On August 24, 1553, the regularity of life of the inhabitants of the village of Nyonoksa in the Dvina Bay was disrupted by an extraordinary event. It all started when a large ship was seen approaching from the side of the sea from a fishing boat calmly and unhurriedly engaged in its fishing. Its shape and size were completely unusual for the fishermen in the boat, and therefore it is understandable that they decided to land ashore as soon as possible. However, taking advantage of the course, the stranger soon caught up with the fugitives and lowered the boat. The fishermen could not answer the peace-loving intonation exclamations from the deck - the language of the newcomers was completely unknown to them. The Pomors managed to land on the shore when they were finally overtaken. The guests were dressed in strange outfits, they smiled emphatically, and their demeanor showed that they were not inclined to aggression. All initial attempts to establish contact were unsuccessful - the parties simply did not understand each other. Realizing that the strangers were in a peaceful mood, the fishermen calmed down, received gifts and, to their sincere relief, were released.
Soon, a rumor spread around the area about the arrival of an extraordinary ship from distant lands. The locals gradually grew bolder and began to swim up to him, gesturing to show their peacefulness and, out of the kindness of their soul, treating travelers to various foods. Officials soon arrived. From the dialogue established with difficulty, it turned out that guests from a country called England had arrived and were looking for a way to India and China. The travelers were informed that the land they reached was neither India nor China, but it was called Russia and was ruled by Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. And that they would be very happy to trade with travelers, but without the permission of the authorities it is impossible. The chief of the guests nodded his head thoughtfully, pondering something in his mind.
Thus, the first contact took place, and relations began to improve between the crew of the ship "Edward Bonaventure", its captain Richard Chancellor, on the one hand, and the subjects of the Russian Tsar, on the other. A messenger was sent to the capital of the Russian kingdom with a report, and the guests were kindly offered to wait for the answer from the top leadership. The British had no idea about the colossal expanses of this unknown country for them and about the fact that in Russia a response from the authorities could be expected for quite a long time.
Sebastian Cabot's advice
In the first half of the 16th century, England was still far from the future position of “ruler of the seas”. The island monarchy was a separate state, and not only because of its geographic location. The stormy era of the reign of King Henry VIII (who in the first half of his reign received the title of "defender of the faith" from the Pope, and in the second was officially excommunicated from Catholicism) painfully affected the country's economy. Henry VIII decided to try his military luck in France, forcibly forcing parliament to allocate him a huge amount of money. However, his success turned out to be very modest, and the money, which is never enough, simply ran out.
The desire at all costs to marry his favorite Anne Boleyn led the temperamental king, whose family life is similar to the twists and turns of the tale of Bluebeard, to conflict with the Holy See and excommunication from Catholicism. Edward, without thinking twice, proclaimed himself the head of his own, English, church, becoming the de facto founder of Anglicanism. The lands of monasteries and churches were confiscated - this process was accompanied by numerous atrocities, caused discontent and unrest in many regions of the country.
Towards the end of his reign, the former "defender of the faith" and now the "vicar general" of the Church of England lost his agility, fell ill and died. The throne was inherited by his son, who became king of England on February 20, 1547 under the name of Edward VI. The new, very young ruler received the crown at the age of nine. The boy already knew several languages, including French and Latin, he was surrounded by wise teachers and mentors. It was not an easy time for England - the country was devastated by the policies of Henry VIII, trade was in decline.
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And in Europe, Spain, already shining with might and main, was gaining strength. Having driven the Moors to North Africa, she already fully enjoyed the fruits of the geographical discoveries made by Christopher Columbus. The possessions of Madrid in the New World became more and more extensive, more and more heavily laden with gold ships pulled across the ocean. Under the blows of Cortés, the Aztec empire fell, Pizarro crushed the Incas, and although the Indians managed to hide some of the gold, legends circulated about the scale of the booty taken in the courts of European monarchs. Spain was getting richer before our eyes, its nobles, without bargaining, bought themselves the best and most expensive weapons, exquisite outfits and jewelry, generously littering with coins from melted overseas gold.
Having opened the road to India, Portugal could no longer withstand the too tense colonial marathon, losing out to its powerful neighbor, and, gradually fizzling out, slowed down the pace of expansion. It became obvious that in the future the Spaniards would take control of the trade routes going around Africa to the East. The maritime and military power of Madrid seemed unshakable, but what could the “poor English merchants”, who also really wanted to snatch at least a piece of fabulous overseas riches, do? And preferably a piece large and tangible for skinny wallets. The future sharks of the City, who did not yet exceed the size of nimble, but already ruthless perches, thought tensely: they dreamed of golden chests, and in some cases this is a good stimulus for intense mental activity. They had something to puzzle over.
