Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen

Faddey Faddeyevich Bellingshausen, also known as Fabian Gottlieb Benjamin von Bellingshausen, was a Russian cartographer, explorer, and naval officer of Baltic German descent. He was born on September 20, 1778, on the island of Saaremaa (Ösel) and passed away on January 25, 1852. Bellingshausen reached the rank of admiral during his career.

He served in the Russian Baltic Fleet and took part in the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe from 1803 to 1806. During this journey, he served on the merchant ship Nadezhda under the leadership of Adam Johann von Krusenstern. After this voyage, he created maps of newly discovered areas and islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Later, Bellingshausen led another circumnavigation expedition from 1819 to 1821. This journey aimed to explore the Southern Ocean and search for land near the South Pole. Alongside his second-in-command, Mikhail Lazarev, he commanded two ships, the sloop Vostok and the sloop Mirny. On January 27, 1820, Bellingshausen and Lazarev became the first people to see the land of Antarctica, proving that land existed in the southern ice fields, contrary to what James Cook had believed. During this expedition, they discovered several islands and parts of the Antarctic Peninsula.

After returning from his travels, Bellingshausen took part in the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829 and later became the military governor of Kronstadt. In 1831, he wrote a book about his Antarctic journey titled Double Investigation of the Southern Polar Ocean and the Voyage Around the World.

Early life and career

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen was born into a noble family in what is now Estonia. He joined the Imperial Russian Navy when he was just ten years old. After finishing his studies at a naval school, he quickly became a captain.

First Russian circumnavigation

Main article: First Russian circumnavigation

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen was inspired by the voyages of Cook. He joined the first Russian circumnavigation of the Earth in 1803. He served as an officer on the ship Nadezhda ("Hope"), which was led by Adam Johann von Krusenstern. The journey finished in 1806. After returning, Bellingshausen created maps showing the new areas and islands they found in the Pacific Ocean.

Service as captain

Bellingshausen led different ships in the Baltic and Black Seas. From 1812 to 1816, he was the captain of the frigate Minerva), and from 1817 to 1819, he led the frigate Flora), both part of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1812, he met Richard Siddins, an Australian captain, on Macquarie Island, which lies between New Zealand and Antarctica.

First Russian Antarctic expedition

Main article: First Russian Antarctic Expedition

Emperor Alexander I allowed an expedition to the south polar region in 1819. Bellingshausen, an experienced captain and explorer, was chosen to lead it. The goal was to explore the Southern Ocean and find land near the South Pole. Two ships were prepared: the Vostok, led by Bellingshausen, and the Mirny, led by Mikhail Lazarev. The journey began on June 4, 1819, from Kronstadt.

The expedition crossed the Antarctic Circle on January 26, 1820, and on January 27, they discovered the Antarctic mainland. They saw ice-fields close to the coast. This made Bellingshausen the first to discover Antarctica, ahead of others who claimed the discovery later. During the voyage, they also visited places in New Zealand and discovered several islands and a part of the Antarctic mainland they named the Alexander Coast.

Bellingshausen and Lazarev circled Antarctica twice and always stayed close to each other. This proved that finding land in the southern ice fields was possible, contrary to what Captain James Cook had said. The expedition also made discoveries in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Admiral

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen returned to Kronstadt in 1821 and became a captain-commodore. In 1826, Tsar Nicholas I gave him the rank of counter admiral. He fought in the Russo-Turkish War from 1828 to 1829, especially in the siege of Varna. He was promoted to vice admiral in 1830 and served as the military governor of the port at Kronstadt, near St Petersburg. By 1843, he had become an admiral. In 1831, he wrote a book about his journey to Antarctica, titled Double Investigation of the Southern Polar Ocean and the Voyage Around the World.

Military governor of Kronstadt

In 1839, he became the military governor of Kronstadt, the main base of Russia’s Baltic Fleet. He passed away there in 1852.

Legacy

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen is remembered in Russia as one of its greatest admirals and explorers. In the Antarctic, many places and features are named to honor his important role in exploring that area.

Monuments

There is a memorial stone for Bellingshausen at the old site of Lahhentagge/Lahetaguse manor in Ösel/Saaremaa.

Monuments to Bellingshausen can also be found in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Montevideo, Uruguay, and Kronstadt near Saint Petersburg in Russia.

Named in honour

• Bellingshausen Island (was) in the Aral Sea.
• Bellingshausen Island in the south Atlantic Ocean, part of the South Sandwich Islands
• Bellingshausen Sea in the Southern Ocean
• Bellingshausen Station, a Russian (former Soviet) base on King George Island, Antarctica
• Bellingshausen Plate, an ancient tectonic plate
• Bellinsgauzen, a crater on the far side of the Moon
• Faddey Islands in the Laptev Sea coastal region on the north Russian coast, named after Bellingshausen's first name in Russian
• Motu One (Society Islands), also known as Bellinghausen, an atoll in the Pacific Ocean
• A minor planet 3659 Bellingshausen, discovered by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Chernykh in 1969