Mikhail Lazarev discovered a geographical object. Lazarev Mikhail Petrovich biography briefly

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev

Mikhail Lazarev was born on November 3, 1788 in the city of Vladimir. His father, senator, privy councilor Pyotr Gavrilovich Lazarev, was the ruler of the Vladimir governorship. After the death of his father, by imperial decree of January 25, 1800, the future naval commander and his brothers Alexei and Andrey were accepted into the Naval Cadet Corps. Hard classes in classes were combined with hikes in the Gulf of Finland. Already for their first voyage, Andrei and Mikhail Lazarev received a flattering assessment. Soon they noticed Mikhail’s ability and zeal in studying maritime affairs. After the exams on May 19, 1803, midshipman Mikhail Lazarev was among the first. After several months of cruising in the Baltic Sea, he was among the best midshipmen sent as a volunteer to England for sea practice. For 5 years, the young sailor sailed in the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the North and Mediterranean seas, engaged in self-education, studied history and ethnography. Upon his return in 1808, he was promoted to midshipman. The young officer took part in the Russian-Swedish war, then, sailing on light ships, more than once showed dashingness and agility. In 1811, Lazarev became a lieutenant. In 1812, he served on the brig Phoenix and received a silver medal for valor in World War II.

Brilliant certifications made it possible to entrust the seaman with a responsible task. On October 9, 1813, the ship “Suvorov” left the Kronstadt port under a commercial flag, which was supposed to deliver cargo to the Far East. Lazarev successfully completed the assignment and discovered the uninhabited Suvorov Islands in the Pacific Ocean. He purchased a shipment of quinine and other local goods from Peru. In addition, animals that were not available in Russia were taken on board. Having rounded Cape Horn, the ship returned to Kronstadt on July 15, 1816. During the circumnavigation of the world, the Suvorov sailors clarified the coordinates and surveyed sections of the coasts of Australia, Brazil, and North America.

Discovery of Antarctica

On July 4, 1819, the sloops “Vostok” (commanded by Bellingshausen) and “Mirny” (commanded by Lazarev) left Kronstadt to search for lands near the South Pole. Having entered England and the island of Tenerife, the ships arrived across the Atlantic in Rio de Janeiro. From the coast of Brazil they headed south and in December reached the island of New Georgia, discovered by Cook. In the same area, sailors found and described several islands and found out that the land of Sandwich, so named by Cook, is in fact the archipelago of the South Sandwich Islands. The Russians approached the then unknown Antarctica. Many icebergs testified to the proximity of a vast land. On January 4, 1820, the expedition advanced half a degree further than Cook. Despite ice and fog, on January 15, the ships crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time, and the next day they reached a latitude of 69 degrees 25 minutes. Several times the sailors tried to go further south, but everywhere they encountered solid ice. It was later established that on February 5 and 6, the expedition did not reach only three or four kilometers to the Princess Astrid Coast of the Antarctic continent. But so far this was not known. In addition to icebergs, the proximity of the coast was evidenced by the appearance of birds.

After the onset of the southern winter, the expedition headed north. Sailors discovered several unknown islands in the Tuamotu archipelago. In November, the ships headed south again. Despite the difference in speed, they did not separate, except for those cases when the commanders intended to explore a wider strip of sea. A serious storm in mid-December did not interrupt the research. The ships crossed the Arctic Circle three times; on January 10, 1821, they advanced to 69 degrees 53 minutes south latitude, but encountered solid ice. F.F. Bellingshausen turned east, and soon the sailors discovered the island of Peter I, and on January 17, in clear weather, they saw land in the south, which they called Alexander Land. It was later established that it was a part of Antarctica, connected to the mainland by the George VI ice shelf. Despite the fact that it was not possible to get closer to the ground than 40 miles, the highest Mount St. George the Victorious was clearly visible. Then the sailors, having sailed around the South Shetland Islands, established that the British mistakenly believed that this land discovered in 1819 by Captain Smith was part of the mainland.

Since the “Vostok” required repairs, the expedition, which explored the circumpolar region from all sides, set off on the return journey and arrived in Kronstadt on July 24, 1821. During the voyage, 29 islands were discovered, and 28 objects with Russian names were marked on the map of Antarctica. It became clear that there was a vast land around the South Pole, giving rise to a mass of icebergs. In honor of the circumnavigation of the world, a medal was minted and the participants were awarded. For the merits of M.P. Lazarev was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank through the rank.

