Adam Johann von Krusenstern (; 10 October 177012 August 1846) was a

Russian admiral This list of Russian admirals includes the admirals of all ranks, serving in the Russian Imperial Navy, the Soviet Navy and the modern Russian Navy. See also the categories :Imperial Russian Navy admirals and :Soviet admirals. Alphabetical l ...

and

explorer Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

and

Baltic German Baltic Germans ( or , later ) are Germans, ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950), their resettlement in 1945 after the end ...

descent, who led the

first Russian circumnavigation The first Russian circumnavigation of the Earth occurred between August 1803 and August 1806. It was carried out by two ships, the ''Nadezhda (1802 Russian ship), Nadezhda'' and the ''Neva (1802 Russian ship), Neva'', under the commands of Adam Jo ...

of the Earth in 1803–1806.

Life

Weitsch Adam Johann von Krusenstern in Avacha Bay

Krusenstern was born in

Hagudi Hagudi () is a small borough () in Rapla Parish, Rapla County, Estonia. As of the 2011 census, the settlement's population was 311. It has a railway station on the Tallinn - Viljandi railway line operated by Elron (rail transit). Baltic Germ ...

(Haggud),

Harrien County Harrien County ( or , , ) was one of the four counties of the Governorate of Estonia. It was situated in the central part of the governorate (in present-day northern Estonia). Its capital was ''Reval'' (Tallinn), which was the capital of the gov ...

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

(then part of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

) to a Baltic German noble family. His patrilineal ancestors descended from the Swedish noble family , and had remained in Estonia after Sweden ceded the country to the Russian Empire in 1721. In 1787, Krusenstern joined the

Russian Imperial Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until being dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution and the declaration of ...

, and served in the war against Sweden. Subsequently, he served in the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

between 1793 and 1799, visiting America, India and China. After publishing a paper pointing out the advantages of direct communication by sea between Russia and China by passing

Cape Horn Cape Horn (, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which is Águila Islet), Cape Horn marks the nor ...

at the southern tip of South America and the

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( ) is a rocky headland on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A List of common misconceptions#Geography, common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Afri ...

at the tip of South Africa, he was appointed by Tsar

Alexander I Alexander I may refer to: * Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon from 495 to 454 BC * Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus * Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas, ruler of the Seleucid Empire 150-145 BC * Pope Alex ...

to make a voyage to the Far East coast of Asia to endeavour to carry out the project. Under the patronage of Alexander, Count Nikolay Petrovich Rumyantsev and the

Russian-American Company The Russian-American Company Under the High Patronage of His Imperial Majesty was a state-sponsored chartered company formed largely on the basis of the Shelikhov-Golikov Company, United American Company. Emperor Paul I of Russia chartered the c ...

, Krusenstern led the

of the world. The chief object of this undertaking was the development of the

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal ecosystem, boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals h ...

with

Russian America Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

(

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

). Other goals of the two-ship expedition were to establish trade with China and Japan, facilitate trade in South America, and examine the coast of California in western North America for a possible colony. The two ships, '' Nadezhda'' ('Hope', formerly the British merchant ''Leander'') under the command of Krusenstern, and ''

Neva The Neva ( , ; , ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it is the fourth- ...

'' (formerly the British merchant ''Thames'') under the command of Captain-Lieutenant

Yuri F. Lisianski Yuri Fyodorovich Lisyansky (; ; – 6 March 1837) was an explorer and officer in the Imperial Russian Navy. He served as a volunteer in the British Royal Navy and later headed the first Russian circumnavigation aboard the ''Neva''. He was also ...

