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'''Vitus Bering''' (1680-1741), was an 18th century Danish navigator and explorer, and the discover of the [[Bering Sea|sea]] and island which bear his name.

'''Vitus Bering''' (1680–1741), was an 18th century Danish navigator and explorer, and the discover of the [[Bering Sea|sea]] and island which bear his name.

Bering was born in 1680 at Horsens on the Jutland penninsula. In 1703 he entered the Russian navy and saw action in the [[Great Northern War]] against [[Sweden]].  After that war, he led a series of explorations on the northern coast of Asia at the behest of Russian czar [[Peter the Great]]; this in turn led to a major expedition to Kamchatka.  Crossing overland to Okhotsk in 1725, Bering crossed the sea to the Kamchatka penninsula where he began construction of his ship ''Gabriel''.  He sailed her as far northward as he could until he could no longer observe land either to the north or east; by 1730 he was back in [[St. Petersburg]], drafting reports as to what he had done and discovered.

Bering was born in 1680 at Horsens on the Jutland penninsula. In 1703 he entered the Russian navy and saw action in the [[Great Northern War]] against [[Sweden]].  After that war, he led a series of explorations on the northern coast of Asia at the behest of Russian czar [[Peter the Great]]; this in turn led to a major expedition to Kamchatka.  Crossing overland to Okhotsk in 1725, Bering crossed the sea to the Kamchatka penninsula where he began construction of his ship ''Gabriel''.  He sailed her as far northward as he could until he could no longer observe land either to the north or east; by 1730 he was back in [[St. Petersburg]], drafting reports as to what he had done and discovered.