On August 17, 1822, Lazarev with the frigate “Cruiser” and the sloop “Ladoga” set out from Kronstadt and delivered cargo to the Pacific ports of Russia. On August 5, 1824, Lazarev returned to Kronstadt on a frigate, completing his third circumnavigation. For a successful campaign, he was promoted to captain of the 1st rank and awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree.

On February 27, 1826, the sailor was appointed to command the 12-m fleet crew and the ship “Azov”. He and his assistants completed the construction of the ship in Arkhangelsk, delving into every detail and making improvements to the design. This ship has long been a model for shipbuilders. On October 5, Lazarev brought the ships “Azov”, “Ezekiel” and the sloop “Smirny” to Kronstadt.

From May 21 to August 8, 1827, “Azov” was in the squadron of Admiral D.N. Senyavin, who moved to Portsmouth. Then the L.F. squadron was separated and sent to the Mediterranean Sea. Heyden. The commander of the flagship Azov was also the chief of staff of the squadron. In the Battle of Navarino on October 8, 1827, Azov played a decisive role, fighting a significant part of the Turkish fleet alone until the lagging ships arrived and destroying several Egyptian ships, including flagships. For the heroism shown in the battle, Lazarev was promoted to rear admiral and awarded orders on behalf of the English, French and Greek kings. “Azov” was the first to receive the stern St. George flag.

He graduated from the Naval Cadet Corps in 1803. Until 1807, he served in the English Navy, where he was sent to familiarize himself with the organization of naval service. Participated in the Russian-Swedish war of 1808–1809. and the Patriotic War of 1812. Commanding the brig Phoenix, he landed troops in the area of ​​Danzig (Gdansk) in order to pull the French troops away from Riga.

In 1813–1816, as commander of the ship "Suvorov", he made his first circumnavigation of the world, calling at Alaska, during which he discovered Suvorov Atoll.

In 1819–1821, commanding the sloop Mirny, he participated in the expedition of F. F. Bellingshausen, which circumnavigated the world, was the first to visit the coast of Antarctica and discovered numerous islands.

In 1822–1825 Lazarev circumnavigated the world on the frigate "Cruiser", during which he conducted a series of latitudinal scientific research in meteorology, oceanography, etc. In 1826, as a captain of the 1st rank, chief of staff of the squadron and commander of the battleship "Azov", he made a trip to the Mediterranean sea, where he successfully participated in the Battle of Navarino in 1827 against the Turkish-Egyptian fleet. Lazarev, who distinguished himself in the battle, was promoted to rear admiral, and Azov was awarded the right to carry the St. George flag at the stern.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1828–1829. Lazarev led the naval blockade of the Dardanelles. After the conclusion of the Peace of Adrianople in 1830, at the head of a squadron of 10 ships, he circumnavigated Europe and returned to the Baltic, where he commanded a detachment of ships. Since 1832, chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet. In 1833, at the head of the squadron, he made a trip to the Bosphorus, as a result of which the Unkyar-Iskelesi Treaty was concluded between Russia and Turkey.

Since 1833, vice admiral, commander of the Black Sea Fleet and Black Sea ports, military governor of Sevastopol and Nikolaev. During the 18 years of command of the Black Sea Fleet under the leadership of Lazarev, 16 battleships and over 150 other ships were built, including the first steam frigates and ships with an iron hull, some of the ships were armed with bomb cannons, a dock and workshops were built in Sevastopol, coastal batteries were created, The Admiralty was established, the Sevastopol Maritime Library was founded. Reflecting attempts by the Anglo-Turkish fleet to seize the Caucasus. Black Sea Fleet under the command of Lazarev in the 1830s–40s. repeatedly landed troops, assisting ground forces.

Lazarev was an honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society and a member of other Russian and foreign societies. An atoll in the group of Russian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, capes in the Amur Estuary and in the northern part of Unimak Island, an island in the Aral Sea, a bay and port in the Sea of ​​Japan, a Soviet Antarctic scientific station, a sea and a glacier in Antarctica are named after Lazarev. A Soviet icebreaker operating in the Arctic was named after Lazarev.

