Few people know, but at the beginning of the 18th century, Peter I decided to colonize Africa. Why was it necessary? Why didn't Madagascar become ours? We decided to find out.
Peter I was noted in history as a tsar-reformer with irrepressible ebullient energy. He changed the army and beat the enemies, and went on the ship, built them himself … And is it any wonder that one day Pyotr Alekseevich listened with great attention to the project of the former subject of the King of Sweden Karl XII - Vice Admiral Wilster. That he asked for an appointment with Peter and almost from the doorway offered him, as a protectorate, not some trifle there, but Africa. Let not all, but only a piece. True, impressive - the whole island.
Historical background
If the XVI century became the century of great geographical discoveries, fanned by the exploits of the discoverers, where there is not a name, then an adventure character from sweet childhood dreams - Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Cortez, Pizarro, Magellan, Albuquerque, then the XVIII was sounded by the banging of the foreheads of strong European powers and a crack flags of the pirate freemen. By that time, Spain and Portugal had discovered everything they could reach, or rather swim.
But it is not enough to swim, just as it is not enough to discover. We still need to keep the open-swim. But with this just and there was a misfortune. The rights of the Pyrenees to the fat territories began to be actively challenged by new players ripe for ocean battles - England, Holland and France. Persons non grata also took part in the colonial quarrel - that they plowed the waters under the splash of the Jolly Roger and quickly realized that by sharing the spoils with the august patrons in time, they were gaining almost legal status.
Gradually, the places where they took a break from the grappling hooks and stripped the bottoms of their caravels from shell shells took shape with their own laws, elected representatives, and began to enter into completely legitimate ties with merchants and even governments. One of these "pirate kings, the self-styled emperor of Madagascar, Captain Avery" and his "glorious deeds" was compiled by Daniel Defoe. The book went for a walk around the world. And rumors about the corsair country reached the ears of Peter I.
Therefore, he did not chase the enemy admiral with a filthy broom, but decided to build diplomatic bridges between Russia and a certain "Kingdom of Madagascar".
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Madagascar Kingdom
In 1506, Portuguese navigator Lorenzo Almendogo discovered a giant island in the Indian Ocean east of Africa. Narek Saint Lorenzo and scribbled on the map. True, the Portuguese did not begin to gain a foothold on the island, and soon the French raided there, who called the land of the Dauphin island and declared it the property of the French crown. They made the aborigines slaves, their lands - plantations, coastal bays - staging points on the way from Europe to India. In 1670, a riot broke out on the island, as a result of which the French colonialists were killed, and the island was named Madagascar.
The European presence here was preserved only in the form of filibuster bases that huddled in the secluded lagoons of the coast. It was this handful of corsairs that Wilster recommended to Peter as the "Kingdom of Madagascar."
Swedish ears
Back in the 19th century, the historian J. Seidel suspected Wilster of disinformation. And he considered in the shadow the clearly protruding "ears" of Swedish interests. He stated his hypothesis in 1867 in an article on the pages of the magazine "Marine collection". According to her, at the beginning of the 18th century, Indian pirates of Scandinavian roots asked the king of Sweden for amnesty.
In the Northern War, the Swedes were defeated. But they did not refuse revenge. Although the budget of the crown was that the cheese was covered in holes. So, not for the sake of Christian mercy, but in the hope of the corsair's treasures, Karl forgave them their sins. But the pirates in Stockholm with their untold riches never appeared. But in the depths of the royal administration, the idea of colonizing the island of Madagascar has matured.
Moreover, on the political horizon of Sweden arose, quartered in London, like the governor of Madagascar, a certain Morgan. With a proposal - to take on the equipment of 30 ships of the African expedition. So the Swedish cost would be limited to just a couple of ships. The bait whetted Karl's appetites. The expedition was headed by Captain-Commander Ulrich, Vice Admiral Wilster and Secretary of the Swedish Foreign Ministry von Hepken. Started with implementation in 1721.
But it did not grow together. Historians believe that the Swedish crown did not even have enough funds. And two years later - in 1723 - Wilster, who decided to try his luck under the enemy's banners, already appeared before the furious eyes of the ardent Russian emperor with the same mystification plan.
Top Secret Expedition
The African "gishtoria" of the Russian flood was immediately surrounded by super secrecy. They admitted to her those closest to Peter I. They secretly allocated three thousand gold rubles from the treasury. The strategy of the campaign was developed in the office of the commander of the Russian fleet, Admiral General F. M. Apraksin. Without the inclusion of the Admiralty and the Collegium of Foreign Affairs (they were "packed" to the brim with representatives of the Western courts). The point of arrival was not entrusted to the paper. Peter vaguely waved - "follow to the place assigned to you." Go not under a military flag, but under a trade one. And since 32-gun frigates could arouse suspicion, move not across the English Channel, but "around the British shores."
Wilster, whom Peter called only "the most honest and highly proven flagship", was completely isolated. He lived in the house of the commandant Rogervik as practically a prisoner. The commander of one of the frigates, Captain Myasnoy, and Wilster's assistant, Lieutenant Captain Kiselev, were ordered to watch Wilster. Wilster himself received the plans for the expedition only after he stepped on the deck of the ship. Documents were allowed to be opened only in the North Sea.
And in December 1723, two frigates - "Amsterdam Galey" and "Decron de Livde" proudly raised anchors and left the port of Revel astern. But they did not go far. They did not even reach the Danish Straits, that is, they did not have time to leave the Baltic. One of the ships leaked. Another had stability problems. And they turned back.
The problem ships were replaced by frigates - "Prince Eugene" and "Kruiser". But the restart of the expedition was delayed. And after the death of Peter I in 1725, a cross was raised on the African campaign.
Reasons for failure
The historiographer of the Russian fleet FF Veselago saw the first reason in the weak "technical equipment of the young fleet" and in the lack of sufficient oceanic navigation experience among Russian sailors. Others insist that the Russian fleet in the last years of Peter I's life was considered one of the best in Europe, France was already negotiating the purchase of Russian warships, and many experienced foreigners served under the St. Andrew's flag.
The second reason is that Peter did not have enough money. Third - even if they had sailed, the "Madagascar Kingdom" would have turned out to be a phantom, so there would have been no one to negotiate with.
Or, perhaps, Peter simply realized that “a tit in the hand is better than a pie in the sky” and did not become more distracted by this African “crane”. Because he wanted to expand diplomatic and trade contacts of his state with the Mughal empire. That's why he supplied his plenipotentiaries with notes of intentions - to the ruler of Madagascar and to the Great Mogul of Bengal (India).