Robert Crown

Roman (Robert) Vasilievich Crown; (, near Perth, Scotland – 1841, Saint Petersburg) was a navy officer in British and Russian service. In the later he eventually became an Admiral and served in the Russo-Swedish War and the Napoleonic Wars. Life Early naval Career in British Service Robert Crown came from a family of Scottish tenants said to have been related to the Gregor clan. He began his maritime service with the Merchant Navy, joined the British Royal Navy (as a navigator, on the frigate Odeon, in squadrons under Admiral Edward Vernon in India about 1778) and participated in the American Revolutionary War. In early 1788 he became an officer in the Imperial Russian Navy, keeping his rank of a Lieutenant. Career in the Russian-Swedish war Already on 10 March 1788 Crown was promoted to Captain-Lieutenant and appointed commander of the 22-gun cutter Merkuriy, which was part of the Baltic fleet squadron Copenhagen. On this ship, Captain Crown carried out patrol services during the Russian-Swedish war in the Baltic Sea. His most important success was the capture of the Swedish 44-gun frigate Venus in the fjord of Christiania on 21 May 1789. Crown was promoted to 2nd rank captain and awarded the Order of St. George 4th class. He received command over the Venus and led it in the battle of Reval and in the battle of Vyborg Bay in 1790. In the course of the latter he captured the ship of the line "Rättvisan" (Justice, built 1783). In recognition of his merits, he was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir 3rd class and promoted to 1st rank captain (Captain-Commodore). In 1791 Crown, together with many other naval officers of British origin, was transferred to the Black Sea in expectation of war with England.