That way the Navy started

Roots of the Russian navigation go into ancient times. One of the first annals messages says about a cruise of Russian squad for Konstantinopol in 856 (860 in Byzantine sources). However it was also proved that hundreds of years before that slaves' flotillas appeared in the Black and even in the Mediterranean sea. Since the end of the 10th century messages about slaves' cruises on the Caspian sea appeared in Arabic sources. Ancient Novgorod people put to the Baltic sea in the 11th and 12th century fighting with Swedes for freedom of sea trade.

One of the historic hypothesis supposes that the word "ship" [korabl' in Russian] spread from Byzantine as "karabos" and came from the Russian language. This conclusion of scientists doesn't lack the basis. A ship made of flexible twigs, covered with bark and leather was convenient for traveling and, as investigators think, was used by slaves from the ancient times. Still a wooden boat made of one tree was more convenient for navigation, but demanded more complicated instruments. This means of seafaring appeared later. Numerous archeological artifacts found at the territory of our country prove that 4500 years ago people could build simple boats and use them for traveling by water.

The third type of boats in the ancient Russia was the so-called "ladya" with high boards. On these boats Russian warriors made first cruises to Surozh and Byzantine in the end of the 7th and the beginning of the 8th centuries. The Byzantines who were experienced navigators were impressed by unique Russian boats. Those were boats with very high boards as to usual boards poles were timbered to which several planks were nailed additionally. Such easy improvement of the boat greatly increased its loading capacity, size and balance.

Russian coast-dweller boat XVI c. V. N. Golitcin

One of ship-building centers in the initial period of fleet construction was Veliky Novgorod due to series if economic reasons and profitable geographical position. Through Novgorod went the famous route from the Varangian to the Greek (from the Baltic sea along the system of rivers to the Black sea). The rivers Msta and Tvertsa connected the town with the Volga and the Caspian sea, Shelon' - with Pskov, Svir' and water roads of the Onega lake - with the whole North-Western territory. Novgorod navigators holding in their hands the key exits to the Northern Slave sea had to sail in very complicated conditions. That is why here appeared a new type of boats, convenient for dragging them from one river to the other, it was a boat with flat bottom. The Novgorod people had to defend their sea routes and fisheries from enemies. They were not only excellent navigators, but also perfect soldiers. Very often, as bylines (Russian epic) say, a brave squad on boats accompanied rich Novgorod merchants. When it was necessary boats were armed and threatened seriously foreign pirates.

In 1187 Novgorod people made a cruise to the wealthy town of Sigtuna. One of the trophies was the bronze gate of high fine art value. At present this gate covered with many relieves, figures of people and animals, the Bible scenes are at the South-Western facade of the famous Sophia cathedral in Novgorod.

For far-away cruises in the 16th and the 17th centuries a new type of vessel was created. It presented a one-deck vessel with flat bottom from 16 to 24 m long and from 5 to 8 m wide with slightly raised bow and stern. It had simple sailing equipment consisting from a mast and a direct leather sail.

Being perfect masters of ship-building the pomors built many vessels suitable for sailing in cold waters. The biggest was a sea boat with three masts. It could transport 200 tons of cargo.

In 1462-1505 the fight for uniting of Russian principalities finished with the formation of centralized state with the capital in Moscow. The results of these changes were great. Handicrafts and trade developed. Liberation of lands from Tartar -Mongol yoke, victories over Levon, Lithuanian and Polish conquerors promoted the acknowledgement of Russia by European countries. Trading relations developed.

In the middle of the 17th century Ivan IV having conquered Kazan and Astrakhan khanates and subjugated the Siberia, saved the Eastern part of Russian borders and started assimilating trading routes at the Baltic sea. About 1569-1570 he tried to construct fleet for defense of the new Narva trading way. But the lack of sufficient number of naval specialists and technical basis didn't allow to construct and arm naval ships.

Boat "St.Gabriel" P. Pshenichniy

During a number of wars in the 16th century with the Levon order, Poland and Sweden Russia lost several towns Yam, Koporie, Ivangorod, Korela, Oreshek according to the peace treaty of February, 27, 1617. So the exit to the Baltic sea was lost. The Swedish king Gustav II Adolf making a speech in the Seim declared: "Russia has lost the sea, and it'll be very difficult for the Russians to jump over this stream (the Neva - Author's remark). Though the only connection of Russia with western countries remained through Northern seas construction of sea vessels on the North and transport ships at rivers and lakes didn't stop (Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Astrakhan and other shipyards).

Experienced foreign masters were invited for construction of the first Russian sailing vessel named Orel. Together with these and other foreigners sometimes excelling them in mastership worked Russian shipbuilders Yakov Poluektov and Stepan Petrov.

Peter I highly estimated the construction of the first military vessel considering it "to be a start from which as from a good seed the present naval matter developed". In the 16th and the 17th centuries Russian territories expanded greatly with uniting the Siberia and assimilating great Northern and Eastern regions. However development of economic and cultural connections, trade with foremost European countries was hindered by absence of exits to the Black and the Baltic seas.

"Saint Paul" and "Saint Peter" packets near the coast of Kamchatka V. Pen