Naval Charter 1720

a set of rules that defined the organizational principles of the Russian regular fleet, the method of training and education of its personnel. In it, Peter 1 summarized the experience of Russia’s Northern War with Sweden (1700-1721); was called “The Book of the Naval Charter about everything that concerns good governance when the fleet was at sea.”

Edwart. Explanatory Naval Dictionary, 2010

See what "Naval Charter 1720" is in other dictionaries:

Maritime regulations- NAVAL REGULATIONS (Book X of St. M. Post.), contains legislation relating to the organization of the fleet, the rights and obligations of its officials during voyage, the order of service in the military. ships and squadrons. The first collection of laws defining the service on plaques... ... Military Encyclopedia

Military regulations document regulating the functioning armed forces. Cases of serious violations of regulations, such as desertion, are considered by a special legal body called a military court. Currently the system... ... Wikipedia

MARITIME CHARTER- a set of rules defining the order of service on ships (ships), the rights and responsibilities of crew members, service relationships between them, the organization of ensuring the survivability of the vessel, and general ship procedures. In the Russian fleet, the first charter is the Naval Charter... ... Marine encyclopedic reference book

Years 1716 · 1717 · 1718 · 1719 1720 1721 · 1722 · 1723 · 1724 Decades 1700s · 1710s 1720s 1730s · … Wikipedia

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- (since the time of Peter I in Russia). According to the definition of Professor M.F. Vladimirsky Budanov, this name refers to special legislation for a well-known department or some part of substantive law. These are the U. military (1716) and naval... ...

- (since the time of Peter I in Russia). According to Prof. M.F. Vladimirsky Budanov, this name refers to special legislation for a well-known department or some part of substantive law. These are the U. military (1716) and naval (1720)… … encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Naval flag Russian Federation. July 21, 1992, according to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, in connection with the cessation of existence USSR, the need to bring the status of ships (boats) and vessels of the Military Navy... ... Wikipedia

Books

Legislation of Peter I. 1696-1725, . The next volume of the series publishes the full texts of the most significant legislative acts of the era of the sole rule of Peter I, covering the time from January 29, 1696 to January 28, 1725...

On January 24, 1720, Peter I signed a manifesto on the introduction of the “Naval Charter on everything that relates to good governance when the fleet is at sea”
The emergence of a full-fledged navy Russia owes its debt to its first emperor, Peter I. But there is a considerable amount of figurativeness in this statement: after all, the tsar did not build each new warship with his own hands! But there is no exaggeration in saying that our country owes the first naval charter to him. Peter I worked on this document 14 hours a day and was in fact its main author.

It cannot be said that before Peter there were no efforts made in Russia to build a navy - as well as attempts to create a Russian naval charter. The first experience of both was the actions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. By his order, the first Russian warship, the famous “Eagle,” was built at a shipyard specially created for this purpose on the Oka River, and its first captain, the Dutchman David Butler, compiled a “Letter to the Ship Construction.” Featured in Ambassadorial Order the document written by the Dutchman was in fact a short but very succinct version of the naval regulations - one that was quite suitable for a single ship. In essence, this “Letter” was an extract from the Dutch naval regulations and concerned almost exclusively the combat readiness of the ship and the battle. For a real navy, which was supposed to become a serious force for Russia, such a document was clearly not enough. Just like two others: the “Decree on Galleys on the Procedure for Naval Service” (1696), written again by Peter I, and the “Rules of Service on Ships” created on his order by Vice Admiral Cornelius Cruys (1698). In 1710, based on the Cruys charter, “Instructions and Military Articles for the Russian Navy” appeared. But this document, which actually played the role of a naval charter, was not one in full, since it did not cover all the important issues of maritime service. And only ten years later Russia acquired its first real maritime charter.

On title page The first edition of the Maritime Charter bore the inscription “Book of the Naval Charter, in Russian and Gallanian languages, about everything that concerns good governance when the fleet was at sea. Printed by order of the Tsar's Majesty in the St. Petersburg Printing House of the Summer of the Lord 1720, April on the 13th day." And the publication opened with Peter’s January manifesto, which stated that “And since this matter is necessary for the State (according to the proverb: that every Potentate, who has one land army, has one hand, and who has a fleet, has both hands) , therefore, for the sake of this military naval charter, they created it, so that everyone would know their position and no one would make an excuse with ignorance... Everything through our own labor was created and accomplished in St. Petersburg, 1720, on the 13th day of January.”

