On January 13, 1720, a Decree was announced on the publication of the Charter of the Sea, and on April 13, the Charter itself was published, published under the title "The Book of the Charter of the Sea on everything related to good governance when the fleet was at sea." In the "Manifesto", with which the Charter begins, the purpose of its publication is defined as follows: "And since this matter is necessary for the state to eat .., for this reason, the military Naval Charter was committed, so that everyone knew his position, and no one would excuse himself with ignorance." Behind the "Manifesto" in the Charter is printed "Foreword to the Joyful Reader", written by Feofan Prokopovich and which is a brief outline of the development of the Russian fleet up to 1719.

In the Charter, according to its title, everything related to "good governance when the fleet was at sea" is covered in detail. First, the text of the oath required from everyone who entered the naval service was placed, then the meaning of the word "fleet" itself was explained, the division of the fleet into parts subordinate to different chiefs with their own flags, and a staff of all types was attached for ships of various ranks.

The text of the Charter itself consists of five books and a special appendix on signals.

The first book provides for the duties of the chief commander of the fleet and the persons of his staff, who were in charge of various parts of the administration. The second - defines the relationship of persons serving in the navy, and contains regulations on naval honors, flags and pennants corresponding to certain ranks and ranks. The third book defines the duties of all ranks - from the commander of the ship to the professional. The fourth - contains the charter of conduct and provides for all official procedures on the ship. Fifth - establishes punishments for offenses committed by sailors.

An appendix entitled "Signals" defines the order of production of signals: day, fog, night on the ship and galley fleets and indicates the meaning of each signal. Attached to the Charter are two tables of signal flags, ship and galley, as well as forms of various lists and statements that the commander, ship secretary and commissar had to keep on each ship.

Thus. The charter was a complete set of naval laws that determined the duties and rights of all employees in the fleet, their mutual relations and internal ship regulations. A general order was established for the navigation of both several ships and the whole fleet. A large number of articles of the Charter are related exclusively to the naval fleet.

The first edition soon required some changes. So, in the first chapter of the first book, articles were introduced about the need to "take statements about everything that was released to the fleet, and report about the lack"; "On the Establishment of the Fleet by Squadrons and Divisions"; "... about officers, who should not be exchanged without a decree." Instead of one article "on exercises" in the first chapter of book one of the Charter, two articles were introduced: "on exercises for ships and boats" (Art. 16) and "Exercises with cannons and hand guns" (Art. 17). A few more new articles have been included. In addition, the first book of the Charter included a new second chapter "On the General Kriegs Commissioner, consisting from four articles.

In the Charter of 1720, the fifth chapter - "On the doctor at the fleet" of the first book contains only two articles. In the Charter of 1722, two chapters are already devoted to medicine - the fifth with the old name, but already consisting of four articles. The next, sixth, "On the Chief Doctor" contains one article. In the chapter "About the Major" one more article is added to the three available ones.

In the second book, the 12th article "On trading salutes" is added to the fourth chapter "On salutes".

Eleven articles have been added to the first chapter of book three, and one article has been added to the seventh chapter.

The additions further defined the responsibilities of the various ship ranks. With these changes, the Charter existed until the adoption of the new Charter of the Navy under Paul I in 1797.

The administrative maritime legislation was also improved, which received its final form in the Admiralty Regulations, published in 1722. Its full title is "Regulations of the Most Pious Sovereign Peter the Great, Father of the Fatherland, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia on the management of the Admiralty and the shipyard and on the positions of the Admiralty Board and all other ranks acquired under the Admiralty." The regulations consisted of two parts, containing: the first - 52, the second - 16 chapters. The first part outlines the duties of the Admiralty Colleges and all the actual admiralty ranks from the president, general kriegs commissar to the master of each profession and clerks. The first part contains "forms for books for recording people, money, provisions and other things" and staff, or "determination" on the number of clerical ranks, commissars and other officers, as well as foremen, students and workers who are involved in various cases in the ports of St. Petersburg, Kotlin and Revel. The second part of the Regulations contains everything related to "good management when the fleet was in the port, as well as the maintenance of ports and raids." It defines the duties and rights of the chief commander, quartermaster, captain over the port, zeichmeister, captain commanding a ship in the harbor, chief sarvaer, shipmasters, etc., rules for keeping sailors and midshipmen at the port, the order of protection of the port and ships, standing in the harbor, and the duties of the distant and internal guards.

