Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:52:53-2:53:24

Q&A: Were the Imperatritsa Mariyas pocket battleships?

A classification question distinguishes a theater-sized battleship from the later pocket-battleship concept.

Battleship ClassificationBlack Sea FleetImperatritsa Mariya Class BattleshipsNaval Strategy
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Question

Were the Imperatritsa Mariya-class ships pocket battleships?

Short answer

No; they were smaller Black Sea battleships designed for their theater, perhaps better described as second-class battleships.

Notes

The Imperatritsa Mariya class does not fit the pocket-battleship label. These were smaller battleships designed around the requirements of the Black Sea. A term such as second-class battleship might describe their scale more closely, although that suggestion remains tentative. Their size followed theater and mission.