''Rurik'' (Рюрик) was a steam-powered

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

of 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 being dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution and the declaration of ...

. She was ordered by the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

of the

Grand Duchy of Finland The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed from 1809 to 1917 as an Autonomous region, autonomous state within the Russian Empire. Originating in the 16th century as a titular grand duchy held by the Monarc ...

for the Finnish naval equipage ''(Suomen Meriekipaasi)''. She was named in honour of

Rurik Rurik (also spelled Rorik, Riurik or Ryurik; ; ; died 879) was a Varangians, Varangian chieftain of the Rus' people, Rus' who, according to tradition, was invited to reign in Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod in the year 862. The ''Primary Chronicle' ...

, the semi-legendary founder of ancient Russia. ''Rurik'' was designed by

Johan Eberhard von Schantz Johan Eberhard von Schantz (; 29 October 1802 – 3 January 1880) was a Finnish-born admiral in the Russian Imperial Navy, ship designer and explorer. Life Schantz was born in the Western Finnish coastal town of Pori, which at the time was a p ...

. She was built in

Turku Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...

at Gamla Warfsbolaget i Åbo and launched in October 1851. At the time of her construction she was the largest ship ever built in Finland. The Scottish engineer William Crichton was recruited to supervise construction of the steam engine.Keisarin messinkilelu oli antimagneettinen erikoisuus
(''

Turun Sanomat is the leading regional newspaper of the region of Southwest Finland. It is published in the region's capital, Turku and the third most widely read morning newspaper in Finland after ''Helsingin Sanomat'' and ''Aamulehti''. History and profile ...

'')

/ref> Later he took over the engine builder Cowie & Ericsson and renamed it Wm. Crichton & Co., W:m Crichton & C:o. Although financed by Finns, the ship ended up serving as an escort vessel to the Russian Imperial Yacht. She survived the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

, and later served in the Russian

Baltic Fleet The Baltic Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Established 18 May 1703, under Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Baltic Fleet is the oldest Russian fleet. In 1918, the fleet w ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rurik Ships of the Imperial Russian Navy Naval ships of Finland Ships built in Turku Naval ships of Russia 1851 ships

See also

References