The Petrovsky Charter of the Maritime and Admiralty Regulations, covering all the activities of managing the fleet at sea and in ports, legally formalized the existence of a powerful Russian fleet that is not inferior to foreign ones. For many years, these acts maintained the order in the Russian fleet established by its great founder, and even to some extent contributed to the preservation of the fleet in the most difficult periods of its existence.

Initiating the Charter of the military land, now with the help of God, we proceed to the Sea, which was the same before this was begun: namely, with blessed and eternally worthy memory, His Majesty the Sovereign our father, for navigation on the Caspian Sea; but then why not be fulfilled for the sake of it, and the will of the Most High Ruler deigned to place this burden on Us, we leave it to His incomprehensible fates. And since this matter is necessary for the sovereign (according to this proverb: that every potentate, which has a single land army, has one hand, and which the fleet has, has both hands), for the sake of this Military Naval Charter they committed, so that everyone knows his own position, and no one would answer with guidance. Which is chosen from the five maritime regulations, and to that a contented part was added that it is necessary, all through our own work. Our work was done and completed in St. Petersburg, January 1720 on the 13th day.

Marine charter

Part 1. Separation 1

About everything that concerns good governance, when the fleet was at sea

Everyone, both above and below in Our fleet, who comes to serve, must first take an oath of allegiance as it should: and when he does this, then he will be accepted into Our service.

How to make an oath or a promise

Put left hand to the Gospel, and raise your right hand up with outstretched two large fingers.

Oath or promise of any military rank to people

I (imrek) promise Almighty God to faithfully serve His Majesty Peter the Great, Tsar and Autocrat of All Russia, and so on, and so on, and so on; and his heirs with all zeal, not sparing life and property with the utmost strength. And I must fulfill all the statutes and decrees, composed or henceforth composed from His Majesty, or commanders above us, committed in the cause of His Majesty and his state. And everywhere and in all cases, the interest of His Majesty and the state must guard and protect and notify that I will hear the opposite, and turn away everything harmful. And the enemies of His Majesty and his state, riding any convenient possible harm, adventuring, declaring atrocities and looking for them. And everything else that is for the benefit of His Majesty and his state, to repair according to a good Christian conscience, without deceit and guile, as a good, honest and faithful person should: how he should give an answer on the day of judgment. In what way may the Lord God Almighty help me.

Fleet is a French word. This word means a lot of water vessels going together, or standing, both military and merchant. The military fleet, and even a large number of ships, is divided into three main or general squadrons; the first corps de battalion, the second vanguard, the third rearguard: and these packs are divided, each into three particular divisions, as follows.

Cordebatalia of the white flag, vanguard of the white flag, rearguard of the white flag. Cordebatalia of the blue flag, vanguard of the blue flag, rearguard of the blue flag. Cordebatalia of the red flag, vanguard of the red flag, rearguard of the red flag. If there are fewer ships, then the squadron is smaller. The commanders are the following in the fleet: general admiral, admiral from the blue flag, admiral from the red flag, vice admirals, shoutbeinakhts, captains commanders.

And then we have three flags, for the sake of commanding they have this: Admiral General of the entire fleet and particular corps de battles.

There are three particular divisions in his squadron: the first of his corps de battalions, the second vice admiral from the white flag, like his vanguard, the third shautbeinakht from the white flag, like his rear guard. If when this rank of admiral general is not there, then the admiral from the white flag has this place.

The admiral from the blue flag, has to command the vanguard, also divided into three particular divisions, having in the same places the vice admiral, and the shautbeinakht from the blue flag.

The admiral from the red flag has to command the rear guard into as many divisions divided, also having a vice admiral and a shautbeinakht from the red flag.

Captains commanders, with a full number of flagships, do not have squadrons, except with what part they will be sent. In the absence of flagships, instead of them, squadrons are commanded.

