Matej Zmajevic
Encyclopedia
Matija Zmajević (January 6, 1680, Perast
, Bay of Kotor
- August 23, 1735, Tavrov, Russia
) was admiral of the Baltic Fleet
and the shipbuilder of the famous Russian Tsar Peter I the Great
, and for whom he built a fleet in Voronezh
.
Catholic
family from Perast
(Bay of Kotor
). His uncle Andrija Zmajević
, a Serbian Baroque
poet, was a renowned Roman Catholic bishop of Antivari (Bar). The family was in conflict with another Perast family of Bujović, and after Vicko Bujović
was killed in a fight on city streets, Matija was forced to leave Perast for alleged involvement when he was 28. He escaped to the Republic of Ragusa
(Dubrovnik
) and further to Istanbul
, where he found refuge with Russian ambassador Peter Tolstoy. In 1712, Tolstoy sent him with recommendations to Peter I. Impressed with Zmajević's education and maritime skills, the tsar
accepted him in military service and sent him to Sankt Petersburg with the rank of Captain of Fregate, and he continued to quickly climb naval ranks.
, with whom Russia fought the Great Northern War
for supremacy on Baltic Sea
. He captured 7 Swedish ships in Battle of Gangut
1714, and his fleet routed Swedes at Grengam
in 1720, marking the end of the Great Northern War. As a result of Zmajević's victory, Peter the Great sent some of his young officers (boyars) to the town of Perast
in Boka in order to study maritime sciences there. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral
and put in charge for building the river fleet of Don
. In 1725, he was honored to carry the emperor's crown at the funeral of Peter I. Tsar's successor, Catherine I of Russia
, decorated Zmajević with the Order of Alexander Nevsky
, and in 1727 he was awarded the ultimate rank of Admiral
.
After the death of Catherine I in 1727, Zmajević was accused of embezzlement
, and sentenced to death in front of court-martial
. He was abolished in the last minute and put aside as governor of Astrakhan
area in the rank of Vice-Admiral, where he spent last years of his life. He worked on establishment of the Black Sea Fleet
, which would carry on to play a significant role in Russian expansion to south after his death.
Zmajević has testated
numerous donations to his hometown Perast and Boka Kotorska. He was buried with military honors in the Catholic Church of Saint Ludvig in Moscow.
Perast
Perast is an old town in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor.- Geography :...
, Bay of Kotor
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor in south-western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea. The bay, sometimes called Europe's southernmost fjord, is in fact a submerged river canyon of the disintegrated Bokelj River which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen...
- August 23, 1735, Tavrov, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) was admiral of the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
and the shipbuilder of the famous Russian Tsar Peter I the Great
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, and for whom he built a fleet in Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
.
Early life
He was born in a prominent CroatianCroats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
family from Perast
Perast
Perast is an old town in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor.- Geography :...
(Bay of Kotor
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor in south-western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea. The bay, sometimes called Europe's southernmost fjord, is in fact a submerged river canyon of the disintegrated Bokelj River which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen...
). His uncle Andrija Zmajević
Andrija Zmajevic
Andrija Zmajević was a distinguished Serbian Baroque poet and contributor to the Roman Catholic Church from the Bay of Kotor...
, a Serbian Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
poet, was a renowned Roman Catholic bishop of Antivari (Bar). The family was in conflict with another Perast family of Bujović, and after Vicko Bujović
Vicko Bujovic
Vicko Bujović was a Dalmatian mercenary.During the Morean War, Bujović took command of the forces of Perast, offering their services, in his own name and that of the people of the city, to the Republic of Venice, with whom he was deeply connected...
was killed in a fight on city streets, Matija was forced to leave Perast for alleged involvement when he was 28. He escaped to the Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa or Republic of Dubrovnik was a maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik in Dalmatia , that existed from 1358 to 1808...
(Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
) and further to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where he found refuge with Russian ambassador Peter Tolstoy. In 1712, Tolstoy sent him with recommendations to Peter I. Impressed with Zmajević's education and maritime skills, the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
accepted him in military service and sent him to Sankt Petersburg with the rank of Captain of Fregate, and he continued to quickly climb naval ranks.
Military career
Zmajević had great successes in maritime battles against SwedenHistory of Sweden
Modern Sweden started out of the Kalmar Union formed in 1397 and by the unification of the country by King Gustav Vasa in the 16th century. In the 17th century Sweden expanded its territories to form the Swedish empire. Most of these conquered territories had to be given up during the 18th century...
, with whom Russia fought the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
for supremacy on Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. He captured 7 Swedish ships in Battle of Gangut
Battle of Gangut
The Battle of Gangut took place on July 27Jul./ August 7, 1714Greg. during the Great Northern War , in the waters of Riilahti Bay, north of the Hanko Peninsula, near the site of the modern-day city of Hanko, Finland, between the Swedish Navy and Imperial Russian Navy...
1714, and his fleet routed Swedes at Grengam
Battle of Grengam
The Battle of Grengam of 1720 was the last major naval battle in the Great Northern War that took place in the Åland Islands, in the Ledsund strait between the island communities of Föglö and Lemland. The battle marked the end of Russian and Swedish offensive naval operations in Baltic waters...
in 1720, marking the end of the Great Northern War. As a result of Zmajević's victory, Peter the Great sent some of his young officers (boyars) to the town of Perast
Perast
Perast is an old town in Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor.- Geography :...
in Boka in order to study maritime sciences there. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
and put in charge for building the river fleet of Don
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
. In 1725, he was honored to carry the emperor's crown at the funeral of Peter I. Tsar's successor, Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I of Russia
Catherine I , the second wife of Peter the Great, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death.-Life as a peasant woman:The life of Catherine I was said by Voltaire to be nearly as extraordinary as that of Peter the Great himself. There are no documents that confirm her origins. Born on...
, decorated Zmajević with the Order of Alexander Nevsky
Order of Alexander Nevsky
The Order of Alexander Nevsky is an order of merit bestowed by the Russian Federation. It is named in honour ofAlexander Nevsky's struggle with the Teutonic Knights....
, and in 1727 he was awarded the ultimate rank of Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
.
After the death of Catherine I in 1727, Zmajević was accused of embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
, and sentenced to death in front of court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
. He was abolished in the last minute and put aside as governor of Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
area in the rank of Vice-Admiral, where he spent last years of his life. He worked on establishment of the Black Sea Fleet
Black Sea Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet is a large operational-strategic sub-unit of the Russian Navy, operating in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea since the late 18th century. It is based in various harbors of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov....
, which would carry on to play a significant role in Russian expansion to south after his death.
Zmajević has testated
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
numerous donations to his hometown Perast and Boka Kotorska. He was buried with military honors in the Catholic Church of Saint Ludvig in Moscow.