, set sail from

Kronstadt Kronstadt (, ) is a Russian administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg, port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal cities of Russia, federal city of Saint Petersburg, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg, near the head ...

in August 1803, rounded

in South America, reached the northern Pacific Ocean, and returned via the

at South Africa. Krusenstern arrived back at Kronstadt in August 1806. Both

seafarers A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...

made maps and detailed recordings of their voyages. Upon his return, Krusenstern wrote a detailed report, ''"Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 auf Befehl Seiner Kaiserlichen Majestät Alexanders des Ersten auf den Schiffen Nadeschda und Newa"'' (''"Journey around the World in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806 at the Command of his Imperial Majesty Alexander I in the Ships Nadezhda and Neva"'') published in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

in 1810. It was published in 1811–1812 in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

; this was followed by an English translation, published in London in 1813 and subsequently by French,

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

, Danish,

, and Italian translations. His scientific work, which includes an atlas of the Pacific, was published in 1827 in

. The geographical discoveries of Krusenstern made his voyage important for the progress of geographical science. His work won him an honorary membership in the

Russian Academy of Science The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation; and additional scientific and social units such ...

s. He was elected a foreign member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences () is one of the Swedish Royal Academies, royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for promoting nat ...

1816 and to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 1824. As director of the Russian naval school Krusenstern did much useful work. He was also a member of the scientific committee of the marine department, and his contrivance for counteracting the influence of the iron in vessels on the compass was adopted in the navy. Krusenstern became an admiral of Russian Navy in 1841 and he was awarded the

Pour le Mérite The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI flying ace Max Immelmann, is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was ...

(civil class) in 1842. He died in 1846 in

Kiltsi manor Kiltsi Manor () (also known as Schloß Aß, Schloss Ass, or Gilsenhof) is a knight’s manor in Väike-Maarja Parish, present day Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. It is number 16079 on the Estonian State Register of Cultural Monuments. History K ...

, an Estonian manor he had purchased in 1816, and was buried in Tallinn Cathedral.

Legacy and family

A son was born to Krusenstern in 1809: Paul Theodor, who lived until 1881. He explored the

Arctic Ocean The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five oceanic divisions. It spans an area of approximately and is the coldest of the world's oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, ...

and

Kara Sea The Kara Sea is a marginal sea, separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and from the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. Ultimately the Kara, Barents and Laptev Seas are all ...

, most notably in 1862, when he was shipwrecked. The Russian

training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...

tall ship A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigging, rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a r ...

'' Kruzenshtern'' is named after him. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of Krusenstern's circumnavigation, the ship retraced his route around the globe in 2005–2006. Another ship named after him is the 1964-built Russian

icebreaker An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters, and provide safe waterways for other boats and ships. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller ...

''Ivan Kruzenstern'' that was renamed after him in 1966. An Aeroflot

Airbus A320 The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, Maiden flight, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first membe ...

is named after him.

Mount Kruzenshtern Mount Kruzenshtern () is a peak in Severny Island, Novaya Zemlya, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It rises inland near the northwestern shore and is the highest point of Arkhangelsk Oblast. The mountain was first put on the map in the 1820s by Arct ...

, the highest mountain in

Novaya Zemlya Novaya Zemlya (, also , ; , ; ), also spelled , is an archipelago in northern Russia. It is situated in the Arctic Ocean, in the extreme northeast of Europe, with Cape Flissingsky, on the northern island, considered the extreme points of Europe ...

, as well as crater Krusenstern on the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...

are named after him. There is Krusenstern Island in the

Bering Strait The Bering Strait ( , ; ) is a strait between the Pacific and Arctic oceans, separating the Chukchi Peninsula of the Russian Far East from the Seward Peninsula of Alaska. The present Russia–United States maritime boundary is at 168° 58' ...

, as well as a small group of islands in the

, southwest of the

Nordenskiöld Archipelago The Nordenskiöld Archipelago or Nordenskjold Archipelago () is a large and complex cluster of about 90 islands in the eastern region of the Kara Sea. Its eastern limit lies west of the Taymyr Peninsula. The archipelago is part of the Taymyrsk ...