The Tsar’s manifesto, in which, as Peter the Great often managed to do, the goals and objectives, as well as the need to create and introduce the Naval Charter in Russia, were formulated clearly and clearly, was followed by a “Preface to the willing reader,” in which in great detail, with numerous digressions and quotations from Holy Scripture told about the formation of the Russian army and the need to create a Russian navy.

Publication of the first maritime charter. Photo: polki.mirpeterburga.ru

After the preface, which occupied ten pages - from the second to the eleventh - the actual text of the Naval Charter began, consisting of five parts, or books. The first of them opened with the instruction that “Everyone, both higher and lower in our fleet, who comes into service must first take the oath of allegiance as it should: and when he takes it, then he will be accepted into our service.” Below was the text of the oath for those entering the naval service, which was preceded by clarification of “how the oath or promise is to be made”: “Put your left hand on the Gospel, and raise your right hand up with two large fingers extended” (that is, the index and middle fingers ).

Behind the text of the oath was a short explanation “About the Navy”, which began with the words “Fleet is a French word. This word means a multitude of water vessels moving together or standing together, both military and merchant.” The same explanation spoke about the composition of the navy and introduced the concepts of squadron commanders different flag, and also signed a list of equipment for ships of various classes - depending on the number of guns on each. This list was called “Regulations made according to the ranks of ships, how many ranks of people should be on a ship of what rank.” It is noteworthy that according to this report card, captains - and this word here meant rank, not position - could only serve on ships that had at least 50 guns. The 32-gun units were commanded by captain-lieutenants, and the 16- and 14-gun units by lieutenants. Ships with fewer guns were not included in the list at all.

After the explanation of “On the Fleet” and “Regulations” came the main provisions of the first book of the charter - “On the Admiral General and every Chief Commander”, on the ranks of his staff, as well as articles defining the tactics of the squadron. Book two was divided into four chapters and contained regulations on the seniority of ranks, on honors and external differences of ships, “on flags and pennants, on lanterns, on fireworks and trade flags...”. It was this second book that contained the famous norm, which the followers of Peter I interpreted and are interpreting as a direct ban on lowering the Russian naval flag in front of anyone: “All Russian military ships must not lower their flags, wimpels and topsail, under the penalty of deprivation of the belly."

Book three revealed the organization warship and the duties of its officials. It opened with the chapter “About the captain” (the commander of the ship), and ended with the chapter “About the profession,” which was the 21st. Between them were chapters that defined the rights and responsibilities of the vast majority of ship ranks, who had more in their responsibilities than simply carrying out the orders of their superiors - from the lieutenant commander to the vigilante and the carpenter, from the ship's doctor to the ship's priest. Defining their responsibilities, the charter also determined the tactics of the ship in battle, not as an individual, but as part of a squadron, primarily in a line with other ships.

Book four consisted of six chapters: “On good behavior on the ship”, “On officer’s servants, how much anyone should have”, “On the distribution of provisions on the ship” “On rewarding” (“So that everyone serving in the navy knows and is trustworthy in what for what service he will be awarded"), as well as “On the division of spoils” and “On the division of spoils from non-military prizes.” Book five was called “On Fines” and consisted of 20 chapters, representing judicial and disciplinary statutes under one cover.

Two years later, on April 16 (April 5, old style) in St. Petersburg, “Part two of the maritime regulations was published, which defines everything related to good management when the fleet is in port, as well as the maintenance of ports and roadsteads,” which supplemented the original text of the Charter sea Both parts remained in force from 1720 to 1797 undivided, and until 1853 - along with the one adopted in late XVIII century "Charter of the Military Fleet". During this time, the charter was reissued 15 times: twice - in 1720, then in 1722 (together with the second part), in 1723, 1724, 1746, 1763, 1771, 1778, 1780, 1785, 1791, 1795, 1804 and finally in 1850, when “Part Two of the Maritime Regulations” was published separately. All these reissues were printed in the printing house of the Marine Gentry cadet corps and the Academy of Sciences.