What did the navigator Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev discover? He gave the world Antarctica. Mikhail Petrovich was the commander of the famous Black Sea Fleet and simply a daredevil. He is such a respected naval commander that the Soviet government created postage stamps in his honor. A traveler by nature, he traveled around the world on the frigate Suvorov.

The birth of a great naval commander and navigator

The navigator Lazarev, whose brief biography is presented to your attention in the article, was born in the city of Vladimir. Father, Lazarev Pyotr Gavrilovich, was a senator and was from the nobility. The exact date of birth is unknown, but various days are given between November 3 and November 14, 1788.

Lazarev family

Gavrilovich, gave the Russian naval leadership wonderful sailors. The eldest son is Vice Admiral Andrei Petrovich Lazarev, the youngest is Rear Admiral Lazarev. In 1800, the father died, having previously ordered the surrender of his sons to the naval cadet corps.

First service

That same year, the brothers were accepted into the corps and awarded the rank of privates. They received their first education in the naval cadet corps. The senior management became interested in one of the brothers, Mikhail. He showed interest in everything related to maritime affairs, delved into the essence of the process and showed hope.

Three years later, on June 3, Mikhail Lazarev was promoted to midshipman, which was slightly higher than a private, but lower than an officer. He gained naval experience on the ship Yaroslavl. After which he was sent as a volunteer to serve in the English fleet.

Navigator Lazarev's service in the English fleet. First promotion

Mikhail did not intend to stay in the midshipmen. In 1806, on January 8, the English naval command promoted him to midshipman. Sailing on a foreign ship provided Lazarev with a path to the big sea. He visited the North and Mediterranean seas, sailed in the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to this, I gained invaluable experience and knowledge.

Homecoming. Service in the Baltic Fleet

In service in the Baltic Fleet, the Russian navigator M.P. Lazarev was there from 1808 to 18013. The service for Mikhail was not ordinary, but filled with events. In 1808, the Russian-Swedish war began, where he took part as an officer on a ship. In 1812 he defended the Baltic Sea in the Patriotic War.

Frigate "Suvorov" and voyage around the world

The biography of the navigator Lazarev contains information that after a long sea voyage, rich naval experience, two wars and a career rise, he gets the frigate “Suvorov”, which will sail around the world.

The frigate "Suvorov" was built with money from the American-Russian Company, which was created by industrialists from Russia. It was important for the company to organize permanent supplies from Russian Alaska to St. Petersburg. The Suvorov was created to find a suitable sea route.

All preparatory activities were completed in October 1813, and the ship set off on its journey. The voyage began with viscous fog and gusty winds, from which the ship took refuge in the harbor of Karlskrona (Sweden). On the way, we encountered warships from France and Denmark, aggressively opposed to Russian ships. But Lazarev skillfully avoided a collision with them and swam to the English Channel without damage.

In Sydney, the Suvorov was greeted with a salvo of artillery shells. Of course, they didn't shoot at the ship. In such an unconventional way, the English colony of New South Wales greeted the Russian ship, congratulating them on their joint victory over the French and their allies.

Sailing from the coast of Australia, the Suvorov headed towards the east of the Pacific Ocean. Approaching the equator, on September 28, the team saw a point in the distance that was gradually taking on the shape of land. Looking at the map, the Russian navigator Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev did not notice any islands. When we sailed closer, a boat sailed from the Suvorov and explored the lost island. Upon examination, it turned out that there are several islands and all of them are coral. Most of their surface was covered with bushes and trees. discovered by Lazarev, was named after the Russian commander Suvorov.

The frigate crossed the equator on October 10 and headed north. In November, "Suvorov" sailed to Russian America in Here he was met by a representative of the management of the American-Russian company Baronov A.A., who thanked Lazarev for delivering the cargo safe and sound.

The path of “Suvorov” and the team to their homeland

After wintering in the port of Novo-Arkhgelsk, the frigate was loaded with various belongings and food. After completing the supply and checking the integrity of the ship, the Suvorov headed for the islands of the Aulet group. Arriving on the island of Unalaska, the team unloaded the entrusted cargo and loaded furs into the on-board storage facility.