Regulations

Committed according to the ranks of ships, how many ranks of people should be on a ship of what rank;

Ranks of ships Ranks of officers and other naval servants of the joint venture hch

66 50 32 16 14 L 1 3 1

Captains

Lieutenant Commanders Lieutenants

Artillery lieutenants Ship secretaries 13*

195 Non-commissioned lieutenants

Non-commissioned lieutenants of artillery

Ship commissars

Subhealers

Medicine students

Navigators

constapeli

Subskipores

Sub-Styurmans

Boatswain mats

Shkhiman mats

Quartermasters

Sergeants from the gunners

Subconstapeli

Corporals from gunners

Gunners

cabins and dec cabin boys guard soldiers trumpeters

carpenter's foremen

Good Carpenters

Carpenters

Unter cups

Caulkers

Sailing students

Total 3 3 3 i 2 i 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 k! i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 6 6 5 4 4 3 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 10 9 8 8 7 6 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 60 50 40 40 35 30 20 12 8 410 323 272 241 228 160 79 20 8 206 160 136 121 114 80 40 9 5 18 16 14 2 2 14 20 20 18 16 13 8 8 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 I 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 I 1 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 800 650 550 500 470 350 200 80 60

The prototype of the future maritime charter appeared during the reign of Sovereign Alexei Ivanovich and was compiled by the Dutchman D. Butler, the captain of the first domestic frigate"Eagle", launched in May 1668. However, both the ship itself and the circular that regulated all the actions of its crew were ingloriously lost, and Peter I, who reformed the armed forces of Russia, had to start everything from scratch.

Document accompanying the birth of the fleet

When in 1696 at a meeting of the Sovereign Duma the famous “There will be sea vessels!” was proclaimed, there was an urgent need to create a document that would bring all aspects of naval life into a single order. Very soon it was compiled and published under the editorship of the Russian vice-admiral K. Kruys.

This document, which included 15 articles, was intended mainly for galley-type ships. At that time, he played a very prominent role in boarding battles in the Baltic and during Azov campaign.

The spirit of the new time

However, it quickly improved. With the advent of artillery equipped with powerful artillery for that time, it became necessary to compile a new manual that meets rapidly changing requirements.

The appearance of the Maritime Charter of Peter I was preceded by the publication of a significant number of various additions and comments to the instructions created for the crews and captains of galley ships.

So, in 1707, the sovereign's printing house issued corresponding circulars addressed to the commanders of bombardment ships and fire ships (ships loaded with explosives and acting as floating bombs in battle). In addition, several more documents of this kind were released, however, the increasingly complicated practice of conducting combat and operating ships required that all disparate documents be brought together into a single Charter of the Russian Navy.

Assistants to the sovereign in his difficult work

A large number of people took part in the development of the Naval Charter under Peter I. It is known, in particular, that all navigators sent to study abroad were ordered to select necessary materials who were related to navigation and the organization of the service of ship crews. In addition, they were charged with the duty to thoroughly delve into all the subtleties of ready-made charters used in the fleets of foreign states.

History has preserved the names of many of the closest assistants to Tsar Peter I in the development of the Naval Charter Russian Empire. One of them was Konon Zotov, the son of the famous Nikita Zotov, who at one time was the tutor and closest friend of young Peter. Having reached the right age, Konon went abroad and to master the skills maritime service entered one of the ships of the English fleet. Subsequently, returning to his homeland, he became a brave officer and commanded military ships in naval battles with the Swedes. He is believed to have played important role in the drafting of the Naval Charter of Peter I. A lot of work was also done by foreign specialists specially invited from England and Holland.

Charter, which became the brainchild of Peter I

However, despite the abundance of assistants, the main burden in the work on the circular, covering all aspects of the naval service, fell on the shoulders of Tsar Peter Alekseevich. Based on the data received, he personally compiled articles, brought scattered materials into a system and set them down on paper in the form of polished and clear formulations. It would not be an exaggeration to say that even in many of the texts of the current codes of practice for navy you can feel the energetic and authoritative speech of Peter.

The first edition of the Naval Charter contained an extensive list of regulations relating to navigation, the procedure for anchoring and subsequent anchoring, various types of combat and navigational signals, as well as fighting the enemy and providing assistance. In each article of this document, punishments were provided for failure to comply with these requirements, the degree of which depended on the severity of the offense. Their list was very diverse - from a fine of one ruble to death penalty.

Continuation of work on the drafting of the Maritime Charter

In 1710, a new revised and supplemented version of the named document was published. It contained 63 articles, which more fully covered issues related to the performance of ship service, and toughened penalties for non-compliance with their requirements.

