter for the first time felt the whole burden of enormous responsibility for Russia, the dynasty, the army, and the people. And this burden now fell on his shoulders. It is no coincidence that the tsar begins the countdown of his service to the Fatherland from the Azov campaigns. It was the idea of ​​serving Russia that became the main core of the life of Peter the Great. The idea that he is not just sitting on the throne, but is carrying out his hard service in the name of Russia and for the sake of its future, filled his whole life. higher meaning, special meaning. The protracted games and fun of the young king ended - he became an adult.

Azov campaigns and the foundation of the Russian fleet Peter's later maturation ended during the Azov campaigns of 1695-1696, when Russian troops with difficulty, only the second time, took the rather weak Turkish fortress of Azov. As mentioned above, the war with the Turks Russia