The provided goods had to be delivered to Kronstadt, where they were unloaded. However, before this, Suvorov had to return to Novo-Arkhagelsk.

Homecoming

In July, the Suvorov sailed from the coast of Alaska. His path lay in Kronstadt. To resolve some issues related to the Russian-American Company, Lazarev stopped at the port of Kalyan. Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev stayed in the Peruvian port for three months.

After departure, the weather did not please the ship's crew; a storm began in the Drake Passage, in which they sailed. The ship was damaged and was forced to stop on the island of Fernando de Noronha. After repairs, the Suvorov sailed from the island and went to Kronstadt.

First Russian Antarctic Expedition

Captain of the second rank F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev served together on the ships Mirny and Vostok in 1819. An expedition of two navigators was equipped to study the Southern Arctic Ocean.

The ships and their captains left Kronstadt on July 15, 1819. The icy northern sea brought trouble to the crew; it was difficult for old-style ships to move among gigantic ice blocks and powerful storms.

The ship "Mirny" was built by Russian engineers. It differed from the “Vostok” in greater strength. No matter how hard Lazarev tried to improve the characteristics of the British “Vostok”, he could not bring them to the level of “Mirny”.

The Russian ships Vostok and Mirny were pioneers. They came so close to the South Pole that for a long time their success could not be repeated by other ship crews.

“Vostok” and “Mirny” approached Antarctica on January 28, 1820. Officially, this day is recognized as the day of the discovery of Antarctica by Russians. Thus, F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev, together with their sailors, refuted the statement of James Cook. He said that there is no continent in the southern latitudes, and if there is, it is impossible to get there.

Return of the expedition

The campaign of “Vostok” and “Mirny” for a new part of the world was crowned with success. The names of the captains are forever etched in the history of Russian navigation. The international community has recognized Russia's discovery of Antarctica.

The navigators Bellingshausen and Lazarev returned to Kronstadt on August 5, 1821. Mikhail Petrovich was elevated to the rank of captain of the second rank for his participation in the expedition. In addition, they left him a pension as an additional reward.

Interesting fact: Lazarev was promoted through one rank; he moved up the career ladder, bypassing the rank of captain-lieutenant.

Frigate "Cruiser" and new commander

The highly experienced commander Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev received command of the frigate "Cruiser" in 1822 on August 29. The navigator set off on a trip around the world for the third time. This time his path lay in North America. The command assigned him the task of protecting the waters from wicked smugglers. He carried out the combat mission together with his older brother Andrei.

Tension grew in the northern part of Russian America. Gangs of smugglers of American and English origin emerged from the underground. In the port of Novo-Arkhangelsk there was a single warship that could not provide adequate protection of territorial waters. Two ships were sent to protect the waters: the frigate “Cruiser” under the leadership of Mikhail and the sloop “Ladoga” under the command of Andrey.

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev was unlucky with the weather. As soon as he left the Kronstadt roadstead, a powerful storm began, which caused the frigate to stop in Portsmouth. Weather conditions subsequently caused some more shutdowns.

Due to storms, the two ships separated. "Cruiser" and "Ladoga" found each other off the coast of Tahiti. Then their paths diverged. “Ladoga” rushed to Kamchatka, and “Cruiser” sailed to Siberia, where he carried out military service.

Protection of the territorial waters of Russian America

The “Cruiser” conducted raids off the coast of Russian America for a little less than a year. Successfully dealt with smugglers. The post handed over the sloop "Enterprise" in 1824, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander O. E. Kotzeb.

And again bad weather. As soon as the “Cruiser” set out to sea, a hurricane began. Despite this, the ship reached San Francisco, weathering the storm. Already in 1825, on August 6, the “Cruiser” arrived in Kronstadt.

As usual, Lazarev was awarded and promoted to Mikhail Petrovich did not forget about the brave team, with whom he spent two years at sea and went through several storms. He personally asked for rewards for the entire crew, even for ordinary sailors.

First signs of illness

Many outstanding people are susceptible to illness and early death. The fate did not spare Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev. He complained about his health in 1843. The first symptoms appeared, but he did not attach much importance to them. He loved his own work so much that he did not want to leave his post because of some illness.