However, this set of rules, which in many respects surpassed its predecessor, did not cover the entirety of the activities of the navy, and further developments in this area did not stop. As appears from the memoirs of a number of higher officials of that era, Peter I personally worked on the drafting of a new, more complete Naval Charter and devoted up to 14 hours a day to this, leaving time only for the most urgent state affairs.

The final version of the Maritime Charter, compiled by Peter I

He completed his work in mid-April 1720 and made it public, preceded by a special Manifesto, in which he set out the reasons that prompted him to write. In particular, it said that there was a need to bring to the attention of the commanders of warships and members of their crews the requirements for each of them, so that no one would have the opportunity to evade their fulfillment, referring to ignorance.

Next came the text of the oath, which every military sailor had to take. A significant part of the Charter was assigned to a list of various units of the fleet, indicating the ships included in them. There was also a report card of their equipment, which listed in detail the composition of the teams corresponding to each type of ship.

The naval charter of Peter I included 5 volumes, the first of which was devoted to the order of performance of official duties by the highest ranks of the fleet, including admiral generals (there was such a rank in those days). This section of the document contained articles on tactical issues related to the leadership of the squadron during sea ​​battle.

Modern experts note that the rules and norms indicated in them were not strict and bore the imprint of the traditions of the Dutch fleet. This approach was very reasonable, since it did not hamper the initiative of the commanding staff during the hostilities. Characteristically, the sovereign Peter Alekseevich was guided by the same principle in drawing up the entire Charter.

Materials included in the second and third volumes

The second volume contained a list of all naval ranks, indicating the established hierarchy and the honors given to representatives of each of them. The external differences of the ships were also listed there. different type and the pennants, lanterns and flags appropriate to them were described.

The next section of the Charter was devoted to the organization of service on warships. It detailed the duties of all officers and crew members both during sea navigation and during combat. It is characteristic that the actions of single ships were practically not considered in it, and the entire emphasis was placed on managing the squadron.

The fourth volume of the Charter consisted of six separate chapters, which dealt with various aspects of ship life. It began with questions relating to internal discipline, and contained an extensive list of punishments that awaited its violators. Next, the number of servants assigned to each of the officers was indicated. The third chapter regulated the distribution of ship's provisions, and the fourth established the procedure for rewarding crew members who distinguished themselves during their service.

The last two chapters of the fourth volume were devoted to a very important issue - the division between the members of the team of property that became their prey during the capture of enemy ships.

The most voluminous was the fifth volume, which had a very concise and expressive title: "On fines." It was nothing more than a document that included both disciplinary and judicial charters. The punishments provided for in it are striking in their cruelty, which was very much in line with the mores of that time.

In addition to monetary fines, imposed mainly on officers who committed minor offenses, the lower ranks were subject to various forms corporal punishment and the death penalty. In wide use were executions on the orders of the captain of the ship, as well as keeling - dragging the criminal under the bottom of the ship, which in most cases led to his death. The Charter contained a detailed list of all possible crimes, both related to peacetime conditions and those related to the conduct of hostilities.

In the sixth and final volume of the Charter of the Marine Fleet of Peter I, various samples of ship reporting were collected and systematized. In addition, there was a description of the signals given by ships in different situations, and regulated the rules of the patrol watch service.

Conclusion

This first in national history The naval Charter, created on the initiative and with the personal participation of Peter I, existed without changes until 1797 and was published eight times during this period. Only the next year after the accession of Tsar Paul I, it fell into disuse and was replaced by a new, more complete and detailed document.

In addition to the changes resulting from the technical improvement of warships, it reflected a more rational approach to the tactics of naval combat, borrowed from the then idols of the new autocrat - the admirals of the British fleet.

Russian victories

The first charter of the military fleet appeared in Russia

In contact with

Classmates

Vladimir Laktanov

"Wind and Sea" Artist O.N. Vishnyakov

Russia owes the appearance of a full-fledged navy to its first emperor, Peter I. But there is a considerable amount of figurativeness in this statement: after all, the tsar did not build every new warship with his own hands! But in the words that our country owes him and the first naval charter, there is no exaggeration. Peter I worked on this document 14 hours a day and was in fact its main author.

