Madagascar our: hidden expedition of Peter the great in Africa

With the beginning of the era of Great geographical discoveries of Portugal and Spain rushed to cut the world, establishing their authority in the overseas territories. Later they were joined by England, France and Holland. Russia, who had sensible of the fleet, could think only about the joining of adjacent land. While on the throne is ascended by Peter I.

The great reformer, among other things, brought from Europe the culture of shipbuilding. With the advent of solid courts of the Emperor could not receive colonial ambitions. But by the time most of the land was already divided, so I had to look for what is bad. Bad lay an island off the East coast of Africa called Madagascar, where pirates were organized like a state.

First of Madagascar ruled by the French, but in 1670 on the island of the outbreak of the rebellion and all colonists killed. The remaining base was chosen by the buccaneers: it was easy to attack merchant ships coming to India and back. From time to time, the Europeans sent a punitive expedition, but not too accentuated, so to eradicate piracy have failed. So on the island gradually developed the so-called Malagasy Kingdom, which dominated the reputable pirates.

Map of Madagascar 1702.

In 1721, to seize Madagascar was conceived by the Swedes. After losing the great Northern war, the Kingdom needed new sources of income. At the head of the African expedition set of Vice Admiral Daniel Wilster, but it soon became clear that the Treasury is so thin that the money for the equipment of the ships is not enough, and the project stalled.

Training launched in revel (now Tallinn) in secrecy. All correspondence was carried out in the camp office of the commander of the Russian Navy General-Admiral Apraksin employees without the involvement of the Admiralty Board and the Ministry of foreign Affairs: they were filled with the representatives of the Western courtyards. The documents did not even point to a destination, wrote: "to Follow in an assigned place."

World map of the XVII century with the intended route of the expedition.

The Wilster was taken to Rogervik, and to the departure he lived in the house of the commandant in complete isolation, is actually a prisoner. Go decided not under the military flag, as the multi-gun ships and frigates under the trade flag suspicious phenomenon, was ordered to avoid busy shipping lanes. The route was paved through the English channel and around Britain. The allocated from the Treasury three thousand rubles fitted out two frigates built in Dutch: "Amsterdam Galey" and "Dacron de Lude". Who led the expedition to the Wilster was instructed to crush the main pirate base, to deliver a letter of Peter the Bishop of Madagascar, and to negotiate with him on the establishment of diplomatic and trade relations.

The ships sailed from revel 21 Dec 1723. But before they could even get to the Danish island during the storm one of the frigate sprang a leak and the other problems were found with stability. They had to return empty-handed to port. Peter however has not abandoned his intention, turned a new and more thorough cooking. However, after the death of the first Russian Emperor on the African campaign put a cross. So Russia got to the Black continent.