So we can safely say that Peter’s Naval Charter determined the fate and actions Russian fleet one and a half centuries ahead: right up to the infamous Crimean War. That is, the entire history of the Russian sailing fleet is the history of the Naval Charter, written by its creator, Peter the Great.

On January 13 (24), 1720, Peter I approved the first Russian Naval Charter, the development of which took several years with the active participation of the emperor himself. In the introduction to the charter, which replaced the previously existing scattered documents regulating certain aspects of naval life, the reasons for its appearance were explained. “...Because this matter is necessary for the State (according to the proverb: that every Potentate, who has one land army, has one hand. And who has a fleet, has both hands) for this sake, they created this Military Naval Regulations, so that everyone knows his position, and no one would use ignorance as an excuse.”

Three months later, on April 13 (24), 1720, for the same purpose of bringing the provisions of the new document to all sailors, the Naval Charter was published as a separate book by royal decree.

The Charter of Peter I consisted of five books. The first contained provisions on the senior command of the navy and articles that determined the tactics of the squadron. The second included regulations on the seniority of ranks, on honors and external differences of ships, “on flags and pennants, on lanterns, on fireworks and trade flags...”. The third book revealed the organization of a warship and the duties of the officials assigned to it. Book four consisted of six chapters, which regulated the rules of behavior on the ship, the number of officer servants according to rank, the order of distribution of provisions, methods of determining rewards for the capture of enemy ships, battle wounds and length of service, as well as methods of dividing the spoils when capturing enemy ships. Book five - “On Fines” - was a naval judicial and disciplinary charter. Also attached to the Maritime Charter were forms of ship reporting sheets, a book of signals and rules of patrol service.

The appearance of the Maritime Charter in Russia was associated with a new stage in the country's history. During the struggle for access to the sea, a strong navy was created in the Baltic in the shortest possible time, which allowed Russia to turn into a maritime power. By 1725, the Russian fleet was one of the strongest in the Baltic. It consisted of 48 battleships and frigates, 787 galleys and other vessels. The total number of teams reached 28 thousand people.

The Charter of 1720 became the most important legislative document of the Russian fleet. In terms of completeness of content and depth of presentation, it was the most perfect for the first half of the 18th century. After revision, the Naval Charter of Peter I was reissued in 1724 and, with minor changes, was in force until 1797, when it was replaced by a new one, taking into account changing ideas about methods of warfare.

Russian victories

The first charter of the navy appeared in Russia

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Vladimir Laktanov

“Wind and Sea” Artist O.N. Vishnyakov

Russia owes the appearance of a full-fledged navy to its first emperor, Peter I. But there is a considerable amount of figurativeness in this statement: after all, the tsar did not build each new warship with his own hands! But there is no exaggeration in saying that our country owes the first naval charter to him. Peter I worked on this document 14 hours a day and was in fact its main author.

It cannot be said that before Peter there were no efforts made in Russia to build a navy - as well as attempts to create a Russian naval charter. The first experience of both was the actions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. By his order, the first Russian warship, the famous “Eagle,” was built at a shipyard specially created for this purpose on the Oka River, and its first captain, the Dutchman David Butler, compiled a “Letter to the Ship Construction.” The document submitted to the Ambassadorial Prikaz, written by a Dutchman, was in fact a short but very succinct version of the naval charter - one that was quite suitable for one single ship. In essence, this “Letter” was an extract from the Dutch naval regulations and concerned almost exclusively the combat readiness of the ship and the battle. For a real navy, which was supposed to become a serious force for Russia, such a document was clearly not enough. Just like two others: the “Decree on Galleys on the Procedure for Naval Service” (1696), written again by Peter I, and the “Rules of Service on Ships” created on his order by Vice Admiral Cornelius Cruys (1698). In 1710, based on the Cruys charter, “Instructions and Military Articles for the Russian Navy” appeared. But this document, which actually played the role of a naval charter, was not one in full, since it did not cover all the important issues of maritime service. And only ten years later Russia acquired its first real maritime charter.

