The History of Shipbuilding of the Baltic Fleet during the Peter the Great era in Russian Historiography: Geography and Activities of Admiralty and Shipyards

Abstract

The subject of the study is the results of the study by domestic researchers of the history of the formation and development of the objects of the shipbuilding base of the Baltic Fleet during the Peter the Great era. The aim of the work is to analyze the works of Russian scientists-historians of the pre-revolutionary, Soviet and post-Soviet periods on this problem and to form on this basis a holistic view of the formation and development at the initial stage of one of the most important branches of the domestic military industry. In the course of the study, the main attention will be paid to the consistent consideration of the history of the origin, the specifics of the organization and maintenance of activities, as well as the results of the activities of all shipyards that worked in the interests of the Baltic Fleet during the designated period. The research methodology is based on a combination of general philosophical, general scientific historical and special historical methods, such as analysis and synthesis, modeling, problem-chronological and perspective analysis method. The novelty of the conducted research lies in the fact that such an approach to the study of the initial stage of the history of the shipbuilding industry in the interests of the Baltic Fleet has not been applied in Russian historiography. According to the results of the study, a generalized picture of all shipbuilding enterprises established in the Peter the Great era in the north-western region of Russia and in the territories of the Baltic States and Finland conquered during the Northern War is presented. The results of the study allowed us to assess the nature of the formation of the industry as mainly spontaneous, although not devoid of a certain logic in the specific historical conditions of the Northern War. Certain patterns of placement of certain objects of shipbuilding infrastructure, the influence of geographical, hydrographic, production-logical and other features on their specialization are shown. A problematic issue requiring further study is formulated.