, called Krusenstern Islands. Cape Krusenstern in Northwest Alaska is the site of

Cape Krusenstern National Monument Cape Krusenstern National Monument and the colocated Cape Krusenstern Archeological District is a U.S. National Monument and a National Historic Landmark centered on Cape Krusenstern in northwestern Alaska. The national monument was one of fi ...

(1978), one of the most important archaeological sites in the state. In Russia (as well as in other

Russophone This article details the geographical distribution of Russian-speakers. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the status of the Russian language often became a matter of controversy. Some Post-Soviet states adopted policies of Derus ...

places), a fictional

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

''Admiral Ivan Fyodorovich Kruzenshtern'' from the popular '' Prostokvashino'' animated film series is well-known, often as part of a

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

"Admiral I. F. Kruzenshtern, a man and a steamship", "pirated" from the title of a requiem poem by

Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky ( – 14 April 1930) was a Russian poet, playwright, artist, and actor. During his early, Russian Revolution, pre-Revolution period leading into 1917, Mayakovsky became renowned as a prominent figure of the Ru ...

, '' To Comrade Nette, a Steamship and a Man''. As a third-level linguistic derivation, there is a Russophone Israel

klezmer Klezmer ( or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for listening; these wou ...

-rock band,

Kruzenshtern & Parohod Kruzenshtern & Parohod () (KIP) is an Israeli klezmer-rock (music), rock band from Tel Aviv founded by the Israeli musician and composer Igor Krutogolov. The name of the band is a pun easily recognizable by post-Soviet Russophones. The pun is ba ...

("Krusenstern and Steamship"). Another legacy is that the

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

in the South Pacific bear that name thanks to von Krusenstern. Previously known as the Hervey (or Harvey) Islands (or Group), he changed their name in 1835 to honour Captain Cook. More accurately, he changed the name of those which comprised the Southern Group and it was subsequently applied to all 15 islands when the

New Zealand Parliament The New Zealand Parliament () is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the Monarchy of New Zealand, Sovereign and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by his Governor-General of New Zeal ...

passed "The Cook Islands and other Islands Government Act" in 1901. He recorded the new name in his ''Atlas de l'Océan Pacifique'' published at St. Petersburg between 1824 and 1835.Discoverers of the Cook Islands and the Names they Gave by Aphons M.J. Kloosterman – Cook Islands Library and Museum

Bibliography

* ''Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 auf Befehl Seiner Kaiserl'' (1811) **
Voyage Round the World in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805 & 1806
' translated by Richard Belgrave Hoppner (1813) **
A Voyage Round the World, in the Years 1803, 4, 5, & 6
' translated by

Yuri Lisyansky Yuri Fyodorovich Lisyansky (; ; – 6 March 1837) was an explorer and officer in the Imperial Russian Navy. He served as a volunteer in the British Royal Navy and later headed the first Russian circumnavigation aboard the ''Neva (1802 Russian s ...

(1814)

References

Sources

External links

Family Krusenstern from Adam Johan von Krusenstern

"Meeting of Frontiers" Conference, 2001 * ttp://www.mois.ee/english/viru/kiltsi.shtml ''Kiltsi manor (in German: Schloss Ass)''at Estonian Manors Portal
''Hagudi manor (in German: Haggud)''
at Estonian Manors Portal

Adam Johann von Krusenstern's family {{DEFAULTSORT:Krusenstern, Adam Johann Von 1770 births 1846 deaths People from Rapla Parish People from Kreis Harrien Baltic-German people from the Russian Empire Russian people of Swedish descent Baltic-German nobility Imperial Russian Navy admirals Russian explorers of the Pacific Russian polar explorers 19th-century explorers from the Russian Empire Estonian explorers Circumnavigators of the globe 18th-century Estonian people 19th-century Estonian people Founding members of the Russian Geographical Society Corresponding members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences Honorary members of the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Foreign members of the Royal Society Demidov Prize laureates Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia) Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 2nd class Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class) Burials at St Mary's Cathedral, Tallinn