At the beginning of 1851, the disease worsened and made itself felt. The fate of a stomach cancer patient doomed Mikhail Petrovich to a quick death. He brought his illness to such an extent that he could not eat normally.

Death

Due to illness, Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev transferred control of the fleet into the hands of Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov. He himself headed to Vienna, where he planned to spend the last year of his life. He did not show his suffering to any of his loved ones, because he was a courageous man. The great Russian navigator Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev died in Vienna on April 23, 1851.

Burial place

They buried the great Russian naval commander Mikhail Petrovich in a common tomb together with his students P. S. Nakhimov, V. A. Kornilov and V. I. Istomin. Their ashes are kept in the Vladimir Cathedral, which V.V. Putin visited in order to honor the memory of the naval commanders.

In memory of Lazarev

A special silver medal was established in honor of Mikhail Petrovich. It was awarded to outstanding specialists in maritime affairs.

Mikhail Lazarev was born on March 3, 1788 in the city of Vladimir. He was born into the family of a nobleman, Senator Pyotr Gavrilovich Lazarev, who was a representative of a side branch of the ruler of the Vladimir governorship, the Armenian aristocratic dynasty of Ambelek-Lazarevs. Shortly before his death, in 1800, his father assigned his three sons - Andrei, Mikhail, Alexei - to the Naval Cadet Corps.

In 1803, he passed the exam for the title of midshipman, becoming the third best performer out of 32 students. In December 1805, he was promoted to the first officer rank - midshipman.

Among the 30 best graduates of the corps, he was sent to Great Britain, where he served in the navy until 1808 to become familiar with the organization of naval affairs in foreign ports. For five years he was on a continuous voyage in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

In 1808-1813 he served in the Baltic Fleet. Participated in the Russian-Swedish 1808-1809 and the Patriotic War of 1812.

In 1813, Lieutenant Lazarev received a new assignment - to command the frigate Suvorov, setting off on a voyage around the world.

The ship "Suvorov", to which Lazarev was assigned, belonged to the Russian-American company, created by Russian industrialists at the end of the 18th century. The company's goal was to improve the use of the natural resources of Russian America. The company was extremely interested in regular sea communication between St. Petersburg and Russian America and spared no expense in equipping round-the-world expeditions.

At the beginning of October 1813, preparations for the trip were completed, and at dawn on October 9, the Suvorov departed from the Kronstadt roadstead.

At the beginning of the journey they were met by strong winds and thick fogs, from which the Suvorov had to take refuge in the Swedish harbor of Karlskrona. Having passed the Sound, Kattegat and Skagerrak straits and safely avoided the attack of French and allied Danish warships, Lazarev safely brought the Suvorov to the English Channel.

In Portsmouth the ship made a stopover that lasted three months. On February 27, 1814, the Suvorov left Portsmouth and headed south. Two weeks later, Lazarev’s ship was already approaching the island of Madeira. On April 2, the Suvorov crossed the equator, and on the evening of April 21, it entered Rio de Janeiro Bay. On May 24, the Suvorov left Rio de Janeiro and entered the Atlantic Ocean, heading east. Then he went around Africa from the south and, following the Indian Ocean, around Australia from the south.

In 1814, on August 14, the Suvorov entered Port Jackson Bay and headed for Sydney. When approaching the harbor, the Suvorov was greeted by the thunder of an artillery salute. This is how the governor of the colony of New South Wales, which at that time belonged to the British, greeted the Russian sailors on the occasion of the final victory over Napoleon.

From Australia, the Suvorov sailed east across the Pacific Ocean, again approaching the equator. On September 28, the outlines of land appeared ahead. However, on the map available to Lazarev, there were no signs of land, and only when approaching a closer distance and examining these places, Lazarev realized that in front of him was a group of coral islands rising above the surface of the ocean and connected by coral bridges. These islands were covered with bushes and trees. Lazarev gave the newly discovered islands the name of Suvorov.

Having completed the survey of the islands, "Suvorov" again continued its journey with a deviation to the north. On October 10, the equator was crossed.

In November, Lazarev's ship approached the center of Russian America - the port and settlement of Novo-Arkhangelsk. Here Lazarev was met by the manager of the Russian-American company A.A. Baranov, who expressed gratitude to him for the safety of the cargo entrusted to him.

