Mordvinov S.I. - Russian admiral and naval writer (1701)

[Anatol]

Mordvinov Semyon Ivanovich (1701–1777) - admiral, naval writer. He came from a noble family, dating back to Murat Mordvinov, a native of the Mordovian Horde. Along with other noble children, he was introduced to Peter I and sent to study in Novgorod and then Narva schools (1715). He studied maritime affairs in France (1716–1722), and was appointed adjutant to the chief commander of Kronstadt, Vice Admiral Gordon (1724) on the ship "St. Alexander". Sailed in the squadron of Admiral Senyavin (1726–1729), commander of the Astrakhan port (1731). In 1741, commanding the frigate Krondelivde, he, in the squadron of Captain Putilov, made the transition from Kronstadt to Arkhangelsk. In 1743, on December 2, Mordvinov was appointed to the post of Captain of the Arkhangelsk port. In 1744, S.I. Mordvinov took command of the new ship Poltava, which he then brought from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt. On the occasion of the expected war with Prussia, he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed head of a detachment that carried out secret measurements and inventories off the coast of Prussia (1756). On May 5, 1757, S.I. Mordvinov was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. In 1758, he participated, with the rank of Advisor, in Admiral Mishukov’s campaign to the Prussian shores, while on the flagship ship “St. Nicholas”; then in 1759 he was appointed a Member of the Admiralty Board. In 1760, holding a flag on the ship "St. Andrew the First-Called,” Mordvinov, remaining an adviser to Mishukov, commanded the rearguard of the fleet during the siege of Kolberg. The ships of his detachment served as the most active part of the fleet both during the struggle for coastal batteries and in covering the retreat of the landing force suddenly attacked by the Prussian auxiliary corps. In February 1762, Emperor Peter III appointed S.I. Mordvinov to the commission “to examine the flagships, headquarters and chief officers who served in the fleet.” Having highly appreciated Mordvinov's merits and abilities, on April 10, 1762, Emperor Peter III promoted him to vice admiral. On July 10, 1762, he proposed a report to Empress Catherine II, in which he showed the advantages of the states of 1732 and based a new order of government on them. It was the Mordvin Empress who on November 18 appointed the head of the new commission for improving the fleet (“the commission of the Russian fleets and the admiralty board”). In 1765, the commission prepared the first part of the regulations on the management of admiralties and fleets, containing the positions of the Admiralty Board, its expeditions and all ranks under the admiralty. The results of Semyon Ivanovich's reform activities made a favorable impression on the empress, and on May 4, 1764, Catherine II promoted him to admiral. In 1769, in Kronstadt, he supervised and supervised the equipment of the squadrons of admirals Spiridov, Elmanov and Elphinston intended to be sent to the Mediterranean Sea. Largely thanks to the efforts of Mordvinov, the Archipelago expedition began successfully.
For conscientious and prompt supply of ships preparing for a voyage to the Mediterranean Sea, he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1769).
Mordvinov enjoyed great influence in the Naval Department, being the oldest member of the Admiralty Boards and chairman of the Commission “to bring the fleets into a safe and similar position for the honor of the empire.” On February 13, 1777, he submitted his resignation. At various times he was involved in translations and compilation of books and catalogs on maritime affairs, in particular, he compiled the “Meeting on Navigation” (1730), the Code of Marine Signals (1756), etc. He invented a number of navigation instruments, including a compass with a magnetized needle artificial (and not natural, as before) magnet, etc. Taking care of improving the Russian fleet, he introduced longboats for battleships and frigates instead of boats. The variety of works left behind testifies to exceptional technical and literary abilities. He was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

The stamp depicts a portrait of the admiral against the background of a painting by the artist Pierre Gilbert: “The Battle of the Port of Praya 1781”
PMR 2019; [R].
Source: https://museumsworld.ru/0liks/m/mordvinov.php and other Web sites.