Marko Vojnović

Count Marko Vojnović (Russian: Марк Иванович Войнович; Serbian: Marko Vojnović) (1750–1807) was an Admiral of the Russian Imperial Navy, one of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet.[1]

Marko Vojnović was born in Herceg Novi, Venetian Albania (then Dalmatia, today Montenegro). He was a member of the Serbian noble House of Vojnović. His middle name is a patronymic, based on his grandfather's name Ivan.[2]

In 1770 he was accepted in the Russian Navy as an ensign. He was distinguished in the Mediterranean expedition of Russian Navy during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774).[1]

In 1780 he was appointed the Commander of the Caspian Flotilla[1] He led an expedition to the Caspian Sea in 1781 and discovered offshore Oil and gas deposits near Chilov Island.[3]

In 1783 he was appointed the commander of the first battleship of the nascent Black Sea Fleet. In 1785 he became the commander of Sevastopol Squadron.[1] Count Marko Vojnović fought in the Black Sea against the Turkish Navy led by Hassan Pasha in 1788.[4] In the end of 1789-beginning 1790 Vojnović was the Chief of the Black Sea Fleet. His actions in the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) were considered indecisive and he was dismissed from commanding of the Fleet in March 1790.[1]

Since 1797 Vojnović was the member of the Black Sea Admiralty Administration. Since 1801 he was a full Admiral. Since 1805 he was retired.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Voynovich, Mark Ivanovich article in Great Soviet Encyclopedia (Russian)
  2. ↑ Dušan J. Martinović (2003). "Admirali i generali Vojnovići u ruskoj vojsci". Project Rastko Boka (in Serbian). Retrieved 2010-11-22.
  3. ↑ Oil exploration in Azerbaijan
  4. ↑ Battles in the Black Sea