Hans Holbein the Younger. Sebastian Cabot
The instinct of self-preservation did not allow small, but already predatory “perches” to go to the New World and try to stick their hand into this seemingly dimensionless and rich Spanish barn. It was required to find another, not under the control of the Spaniards, a path to the rich countries of the East. It has long been known that the lands discovered by Columbus have nothing to do with the legendary China and India. Sebastian Cabot helped the British in solving this problem.
This Italian, who at the end of his life decided to move to England, had a reputation as an experienced sailor and scientist. The place of his birth has not been precisely established. One of the cities claiming the birthplace of Cabot is Venice. From an early age, Cabot sailed the seas and oceans - he went with his father, John Cabot, to the shores of America. Was in the service of the English king Henry VIII, the Spanish king Ferdinand II. He was engaged in cartography and land survey.
Subsequently, they decided to resort to his services and knowledge to find ways to the Moluccas. Cabot was supposed, following the path of Magellan, to go around South America and enter the Pacific Ocean. In 1526 he sailed on four ships from Spain, but on the way his flagship was wrecked, and together with other members of the expedition Cabot began to study the interior regions of South America. The navigator spent almost 4 years exploring modern Paraguay and the La Plata region. Contrary to expectations, he did not manage to find either much gold or fabulous spice-rich countries.
After his far from triumphant return to Spain, Cabot was sent to Madrid-controlled Oran on the North African coast. In 1547, immediately after the accession to the throne of Edward VI, the old scientist, who by that time had drawn up his own map of the world, arrived in England, where he was awarded a pension for his services to the father of the young king. Due to his position, reputation and knowledge, Cabot enjoyed the respect and trust not only of the courtiers from the entourage of the king, but also in the circles associated with commercial and financial activities.
Even in his youth, this navigator became an adherent of the hypothesis of the existence of the Northeast Passage, through which the Pacific Ocean and China and India located there can be reached by sea from Europe. Cabot believed that this, as it seemed to him, the strait should be sought bypassing Northern Europe and Asia. The appeal of this concept was that no one controls the proposed Northeast Passage and does not claim ownership of it. Consequently, the British, like Columbus and Vasco da Gama, could be pioneers and monopolists on the discoveries made. There will be no need to contact the mighty Spain, and there will be an obvious opportunity to trade with the East. Well, where there is trade, there is profit.
The venture promised to be profitable, and the little predators from London's commercial and financial pond became agitated. Aged, but not losing his craving for all sorts of geographic and nautical ventures, the embodiment of which can be converted into gold and other preferences, Cabot kept his nose to the wind. He met the right people energetically and effortlessly, delivered the right speeches in a confident and authoritative tone. They listened to him, drew appropriate conclusions and calculated the profits. Soon it was the turn of the transition from the bare theory to the practical phase.
In 1551 in England, with the broad support of the powers that be and with the approval of the young king, a company with the long name "Mystery and Company of Adventurer Traders to Discover Regions, Dominions, Islands, and Unknown Places" was created. The founders of this enterprise, in addition to the most ideological inspirer Sebastian Cabot, were "people of great wisdom and caring for the welfare of their homeland", but simply merchants and financiers who formed something like a board of directors. With a long and whimsical name, the goal of the company was to find the Northeast Passage and establish trade with China, India and other wealthy eastern countries, thereby bypassing the commercial monopoly of Spain and Portugal.
Of course, the company was a kind of joint stock company. Each of its participants undertook to invest in the enterprise a certain contribution, amounting to 25 pounds, a considerable amount at that time. There were enough people who wanted to join the riches of the East, and soon 6 thousand pounds were collected from contributions of various sizes. With these funds, it was decided to build three ships, arm and equip them with the latest technology of the time. It was planned to load the best English goods there, which, in the opinion of local merchants, could be in demand even in very remote lands.
Sir Hugh Willoughby
Future expedition ships were built from the best varieties of wood, their underwater parts were sheathed with lead sheets. When the construction was already coming to an end, the personnel issue arose sharply. There were more than enough people who wanted to be the first to get to the legendary Indies - not only financial, but also political preferences played an important role here. At the forefront of the contenders for the "commercial Columbus" was a certain Sir Hugh Willoughby, a gentleman of very distinguished birth. He was highly regarded by the board of the company for his eminence, connections, and some military experience. Hugh Willoughby was tall and handsome, which, according to the organizers, could have played a positive role in the negotiations. This gentleman had no sea experience, but he could express himself in an important, stately, convincing manner. His candidacy was confirmed - Sir Willoughby became an admiral with a "respectable appearance" and the leader of the entire expedition.
