According to legend, a young turner from the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences, Andrey Nartov, caught the attention of Peter I himself. The Tsar was amazed by the intellect and talent of the 19-year-old and ordered him to be appointed to the palace turning shop. It was there that his rapid career began.

At that time, the turning craft was poorly developed not only in Russia but also in Europe. Nartov invented a lathe-copying machine with an automatic support that allowed for more precise and accurate turning of parts. After this, he was sent abroad for training, but in reality, he taught foreign specialists the craft of turning. English masters could not reproduce his universal machine from the blueprints and were only able to replicate his invention 90 years later.

However, the main work of Nartov's life became his developments in the field of artillery weaponry. He created a rapid-fire battery, which was a true engineering marvel for its time. On a round shield, 44 mortars were installed, firing in turn while others were cleaned and reloaded. He also proposed an original method for repairing cracks in cannons, which allowed many weapons to be returned to service. Another of his inventions was an optical sight that significantly simplified aiming.

Nartov's military achievements made Russia one of the leading countries in the field of artillery. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded 5,000 rubles and several villages in the Novgorod district. However, he spent most of this money not on entertainment but on his developments. The brilliant inventor passed away in 1756 at the age of 63.