Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov | |
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Admiral Pavel Nakhimov
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Born |
Vyazma uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire |
5 July 1802
Died | 12 July 1855 Sevastopol, Taurida Governorate, Russian Empire |
(aged 53)
Allegiance | Russian Empire |
Service/branch | Imperial Russian Navy |
Years of service | 1818–1855 |
Rank | Admiral |
Commands held |
Corvette Navarine Frigate Pallada Ship of the line Silistria Ship Brigade of Black Sea Fleet Chief of Fleet Division Squadron of Black Sea Fleet Commander of Fleet and Port |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
Order of the White Eagle Order of St. Stanislaus Order of St. Anna Order of St. George |
Russo-Turkish War (1828–29)
Crimean War
Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov (Russian: Па́вел Степа́нович Нахи́мов, pronounced [ˈpavʲɪl sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪtɕ nɐˈxʲiməf]) (July 5 [O.S. June 23] 1802 – July 12 [O.S. June 30] 1855) was one of the most famous admirals in Russian naval history, best remembered as the commander of naval and land forces during the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War.
Born in the Gorodok village of Vyazma uyezd (district) of Smolensk Governorate. Nakhimov entered the Naval Academy for the Nobility (Morskoy Dvoryanskiy Korpus) in Saint Petersburg in 1815 . He made his first sea voyage in 1817, aboard the frigate Feniks ("Phoenix"), to the shores of Sweden and Denmark. Soon afterwards he was promoted to the rank of non-commissioned officer. In February 1818 he passed examinations to become a midshipman and was immediately assigned to the second Fleet Crew (Flotskiy Ekipazh) of the Russian Imperial Navy's Baltic Fleet.
At the beginning of his naval career, Nakhimov's experience was limited to the voyages in the Baltic Sea and a more extensive trip from the White Sea port of Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt naval base near St. Petersburg. His lucky break came in March 1822, when he was assigned to the frigate Kreiser ("Cruiser"); the vessel took part in a round-the-globe expedition commanded by well-known Russian explorer Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, who had already undertaken several such voyages.