The second selected candidate was Richard Chancellor, who was described as a man of great intelligence. It is likely that the number of "points" required for the approval of this gentleman to the office was increased by the efforts of the young nobleman Henry of Sydney, a person from the inner circle of King Edward VI. Cornelius Durfert was appointed captain of the third ship. In total, three ships were prepared for the expedition. The 120-ton and best-equipped Bona Esperanza (Good Hope) flying the flag of Sir Hugh Willoughby. The 160-ton and largest "Edward Bonaventure" ("Edward Good Enterprise") under the command of Richard Chancellor, who was also the main navigator of the expedition. And the 90-ton, smallest, "Bona Confidentia" ("Good Hope"), whose captain was Cornelius Duerfert.
The crew consisted of 105 people. In addition, there were 11 London merchants on board to carry out the commercial part of the enterprise. The ships were adequately supplied with provisions for a voyage of 18 months. None of the members of the expedition have ever been to India or China. Moreover, even the experienced navigators who were part of the crews did not even have an approximate idea of where the Northeast Passage was, how long it was, and whether it was accessible for navigation. In an effort to somehow dilute the almost complete lack of information (and the English had nothing but the very general assumptions of Signor Sebastian Cabot), it was decided to interview two Tatars who served in the royal stables. However, it turned out that these gentlemen are more prone to excessive consumption of alcohol-containing liquids,than to the accumulation of knowledge. The Tatars quite sincerely said that they could not help with anything, since they left their homeland a long time ago. The organizers, meanwhile, were beginning to show signs of some excitement, as, in the opinion of some distinguished gentlemen, the optimum time to sail had already been missed. But the preparations for the expedition were at a stage when it was no longer possible to cancel the launched process.
Heading north-east
On May 10, 1553, Willoughby's flotilla left the Thames estuary. The departure of the ships caused a certain public outcry - an artillery salute was given in honor of the expedition. Many representatives of the noble aristocracy and, of course, the merchants saw her off. The young King Edward VI himself, who was in many ways the ideological and financial inspirer of the voyage, could not attend the farewell ceremony. By this time, the young man, strong from birth, was already seriously ill with consumption. He died soon after.
Richard Chancellor
During the sailing, it suddenly became clear that the concept of "carefully prepared expedition" can be very relative and is interpreted in different ways. Some of the provisions loaded ahead of time turned out to be of very low quality (they saved money) and deteriorated. A lot of wine barrels just flowed. Nevertheless, the ships headed north-east. The voyage was accompanied by difficulties of a weather nature - only a month later the flotilla managed to reach the Norwegian island of Senja. Here on August 3, 1553, Sir Willoughby decided to hold a conference with the captains of the other two ships. It was decided that if in the event of a storm the ships lose each other, the collection point will be the Norwegian town of Vardø. There, the participants in the voyage should wait for others if necessary. However, as subsequent events showed, these plans were not destined to come true. A storm that hit the same day scattered the ships. The better walker, the flagship Good Hope, soon broke away from the heavier Good Enterprise under Chancellor's command. Somewhere in the storm, a little "Good Hope" also disappeared.
Having lost sight of his companions, Chancellor finally overcame the storm and, according to previously adopted instructions, arrived across the rough sea to Vardø, but did not find there either the Good Hope or the Good Hope. His ship stayed in the harbor for 7 days - there was no news from Willoughby and his companions. Realizing that the wait could drag on, Chancellor decided to continue sailing on his own. Interestingly, before sailing, the captain of the Good Enterprise made an acquaintance with a certain Scot who persistently dissuaded his interlocutor from continuing the campaign, referring to the incredible and almost insurmountable difficulties that await travelers further east. Chancellor, of course, did not listen to the Scotsman - he was determined, and besides, it is necessary to take into account the rather complicated relations between the British and the Scots. The spirit of the crew was also on top. Having replenished stocks of provisions and water, the "Good Enterprise" went east. The travelers saw an endless and deserted ocean. They were greatly surprised by the fact that, as it seemed to them, there was no night in these parts - the inhabitants of the British Isles had no idea about the polar day and the polar night.
The fate of Sir Hugh Willoughby and his companions
What happened to the other two ships of the expedition while the Good Enterprise was sailing east? The course of events was restored from the surviving logbooks. We must pay tribute to the then naval authority Sebastian Cabot - it was he who insisted that the expedition members write down everything that happens to them in special journals and do it every day. It was required to enter there data on incidents, the circumstances of the voyage, the chosen course, the discoveries made. After the end of the storm, the flagship Good Hope, together with the Good Hope who had found it, tried to return to Vardø, but could not find this place. Willoughby and Dürfert decided to head northeast.
