Petr Anjou

Born Feb. 15, 1796, in Vyshni Volochek; died Oct. 12, 1869, in St. Petersburg. Arctic explorer and admiral of the Russian Fleet.

In 1820 as a navy lieutenant Anjou was assigned the task of charting the northern coast of Siberia; from 1821 to 1823 with the aides P. I. Il’in, I. A. Berezhnykh, and A. E. Figurin, he described the shores and islands between the Olenek and Indigirka rivers and compiled a chart of the Novosibirsk Islands. From 1825 to 1826, Anjou took part in the charting of the northeast shore of the Caspian Sea and the western shore of the Aral Sea. In 1827 he distinguished himself at the Battle of Navarino, being at that time a lieutenant on the Gangut, a ship of the line. Subsequently, Anjou held command posts and served in the Admiralty and scientific institutions of the Navy Department. One of the groups of Novosibirsk Islands—the Anzhu Islands—was named after him.