On the title page of the first edition of the Maritime Charter there was the inscription “The book of the maritime charter, in Russian and Gallanian languages, about everything that concerns good governance when the fleet was at sea. Printed by order of the Tsar's Majesty in the St. Petersburg Printing House of the Summer of the Lord 1720, April on the 13th day." And the publication opened with Peter’s January manifesto, which stated that “And since this matter is necessary for the State (according to the proverb: that every Potentate, who has one land army, has one hand, and who has a fleet, has both hands) , therefore, for the sake of this military naval charter, they created it, so that everyone would know their position and no one would make an excuse with ignorance... Everything through our own labor was created and accomplished in St. Petersburg, 1720, on the 13th day of January.”

The Tsar’s manifesto, in which, as Peter the Great often managed to do, the goals and objectives, as well as the need to create and introduce the Naval Charter in Russia, were formulated clearly and clearly, was followed by a “Preface to the willing reader,” in which in great detail, with numerous digressions and quotations from Holy Scripture told about the history of the formation of the Russian army and the need to create a Russian navy.

First edition of the maritime charter

Publication of the first maritime charter. Photo: polki.mirpeterburga.ru

Behind the text of the oath was a short explanation “About the Navy”, which began with the words “Fleet is a French word. This word means a multitude of water vessels moving together or standing together, both military and merchant.” The same explanation spoke about the composition of the navy, introduced the concepts of commanders of squadrons of different flags, and also signed the list of equipment for ships of various classes - depending on the number of guns on each. This list was called “Regulations made according to the ranks of ships, how many ranks of people should be on a ship of what rank.” It is noteworthy that according to this report card, captains - and this word here meant rank, not position - could only serve on ships that had at least 50 guns. The 32-gun units were commanded by captain-lieutenants, and the 16- and 14-gun units by lieutenants. Ships with fewer guns were not included in the list at all.

Book three revealed the organization of a warship and the responsibilities of officials on it. It opened with the chapter “About the captain” (the commander of the ship), and ended with the chapter “About the profession,” which was the 21st. Between them were chapters that defined the rights and responsibilities of the vast majority of ship ranks, who had more in their responsibilities than simply carrying out the orders of their superiors - from the lieutenant commander to the vigilante and the carpenter, from the ship's doctor to the ship's priest. Defining their responsibilities, the charter also determined the tactics of the ship in battle, not as an individual, but as part of a squadron, primarily in a line with other ships.

Two years later, on April 16 (April 5, old style) in St. Petersburg, “Part two of the maritime regulations was published, which defines everything related to good management when the fleet is in port, as well as the maintenance of ports and roadsteads,” which supplemented the original text of the Charter sea Both parts remained in force from 1720 to 1797 undividedly, and until 1853 - along with the “Charter of the Military Fleet” adopted at the end of the 18th century. During this time, the charter was reissued 15 times: twice - in 1720, then in 1722 (together with the second part), in 1723, 1724, 1746, 1763, 1771, 1778, 1780, 1785, 1791, 1795, 1804 and finally in 1850, when “Part Two of the Maritime Regulations” was published separately. All these reissues were printed in the printing house of the Naval Gentry Cadet Corps and the Academy of Sciences.

So we can safely say that Peter’s Naval Charter determined the fate and actions of the Russian fleet for a century and a half to come: right up to the infamous Crimean War. That is, the entire history of the Russian sailing fleet is the history of the Naval Charter, written by its creator, Peter the Great.

Having established the Rules of the military land, now with the help of God, we proceed to the Sea, which was also begun before this: namely, in the blessed and eternal memory of His Majesty the Sovereign of our father, for navigation on the Caspian Sea; but then, for the sake of this not being fulfilled, and the will of the Most High Ruler deigned to place this burden on Us, we leave it to His incomprehensible destinies. And since this matter is necessary for the sovereign (according to the proverb: that every potentate, which has one land army, has one hand, and which has a fleet, has both hands), for this reason they created this Military Naval Regulations, so that everyone knows his position, and no one would be dissuaded by guidance. Which was selected from five maritime regulations, and to that a sufficient part was added that is necessary, all through our own work, carried out and accomplished in St. Petersburg, on the 13th day of January 1720.

