Author Description

The feats of the British Navy are known and celebrated world-wide. The force that crushed the Armada in 1588 and defeated the French at Trafalgar in 1805 had a profound impact on world affairs for well nigh two centuries. More than this, it worked its way deep into the national psyche--as seen in the words to Rule, Britannia--not only through its many great exploits, but through the reputation of the ordinary sailors for courage, enterprise, tenacity, and humor.Written by an international team of experts, this lavishly illustrated volume--boasting more than 200 pictures, including sixteen pages of color plates--provides a superb chronicle of the Royal Navy's glorious history. Everything is here--from the building of the Mary Rose, the first great man-of-war, sunk in 1545 (and recently rediscovered); to the Elizabethan navy led by such adventurers as Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins; to the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the great sea battles at Leghorn and Scheveningen and Trafalgar; to the great admirals, such as Robert Blake, the finest seaman of the commonwealth period, and of course Horatio Nelson, the greatest fighting officer in the history of the Royal Navy. Throughout, the contributors illuminate the Navy's evolving strategy, operations, ship and weapon construction, organization, manning, training, and status in society from medieval times to the present day. And they take great care to place this stirring history against the social, economic, and political climate of the time. There is even a fascinating look at the Royal Navy's role in exploration and discovery, from the great scientific voyages of Captain James Cook, to the travels of the Beagle to the Galapagos, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia, with Charles Darwin on board.The Oxford Illustrated History of the Royal Navy recounts in vivid detail the magnificent achievements of the world's most famous Navy. It is an essential volume for anyone interested in maritime or military history.