It cannot be said that before Peter the Great Russia did not make efforts to build a navy - just like attempts to create a Russian maritime charter. The first experience of both was the actions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. By his order, the first Russian warship, the famous Eagle, was built at a shipyard specially created for this purpose on the Oka, and its first captain, the Dutchman David Butler, compiled a Letter to the Shipbuilding. The document submitted to the Posolsky Prikaz, written by a Dutchman, was in fact a short but very capacious version of the maritime charter - one that was quite suitable for a single ship. In fact, this "Letter" was an extract from the Dutch naval charter and dealt almost exclusively with the combat readiness of the ship and combat. For a real navy, which was supposed to become a serious force for Russia, such a document was clearly not enough. Just like the other two: the “Decree on the galleys on the order of naval service” written again by Peter I (1696) and the “Regulations for Service on Ships” created by his order by Vice Admiral Cornelius Kruys (1698). In 1710, on the basis of the charter of Kruys, "Instructions and military articles for the Russian fleet" appeared. But this document, which actually played the role of a maritime charter, was not fully so, since it did not cover all the important issues of maritime service. And only ten years later, Russia acquired its first real maritime charter.

On the title page of the first edition of the Charter of the Sea was the inscription “The Book of the Charter of the Sea, in Russian and Gallan, about everything related to good management when the fleet was at sea. Printed by the command of the royal majesty in the St. Petersburg Printing House of the Summer of the Lord 1720, April on the 13th day. And Peter’s January Manifesto opened the publication, which said that “Before this, the State needs to eat (according to this proverb: that every Potentate, which has one land army, has one hand, and which the fleet has, has both hands) , for this, for the sake of this military maritime charter, they committed it, so that everyone knew their position and no one would excuse themselves with ignorance ... Everything was done and accomplished through our own work in St. Petersburg, 1720, on the 13th day of Genvara.

The tsar's manifesto, in which, as Peter the Great often succeeded in doing, the goals and objectives, as well as the need for the creation and introduction of the Naval Charter in Russia, were formulated clearly and precisely, followed by the "Preface to the Joyful Reader", in which, in great detail, with numerous digressions and quotations from Holy Scripture told about the history of the formation of the Russian army and the need to create a Russian navy.

First edition of the maritime charter

Edition of the first maritime charter. Photo: polki.mirpeterburga.ru

After the preface, which occupied a dozen pages - from the second to the eleventh - the actual text of the Charter of the Sea, consisting of five parts, or books, began. The first of them opened with an indication that “Everyone, both above and below, in our fleet, who enters the service, must first take an oath of allegiance properly: and when he does this, then he will be accepted into our service.” Below was the text of the oath for those entering the naval service, which was preceded by a clarification, “how to repair the oath or promise”: “Put your left hand on the Gospel, and raise your right hand up with outstretched two thumbs” (that is, the index and middle fingers ).

Behind the text of the oath was a brief explanation “On the fleet”, beginning with the words “The fleet is a French word. This word means a lot of water vessels going together, or standing, both military and merchant. The same explanation spoke about the composition of the navy, introduced the concepts of squadron commanders of various flags, and also signed the report card for completing ships of various classes - depending on the number of guns on each. This painting was called "Regulations made according to the ranks of ships, how many ranks of people should be on a ship of what rank." It is noteworthy that, according to this table, captains - and this word here meant rank, not position - could only serve on ships that had at least 50 guns. 32-guns were commanded by captain-lieutenants, and 16- and 14-guns were commanded by lieutenants. Ships with a smaller number of guns in the timesheet were not provided at all.

After the explanation “On the Fleet” and the “Regulations”, there were the main provisions of the first book of the charter - “On the Admiral General and every chief commander”, on the ranks of his headquarters, as well as articles defining the tactics of the squadron. The second book was divided into four chapters and contained regulations on the seniority of ranks, on honors and external differences of ships, "on flags and pennants, on lanterns, on salutes and merchant flags ...". It was in this second book that the famous norm was contained, which the followers of Peter I interpreted and interpret as a direct ban on lowering the Russian naval flag in front of anyone: “All Russian military ships should not lower flags, wimpels and Marseilles, under the penalty of deprivation of the stomach.