On August 14, 1553, land was discovered from ships. The approaches to the uninhabited coast, protected by coastal ice, turned out to be shallow, and it was decided to refuse to launch the boat. Sir Willoughby ordered the coordinates to be determined and the readings recorded in the logbook. If the British calculated the latitude correctly, then they were at the Goose Land - at the southwestern tip of Novaya Zemlya, which has long been visited by Russian navigators. This fact turned into a myth about a certain "Willoughby land", the search for which was conducted even in the 18th century.
For three days the British ships moved northward until a leak was discovered on the Good Hope and both ships turned south. On August 21, 1553, Willoughby wrote in a journal that the sea was getting shallower, but the land itself was not visible. In the end, the British saw the coast and for three weeks walked along it to the west, now approaching, now moving away from the land. A week later, the ships found the mouth of the river - the weather was already beginning to deteriorate, and Willoughby, after consulting with the officers, decided to anchor here and winter. Neither people nor signs of housing were found in this remote region for travelers. It was the end of September, and Willoughby's records were rich in seals, which the British hunted. Search teams sent in different directions also found nothing that would indicate the presence of a person. Sir Hugh Willoughby made his last entry in the journal on January 8, 1554.
Death of the Good Hope crew and Admiral Willoughby
And in the spring, a group of Pomors who were hunting in the local area accidentally discovered two ships, covered with snow and anchored near the coast at the mouth of the Varzina River. Upon closer inspection and examination, it turned out that all 63 people on board were dead. Admiral Sir Hugh Willoughby was found in the cabin, staring blankly into the open log book. The holds of the ships were full of all sorts of goods, and there was also an abundance of provisions. The Pomors did not touch the find, but reported the incident to the authorities in Kholmogory, from there they reported to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. He ordered the found cargo to be sealed, and the bodies of the sailors to be transported to Kholmogory and transferred to representatives of the British side.
All the circumstances and the reason for the deaths of the crews of the Good Hope and Good Hope are still unknown. The bodies of the expedition members were found in completely natural everyday postures, moreover, even the ship's dogs were dead. The fact that both ships were sealed for better heat preservation, the cracks were carefully caulked, may indicate that Willoughby and his companions could have been poisoned by carbon monoxide due to incompletely burnt coals in the ship's hearths, and then their role played a merciless northern frost.
Richard Chancellor discovers Russia
Richard Chancellor's ship, piloted by the experienced navigator Stephen Barrow, left the North Cape astern and entered the White Sea. On August 24, 1553, still not really knowing where it was, "Edouard Bonaventure" entered the mouth of the river. Soon a fishing boat was spotted from the side, and in it - "natives". The "natives", who turned out to be gloomy-looking bearded men, began to row dexterously and hastily to the shore, believing that nothing good could be expected from the unknown newcomers who had arrived on the big ship. The British were able to catch up with the fugitives and strike up some semblance of conversation with them, using gestures. Richard Chancellor treated them politely and let them go. The "natives" were also quite polite and got away without causing any harm to the British.
Soon the news of the guests' arrival spread throughout the local district, which turned out to be the mouth of the Dvina River. From more and more numerous and friendly visitors from among the local, Chancellor soon found out that this land is called Russia, Russia, and it is ruled by the powerful Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, whose possessions are huge, and it is strictly not recommended to anger him. The locals had never heard of either the Indies or China. Chancellor was indeed a smart man: clearly realizing that trade with such a huge and rich country was no less profitable than with the legendary China, he began to seek contacts with the local leadership. The British smiled at the prospect of Russia's relative proximity - a ship could sail with goods from England and return home in one navigation.
Soon the local governor entered the deck of the Good Enterprise (obviously, the English had a hard time pronouncing the word "voivode") and inquired about the travelers' intentions. Chancellor very kindly informed him that they had come from England on behalf of King Edward VI for the sole purpose of trading. Chancellor, showing complete innocence, asked permission to buy supplies from the Russians and assign several important hostages to the ship to ensure the safety of the expedition. The "governor" replied to this that on all matters of conducting trade with foreigners, he must obtain permission from Moscow, where a special messenger would be sent. The English will be supplied with the necessary provisions, but the hostages are not supposed to be left. And no one will offend the guests.
The British noted that the "barbarians" are very friendly. While both sides were exchanging pleasantries, the messenger with all the agility that was possible to develop through the autumn thaw, rushed to Moscow. The news of the arrival of the British was very well received by Tsar Ivan Vasilievich. At this time, he was just engaged in establishing ties with Western Europe. Many old trade routes were cut. In the south, the outlets to the Black Sea were blocked by the Tatars. The western direction became inaccessible due to the unfriendly Poland. There were no reliable exits to the vastness of the Baltic.