For the winter, "Suvorov" remained in Novo-Arkhangelsk. After the end of the winter, “Suvorov” was loaded with food and goods, and by order of A.A. Baranov, Lazarev headed for one of the islands of the Aleutian group and the Pribilof Islands located next to it. Having unloaded the cargo entrusted to him, he took on board furs prepared by local industrialists. Lazarev's ship was on the road for just over a month. The cargo taken on board in Unalaska was to be delivered to Kronstadt, having previously returned to Novo-Arkhangelsk.

At the end of July, "Suvorov" left Novo-Arkhangelsk. Now his path to Kronstadt lay along the coasts of North and South America, bypassing Cape Horn. Lazarev still had to make a stop in the Peruvian port of Callao to resolve a number of issues related to the affairs of the Russian-American company.

After calling at the port of San Francisco, the Suvorov moved to the shores of Peru. During the three-month stay in the port of Callao, Lazarev and his officers became acquainted with the life of the city and port.

Having passed through the Drake Passage in stormy weather and past the dangerous Cape Horn, Lazarev ordered to turn northeast into the Atlantic Ocean. He did not stop in Rio de Janeiro, but made only a short stop at the island of Fernando de Noronha. Here the damage caused by the storm was repaired on the Suvorov, and the ship headed for the shores of England. On June 8 he was already in Portsmouth, and five weeks later he returned to Kronstadt.

In March 1819, Lazarev was assigned to command the frigate Mirny, which was to sail to the South Pole as part of an Antarctic expedition. Lazarev took over direct supervision of all preparatory work.

In June, Captain 2nd Rank F.F. Bellingshausen arrived, who was entrusted with both the command of the frigate “Vostok” and the leadership of the entire expedition. A month after his arrival, Vostok and Mirny left the Kronstadt roadstead and moved towards the South Pole.

"Mirny", built according to the design of Russian naval engineers and, moreover, sufficiently fortified by Lazarev, showed its brilliant qualities. However, the Vostok, built by British engineers, was still qualitatively inferior to the Mirny, despite all Lazarev’s efforts to make it just as durable.

For participation in the Antarctic expedition, Lazarev was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank, bypassing the rank of captain-lieutenant.

While Lazarev was on a polar expedition, the situation in the region of Russian America worsened. The actions of English and American smugglers were becoming increasingly widespread. Novo-Arkhangelsk was covered by the Apollo ship, the only military ship of the Russian-American Company, but it could not ensure the security of all Russian territorial waters in this area. Therefore, it was decided to send the 36-gun frigate “Cruiser” and the sloop “Ladoga” to the shores of Russian America. Command of the frigate was entrusted to Lazarev, and command of the Ladoga to his younger brother Andrei.

In 1822, on August 17, ships under the command of Lazarev left the Kronstadt roadstead. The expedition began in severe storms, forcing Lazarev to make a stop in Portsmouth. Only in November did they manage to leave the harbor and head for the Canary Islands, and from there to the shores of Brazil. The voyage to Rio de Janeiro took place in extremely favorable conditions, but after sailing from the capital of Brazil, the elements raged again. A hurricane arose in the sea, and storms began, accompanied by snow. Only in mid-May did the Cruiser manage to approach Tasmania. Then Lazarev's frigate headed for Tahiti.

In Tahiti, the "Cruiser" met with the "Ladoga", with which it separated during storms and now, in accordance with the instructions received earlier, each ship with the cargo entrusted to it sailed on its own course. "Ladoga" - to the Kamchatka Peninsula, "Cruiser" went to the shores of Russian America.

The Cruiser spent about a year off the coast of northwestern America, protecting Russian territorial waters from smugglers. In the summer of 1824, the “Cruiser” was replaced by the sloop “Enterprise”, which arrived in Novo-Arkhangelsk under the command of Lieutenant Commander O.E. Kotzebue. On October 16, the “Cruiser” left Novo-Arkhangelsk.

As soon as the “Cruiser” entered the open sea, the hurricane broke out again. However, Lazarev’s ship did not take refuge in San Francisco harbor, but withstood the storm on the open sea. On August 5, 1825, the “Cruiser” approached the Kronstadt roadstead.

