Yuri Lisyansky

Yuri Fyodorovich Lisyansky (also spelled as Urey Lisiansky and Lisianski) (Ukrainian: Юрій Федорович Лисянський Jurij Fedorovyč Lysjanskyj, Russian: Юрий Фёдорович Лисянский Jurij Fëdorovič Lisjanskij, August 13, 1773—March 6, 1837) was an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy and explorer of Ukrainian origin.

Lisyansky was born in Nizhyn (now Ukraine, then Russian Empire) in the family of the orthodox priest and was a descendant of old Cossack family. In 1786 he graduated from the Navy Cadet Corps and took part in the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790). During 1790-1793 he served in the Baltic Fleet. During 1793-1799 he sailed British ships all over the globe.

In 1803-1806 Lisyanski as the commanding officer of the sloop-of-war Neva took part in the first Russian circumnavigation of the Earth headed by Krusenstern. They started from Kronstadt, but the ships split after visiting Hawaii and Lisianski headed to Russian America (Alaska). In 1804 the Neva visited Easter Island,^[1] and later that year, was essential in defeating the Tlingit in the Battle of Sitka, Alaska. In 1805 he met Krusenstern again in Macau, but they soon separated. Also in 1805, he was the first to describe the Hawaiian monk seal on the island which now bears his name.^[2] Eventually, the Neva was the first to return to Kronstadt on July 22, 1806. For this feat Lisyanski was awarded in various ways, including the decoration with the Order of Saint Vladimir of 3rd degree.

Lisyanski was buried at Lazarev Cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, St. Petersburg.

Memorials

A number of places are named after him: Lisianski Island in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a peninsula of Baranof Island, Alaska, a bay, a strait, a river, a cape in North America, an undersea mountain in Okhotsk Sea and a peninsula by the Okhotsk Sea.

References

• Voyage round the world in the Ship "Neva" Lisiansky, London 1814
• Naming of Alaska