Aleksandr Baranov

Aleksandr Andreyevich Baranov (1747–1819) was a Russian merchant who served as the first Chief Manager of the Russian-American Company from 1799 to 1818, making him effectively the first governor of Russian America. Born in Kargopol, he arrived in Alaska in 1790, moved the main settlement to Kodiak, and in 1804 won the Battle of Sitka and established New Archangel, later the capital of Russian America [1][2].

Early Life and Arrival

Baranov was born on February 14, 1747, in Kargopol, the son of a lower-class town resident. He was hired by the Shelikhov-Golikov Company on a five-year contract starting in fall 1790. His ship wrecked on Unalaska Island in October 1790, about 600 miles from Kodiak, and Aleut help got his party through the winter. They reached Kodiak in spring 1791 [1].

Kodiak and Early Settlements

In 1792 Baranov moved the settlement from Three Saints Bay to Pavlovskaya, later Kodiak. He founded Voskresenskii, now Seward, in 1793, and a settlement at Yakutat Bay in 1795 for 30 serf farming families [1].

Chief Manager

In 1799 the Russian-American Company appointed him Chief Manager, effectively the first governor of Russian America. News of the appointment reached him only in late 1800 because of the roughly one-year travel time from St. Petersburg [1]. See the entry on the Russian-American Company.

Sitka

Baranov built a fort at Sitka in 1799 to counter perceived British encroachment. The Tlingit destroyed the Russian post in 1802. In September 1804 he returned with the frigate Neva and Aleut warriors, and after several days of naval bombardment the Tlingit abandoned their fort [1]. In the Battle of Sitka of October 1–4, 1804, Yuri Lisyansky commanded the naval force, and Baranov was seriously wounded in a failed assault on October 1 [2]. See the entry on Novo-Arkhangelsk.

Fur Trade and Fort Ross

Baranov expanded the sea otter and seal trade, including hunting along the California coast, and collected yasak, a tribute of furs, from Alaska Natives. In 1812 he established Fort Ross about 50 miles north of San Francisco to grow food for the Alaskan colonies. The Hawaiian outpost of Dr. Georg Schäffer failed in 1815 and was costly to the company [1].

Retirement and Death

Ludwig von Hagemeister replaced him in early 1818. An audit found the books balanced and no evidence of wrongdoing, though Baranov was nearly insolvent from helping others with his own money. He sailed for Russia in November 1818, became ill at Batavia in March 1819 and died on April 28, 1819 (Gregorian calendar), and was buried at sea in the Sunda Strait [1]. Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska is named for him.

FAQs

Who was Aleksandr Baranov? The first Chief Manager of the Russian-American Company, effectively the first governor of Russian America.

When did he govern? From 1799 to 1818.

What did he found? Settlements at Kodiak, Voskresenskii, Yakutat and Sitka, and Fort Ross in California.

What happened at the Battle of Sitka? In 1804 Russian forces defeated the Tlingit at Sitka after a naval bombardment.

How did Baranov die? He fell ill at Batavia in 1819 and was buried at sea in the Sunda Strait.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Alexander Andreyevich Baranov
2. Wikipedia: Battle of Sitka

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue