Pyotr Alekseyevich Bezobrazov (russian: Пётр Алексе́евич Безобра́зов; 29 January 1845 – 17 July 1906) was an admiral in the

Imperial Russian 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 dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution of 1917. It developed from ...

Early career

Born into an old Bezobrazov noble family, Pyotr began his naval service as a midshipman on the frigate ''Dmitry Donskoy'' from 1864 to 1866. He was promoted to

warrant officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...

in 1866, to lieutenant in 1870 and to lieutenant-commander in 1880. He became

executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, ...

of the frigate ''Svetlana'' in 1883. He became captain 2nd rank in 1885 after commanding a number of gunboats, and to captain, 1st rank in 1890. From 1893 to 1897, he was captain of the armoured cruiser , which visited ports in the eastern United States as part of the celebration of the 1893 Chicago World Exposition. He was then appointed captain of the battleship .Kowner, '' Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War'', p. 69. Bezobrazov was promoted to rear admiral in 1897, and served as chief of staff of the naval base at

Kronstadt Kronstadt (russian: Кроншта́дт, Kronshtadt ), also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt or Kronštádt (from german: link=no, Krone for " crown" and ''Stadt'' for "city") is a Russian port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city ...

in 1898, and deputy commander of the

Baltic Fleet , image = Great emblem of the Baltic fleet.svg , image_size = 150 , caption = Baltic Fleet Great ensign , dates = 18 May 1703 – present , country = , allegiance = (1703–1721) (1721–1917) (1917–1922) (1922–1991)(1991–present) ...

from 1898 to 1901. He was made deputy commander of the

Black Sea Fleet Chernomorskiy flot , image = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet , dates = May 13, ...

from 1901 to 1903, and promoted to vice admiral on 1 January 1904.

Russo-Japanese War

After the start of the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...

and the death of Vice Admiral

Stepan Makarov Stepan Osipovich Makarov (russian: Степа́н О́сипович Мака́ров, uk, Макаров Степан Осипович; – ) was a Russian vice-admiral, commander in the Imperial Russian Navy, oceanographer, member of the ...

, Bezobravov was appointed commander of the

First Pacific Squadron , image = Great emblem of the Pacific Fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Russian Pacific Fleet Great emblem , dates = 1731–present , country ...

on 8 May 1904. He arrived at

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...

on 12 June 1904 via the Trans-Siberian Railroad, but was unable to reach the squadron at Port Arthur due to the Japanese blockade. He assumed command of the Independent Cruiser Squadron based at Vladivostok, consisting of the armoured cruisers , , and and led the squadron on a successful attack (the " Hitachi Maru Incident") on 15 June 1904 on Japanese shipping in the

Korea Strait The Korea Strait is a sea passage in East Asia between Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The strait is split by the Tsushima Island into the Western Channel and ...

. For this mission, he was awarded the Order of St Vladimir, 2nd class with swords. On 27 September 1904, Bezobravov was promoted to command the Baltic Fleet and to the post of acting Chief of the Naval Staff in place of Admiral

Zinovy Rozhestvensky Zinovy Petrovich Rozhestvensky (russian: Зиновий Петрович Рожественский, tr. ; – January 14, 1909) was an admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy. He was in command of the Second Pacific Squadron in the Battle of Tsu ...

(a position which he held to July 1906), and returned to St Petersburg. He died in St Petersburg and his grave was at the

Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery ( rus, Новоде́вичье кла́дбище, Novodevichye kladbishche) is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular touris ...

Awards

Order of St Vladimir 4th degree, 1890 * Saint vladimir (bande)

Order of St Vladimir 3rd degree, 1894 * Saint vladimir (bande)

Order of St Vladimir 2nd degree, with swords, 1904 * Order of Saint Anna ribbon bar

Order of St. Anne 3rd degree * Order of Saint Anna ribbon bar

Order of St. Anne 2nd degree * Order of Saint Anna ribbon bar

Order of St. Anne 1st degree, 1903 * Order of Saint Stanislaus Ribbon

Order of St. Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus ( pl, Order Św. Stanisława Biskupa Męczennika, russian: Орден Святого Станислава), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poni ...

3rd degree * Order of Saint Stanislaus Ribbon

2nd degree * Order of Saint Stanislaus Ribbon

1st degree, 1900 * JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 2Class BAR

Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight ...

(Japan), 2nd class, 1901 * Order of the Crown of Romania-Ribbon 1881-1932 100x30px

Order of the Crown (Romania) The Order of the Crown of Romania is a chivalric order set up on 14 March 1881 by King Carol I of Romania to commemorate the establishment of the Kingdom of Romania. It was awarded as a state order until the end of the Romanian monarchy in 1947. ...

, 1901 *

Order of Military Merit (Bulgaria) The Order of Military Merit ( bg, Орден за Военна Заслуга) is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. It is the third highest order in the Republic of Bulgaria along with the Order of Civ ...

, 1901

References

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bezobrazov, Petr 1845 births 1906 deaths Imperial Russian Navy admirals Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 1st class Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery (Saint Petersburg)