05月25日

Born in 1796 into German Baltic nobility, Wrangel joined the Imperial Russian Navy early in life. He led exploratory missions across Siberia and mapped large stretches of the Arctic coastline. From 1820 to 1824, he commanded an expedition to the East Siberian Sea, documenting hitherto unknown islands. Later, as Governor of Russian America (1829–1835), he improved Russian settlements in Alaska and advocated for scientific research. Wrangel’s detailed reports on Arctic geography and ethnography advanced European understanding of polar regions. He retired in 1855 with the rank of admiral and continued to publish on his discoveries. His name was given to Wrangel Island in his honor.