Slava was built by the Baltic Works at Saint Petersburg. She was laid down on 1 November 1902, launched on 29 August 1903, and completed in October 1905, too late to participate in the Russo-Japanese War. Serving in the Baltic Sea during World War I, Slava was the largest ship of the Russian Gulf of Riga Squadron that fought the German High Seas Fleet in the Battle of the Gulf of Riga in August 1915. During the Battle of Moon Sound in 1917, Slava was badly damaged by the German dreadnought SMS König, it was impossible to escape and she was scuttled in the Moon Sound Strait.