For exemplary performance of the task, Lazarev was promoted to captain 1st rank. But the captain of the “Cruiser” insisted that not only he and his officers receive awards, but also all the sailors of his ship, participants in the most difficult voyage.

In 1826, on February 27, M.P. Lazarev was appointed commander of the 12th naval crew and the 74-gun ship "Azov" being built in Arkhangelsk. After the completion of construction, August 5 - September 19, 1826, M.P. Lazarev led the transition of a detachment of ships, consisting of the Azov, Ezekiel and the military transport Smirny, from Arkhangelsk to Kronstadt.

Commanding the ship "Azov" from June 10 to October 6, 1827, he made the transition from Kronstadt to the Mediterranean Sea. Here, on October 8, 1827, as the commander of “Azov”, M.P. Lazarev took part in the Battle of Navarino. Fighting with five Turkish ships, he destroyed them: he sank two large frigates and one corvette, burned the flagship under the flag of Tagir Pasha, forced an 80-gun battleship to run aground, and then set it on fire and blew it up. In addition, the Azov, under the command of Lazarev, destroyed the flagship of Muharrem Bey.

For his participation in the Battle of Navarino, Lazarev was promoted to rear admiral and awarded three orders at once.

In 1828-1829 he led the blockade of the Dardanelles; in 1830 he returned to Kronstadt and commanded a detachment of ships of the Baltic Fleet.

In 1832, Lazarev became chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet. In February - June 1833, commanding a squadron, he led an expedition of the Russian fleet to the Bosporus Strait, as a result of which the Unkyar-Iskelesi Treaty of 1833 was concluded. From 1833 - chief commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports, military governor of Nikolaev and Sevastopol. That same year he was promoted to vice admiral.

Commanding the Black Sea Fleet, Lazarev became its true transformer. He introduced a completely new system of training sailors directly at sea in an environment as close as possible to combat.

The warships of the Black Sea Fleet were fully equipped and equipped with higher quality artillery. Under Lazarev, the Black Sea Fleet received more than 40 sailing ships. Lazarev also ordered 6 steam frigates and 28 steamships for his fleet. The first iron steamship was built on the Black Sea and training began for service on steam ships.

However, Lazarev did not limit himself only to the technical re-equipment of the Black Sea Fleet. In Sevastopol, the Maritime Library was reorganized, a Meeting House was built, and a school for sailor children was opened. Under Lazarev, admiralty buildings were built in Nikolaev, Odessa, Novorossiysk, and construction of the admiralty began in Sevastopol.

Using his experience gained on long voyages, Lazarev established the work of a hydrographic depot, which begins to publish maps and atlases of the Black Sea. Lazarev’s services to Russian science were also appreciated by the Russian Geographical Society, electing him as an honorary member. He was also elected an honorary member of the Marine Scientific Committee, Kazan University and other scientific institutions.

Lazarev’s special merit is in training people who glorified the Russian fleet and Russia during the Crimean War of 1853-1856. Admiral Lazarev was influential as a technical specialist and mentor to young officers. He advocated equipping the Russian fleet with steam-powered ships, but the technical and economic backwardness of Russia at that time was the main obstacle to this path. He also acted as a mentor to such famous Russian naval commanders as Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin and Butakov.

In December 1850 he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

Shortly before his death from stomach cancer, on his last visit to St. Petersburg, the admiral was at a reception with Nicholas I. After a warm welcome, wanting to show the admiral his attention and respect, the sovereign said: “Old man, stay with me for dinner.” “I can’t, sir,” answered Mikhail Petrovich, “I gave my word to dine with Admiral G.” Having said this, Lazarev took out his chronometer, looked at it and, standing up impulsively, said: “I’m late, sir!” Then he kissed the puzzled emperor and quickly left the office...

In Vienna, Admiral Lazarev's illness worsened sharply. There was no hope left to save his life. Those around the admiral begged him to write a letter to the sovereign and entrust his family to him.

Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev died on April 11, 1851. He was buried in the crypt of the Vladimir Cathedral in the city of Sevastopol. His students and followers, admirals Nakhimov, Kornilov, Istomin, are also buried there.