Marine Charter

Part 1. Division 1

About everything that concerns good governance while the fleet is at sea

Each one, both the highest and the lowest in Our fleet, who comes into service, must first take an oath of allegiance as it should: and when he does so, then he will be accepted into Our service.

How to honor an oath or promise

Place your left hand on the Gospel, and raise your right hand up with two large fingers extended.

Oath or promise of any military rank to people

I (imrek) promise by Almighty God to faithfully serve His Majesty Peter the Great, Tsar and Autocrat of All Russia, and so on, and so on, and so on; and to his heirs with all zeal, to the utmost of his strength, not sparing his life and property. And I must fulfill all the statutes and decrees composed or henceforth composed by His Majesty, or the commanders above us, carried out in the cause of His Majesty and his state. And everywhere and in all cases the interest of His Majesty and the state must be guarded and protected and notified that I will hear the opposite, and turn away everything harmful. And to the enemies of His Majesty and his state, in every possible way, do harm, announce atrocities and search for them. And everything else that is for the benefit of His Majesty and his state should be done according to a good Christian conscience, without deception and guile, as a good, honest and faithful person should: as an answer should be given on the day of judgment. May the Lord God Almighty help me in this matter.

The word navy is French. This word means many water vessels moving together or standing together, both military and merchant. The military fleet, or even a large number of ships, is divided into three main or general squadrons; the first corps de battle, the second the vanguard, the third the rear guard: and these packs are divided, each into three particular divisions, as follows.

Corps of battles of the white flag, vanguard of the white flag, rearguard of the white flag. Blue flag corps, blue flag vanguard, blue flag rearguard. Corps de battles of the red flag, vanguard of the red flag, rearguard of the red flag. If there are fewer ships, then the squadron is smaller. The commanders in the fleet are as follows: admiral general, admiral from the blue flag, admiral from the red flag, vice admirals, schoutbeinachts, captain commanders.

And since we have three flags, for this reason they have command: the Admiral General of the entire fleet and particularly the corps debatal.

In his squadron there are three particular divisions: the first is his corps de battalion, the second is the vice admiral from the white flag, like his vanguard, the third is the Schoutbeinakht from the white flag, like his rear guard. If this rank of admiral general does not exist, then the admiral from the white flag has this place.

Admiral from the blue flag, has command of the vanguard, also divided into three particular divisions, having in the same places vice admiral, and Schoutbeinacht from the blue flag.

The admiral from the red flag has command of the rear guard divided into as many divisions, also having a vice admiral and a chautbeinacht from the red flag.

Captain commanders, with a number full of flagships, do not have squadrons, unless with what part they will be sent. In the absence of flagships, instead of them, squadrons are commanded.

Regulations

Done according to the ranks of ships, how many ranks of people should be on a ship of what rank;

Ranks of ships Ranks of officers and other naval servants SP GC

66 50 32 16 14 L 1 3 1

Captains

Lieutenant Commanders Lieutenants

Artillery lieutenants Naval secretaries 13*

195 Non-Commissioned Lieutenants

Artillery non-commissioned lieutenants

Ship commissars

Underheals

Medicine students

Navigators

Konstapeli

Bearings

Navigators

Boatswain mats

Shkhiman mats

Quartermasters

Gunner Sergeants

Podkonstapeli

Corporals from Gunner

Gunners

Cabins and deck cabin boys Guard soldiers Trumpeters

Foreman carpenters

Good carpenters

Carpenters

Unter vitriol

Caulkers

Sailing students

Total 3 3 3 i 2 i 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 k! i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 6 6 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 10 9 8 8 7 6 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 60 50 40 40 35 30 20 12 8 410 323 272 241 228 160 79 20 8 206 160 136 121 114 80 40 9 5 18 16 14 14 12 10 6 2 2 26 24 20 20 18 16 13 8 8 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 I 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 800 650 550 500 470 350 200 80 60