To somewhat correct the situation, Ivan Vasilyevich, who had solved the problem of the Kazan Khanate, was preparing for the Livonian campaign. And then the news came about the emergence of an opportunity to trade with foreigners through the safe north. Ivan Vasilyevich immediately agreed to commercial relations with guests from England and invited them to his place in Moscow. The way to the capital could seem to the British too long and difficult, so all organizational issues were ordered to be solved with the help of local authorities. Having received the appropriate instructions, the royal messenger hurried back.
But the distances in Russia were really colossal - the journey to and from Moscow took many weeks. While the messenger was in a hurry to the White Sea, Chancellor began to suspect that the "barbarians" were simply stalling for time, preventing him from accessing their supreme leadership, and that they would commit some kind of deceit, like the wild Aztecs: they would lure the gullible English into a trap and kill everyone. Chancellor resorted to threats that if he was not given the opportunity to see the "king", he would leave and take all the goods with him. The northern "barbarians", knowing full well that things are heading towards winter and the polar night, and that the British will not go anywhere, they just smiled in their beards and pretended to be very saddened by the guest's upset feelings.
Finally, seeing the seething enterprise of Mr. Chancellor, it was decided to give permission for his trip to Moscow, without waiting for the messenger who was lost somewhere in the vast expanses. He was supplied with everything he needed, an escort was assigned, and the Englishman went to distant Moscow. Overcoming simply colossal distances for the insular consciousness, Chancellor became convinced that he had absolutely no idea of Russian realities. In fairness, it should be noted that this applies to very many foreigners arriving in Russia, and not only for commercial purposes.
On the way, Chancellor met a lost king's messenger with good news that the king was glad to guests and invites them to his capital. Moscow itself surprised the captain with its size - he claimed that it was larger than London in size, but built up mostly with wooden houses without any system. The traveler noted a large amount of artillery on the Russian fortifications, which, however, were not allowed to inspect him. 12 days after his arrival, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich with extraordinary pomp received Richard Chancellor, who at his own risk and risk called himself the "royal ambassador", although for such a mission he had neither the appropriate rights nor powers. We must nevertheless pay tribute to the personal qualities of the Englishman: in a completely foreign country, he did not feel intimidated by a powerful ruler, but conducted successful negotiations that turned out to be effective.
A fragment of a French engraving. Ivan the Terrible accepts Richard Chancellor
Ivan Vasilyevich kept the Englishman at his place until spring, and then with a large honorary escort sent him back to the north, where his companions had long been waiting for him. In addition to rich gifts, Chancellor carried with him the most important trophy - a royal charter for duty-free trade with England. In 1554, the Good Enterprise finally returned to England. By this time, King Edward VI had died and the letter was presented to Queen Mary. The expedition did not reach the initial plans to reach China and India, but the practical London merchants already saw excellent benefits for themselves from trade with Russia.
The society of "merchant-adventurers" was officially approved by the government and received a more euphonious name: "Moscow Trading Company". This enterprise will operate until 1917. At the head of the modernized company was Sebastian Cabot, who had not lost energy, who confidently asserted that Russia, although not China, was also very good. To consolidate his success, Richard Chancellor, in hot pursuit in 1555, again went to the distant Russian kingdom, now as a plenipotentiary, and not an impromptu ambassador. Together with him arrived two official representatives of the Moscow Company.
Ivan Vasilyevich met the guests graciously and confirmed the privileges given earlier. In the spring of 1556, the ambassadors were again released with rich gifts, and as proof of his interest in trade relations with England, Ivan Vasilyevich sent his representative to England - the clerk of the ambassadorial order Osip Grigorievich Nepey. The return trip was not easy. Having sailed on four ships densely laden with various goods, after four months of sailing, the flotilla got into a storm off the coast of Scotland. Only one ship managed to reach London - the rest sank. Death, which for a long time bypassed Richard Chancellor, overtook him almost near his native shores - the brave sailor died. Well, the Tsar's Ambassador Osip Grigorievich Nepeya was more fortunate - he not only managed to escape,but also brilliantly carry out the difficult diplomatic mission entrusted to him. In 1557, accompanied by another British embassy and gifts from the royal court, he returned to Russia.
Since then, trade between Russia and England has become regular, stopping only during wars where these states were opponents. The importance of the northern harbors, first of all that appeared later than Arkhangelsk, was very great in trade with Western Europe until the founding of St. Petersburg. Ships flying the English flag often visited the waters of the White Sea, and their visits were not always peaceful.
Author: Denis Brig