Book Three revealed the organization of the warship and the duties of the officials on it. It opened with the chapter "About the Captain" (commander of the ship), and ended with the chapter "About the Prof", which was the 21st. Between them were the chapters that determined the rights and obligations of the vast majority of ship ranks, who had in their responsibility something more than just following the orders of their superiors - from the lieutenant commander to the cupor and carpenter, from the ship's doctor to the ship's priest. Defining their duties, the charter also determined the tactics of the ship in battle, and not in single combat, but as part of a squadron, primarily in line with other ships.

The fourth book consisted of six chapters: “On good behavior on the ship”, “On officer servants, how much one should have”, “On the distribution of provisions on the ship”, “On rewarding” (“So that every employee in the fleet knew and was trustworthy than for which service he will be awarded”), as well as “On the division of spoils” and “On the division of spoils from non-military prizes”. The fifth book was called "On fines" and consisted of 20 chapters, representing the judicial and disciplinary charters under one cover.

Two years later, on April 16 (April 5, old style) in St. Petersburg, the “Part Two of the Maritime Regulations was published, which defines everything related to good management when the fleet was in the port, as well as the maintenance of ports and raids”, supplementing the original text of the Charter marine. Both parts remained in force from 1720 to 1797 undividedly, and until 1853 - along with the "Charter of the Navy" adopted at the end of the 18th century. During this time, the charter was reprinted 15 times: twice - in 1720, then in 1722 (together with the second part), in 1723, 1724, 1746, 1763, 1771, 1778, 1780, 1785, 1791, 1795, 1804 and finally in 1850, when "Part Two of the Maritime Regulations" was published separately. All these reissues were printed in the printing house of the Marine gentry cadet corps and the Academy of Sciences.

So we can safely say that the Peter the Great Marine Charter determined the fate and actions of the Russian fleet for a century and a half ahead: up to the infamous Crimean War. That is, the entire history of the sailing fleet of Russia is the history of the Charter of the Sea, written by its creator, Peter the Great.

The first Russian Naval Charter was approved, the development of which was carried out for several years with the active participation of the emperor himself. In the introduction to the charter, which replaced the previously existing disparate documents that regulated certain aspects of naval life, the reasons for its appearance were explained. “... After all, this matter is necessary for the State (according to this proverb: that every Potentate, which has one land army, has one hand. And who has a fleet, has both hands) for the sake of this Military Naval Charter, they did it, so that everyone knew his position, and ignorance would not excuse anyone.

Three months later, on April 13 (24), 1720, with the same goal of bringing the provisions of the new document to all sailors, the Naval Charter was published by royal decree in a separate book.

The charter of Peter I consisted of five books. The first contained provisions on higher command staff Navy and articles that determined the tactics of the squadron. The second included decrees on the seniority of ranks, on honors and external distinctions of ships, "on flags and pennants, on lanterns, on salutes and merchant flags ...". The third book revealed the organization of the warship and the duties of the officials assigned to it. The fourth book consisted of six chapters, which regulated the rules of conduct on the ship, the number of officer servants according to ranks, the procedure for distributing provisions, methods for determining rewards for taking enemy ships, battle wounds and length of service, as well as methods for dividing booty when capturing enemy ships. The fifth book - "On Fines" - was a naval judicial and disciplinary charter. Also attached to the Maritime Charter were forms of ship's reporting sheets, a book of signals and the rules of sentinel service.

The appearance in Russia of the Maritime Charter was associated with a new stage in the history of the country. In the course of the struggle for access to the sea in the shortest possible time, a strong Navy which allowed Russia to become a maritime power. By 1725 the Russian fleet was one of the strongest in the Baltic. It consisted of 48 battleships and frigates, 787 galleys and other vessels. The total number of teams reached 28 thousand people.

The charter of 1720 became the most important legislative document of the Russian fleet. In terms of completeness of content and depth of presentation, it was the most perfect for the first half of the 18th century. After completion, the Maritime Charter of Peter I was reissued in 1724 and operated with minor changes until 1797, when it was replaced by a new one that took into account changes in ideas about the methods of warfare.

Lit.: The wisdom of the maritime charter // Dygalo V.A. Russian fleet: three centuries in the service of the Fatherland. M., 2007.

See also in the Presidential Library:

The book Charter of the sea,: about everything that concerns good governance, when the fleet was at sea / Printed by command of the Royal Majesty. 5th embossed. SPb., 1778 ;