Fedot Alekseyevich Popov facts for kids
Fedot Alekseyevich Popov was a brave Russian explorer. He is also known as Fedot Alekseyev. He was nicknamed "Kholmogorian" because he was born in Kholmogory. We don't know exactly when he was born, but he died sometime between 1648 and 1654. Fedot Popov helped organize the first European trip through the Bering Strait. This is a narrow sea passage that connects the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
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Early Life and Journeys
Fedot Alekseyev was from Kholmogory, a town in Russia. He worked for a rich merchant named Alexey Usov. In 1639, Fedot traveled to Siberia. This was a huge and wild part of Russia.
He moved east, exploring many places. He visited Tyumen, Tobolsk, and Tomsk. By 1641, he was in Yeniseisk. In 1642, he reached Yakutsk.
Exploring with Ivan Rebrov
In 1642, Fedot joined a group of about 100 men. Their leader was Ivan Rebrov. They traveled down the Lena River to the sea. Then they went up the Olenyok River to the west. Fedot had 29 men under his command.
Two years later, they faced a challenge. Local Tungus groups defeated them. Fedot and his companions had to flee down the river. After this, Fedot and some others sailed east. They headed towards the Kolyma River.
Expedition to the East
Fedot arrived at Srednekolymsk in 1645. He had 12 men with him. He also traveled with a woman from the Yakut people.
He heard stories about a rich "Pogycha River" to the east. Fedot decided to organize an expedition to find it. Since he was not a government official, Semyon Dezhnev was chosen as the official leader of the trip.
Facing the Arctic Ice
In June 1647, Fedot and Dezhnev set off. They sailed down the river to the Arctic Ocean. They had 50 men in four special boats called koches. But thick ice forced them to turn back.
They tried again the next year, in 1648. For more details, you can read about Semyon Dezhnev.
Reaching the Pacific Ocean
Around September 1648, Fedot's expedition achieved something amazing. They sailed around the northeastern tip of Asia. This meant they entered the Pacific Ocean.
On September 20, 1648 (which is September 30 in our modern calendar), Fedot was hurt. He was wounded in a fight with the Chukchi people.
About October 1st, a big storm hit. It separated Fedot's boat from Dezhnev's. After this, we lose track of Fedot.
What Happened to Fedot?
Years later, in 1653 or 1654, Dezhnev found the Yakut woman who had traveled with Fedot. She was with the Koryaks people.
She told Dezhnev that Fedot had died from scurvy. Scurvy is a serious illness caused by not getting enough vitamin C. She also said that some of his companions were killed by the Koryaks. The rest fled in small boats, and their fate is unknown.
Based on where the woman was found, Fedot's boat likely crashed. This probably happened somewhere south of the Anadyr Estuary.
Fedot's Importance
Semyon Dezhnev is often called the first European to reach the Bering Strait. This is because he was the official leader. He also left behind most of the written records.
However, Fedot Alekseyev was the one who organized the expedition. He might have been even more important than the few records show.
The Fedotov Legend
In 1697, another explorer named Vladimir Atlasov reached Kamchatka. This is a peninsula in eastern Russia. He heard stories that other Russians had been there before him.
The local people told him about a man named "Fedotov" and his men. They said Fedotov and his group had lived on the Nikul River. This river flows into the Kamchatka River. The Russians had married local women. People could still see the ruins of their huts.
The natives first thought these Russians were like gods or spirits. They left them alone. But then they saw one Russian kill another. This changed their minds. The local people attacked the Russians. Some Russians fled west towards the Sea of Okhotsk. But all of them were eventually killed. Some were killed by the Kamchadals, and others by the Koryaks.
Who Was Fedotov?
Historians have wondered who this "Fedotov" was. There are a few ideas:
- Some thought he might have been Fedot Popov's son. But there is no proof.
- Others believed "Fedotov" was Fedot Popov himself. They tried to explain how this could fit with the story of the Yakut woman.
- He might have been one of the men lost from Dezhnev's expedition. Or perhaps from another unknown expedition. There were also other Russians named Vas'ka Fedotov or Fedor whose names could have been mixed up.
- He could have been another Russian explorer. This person might not appear in any records that still exist today.
We can say for sure that some Russians reached Kamchatka in the second half of the 1600s. They died there. Exactly who they were remains a mystery.
See also
In Spanish: Fedot Popov para niños
