Sailing ship era naval warfare

Author: (British) Andrew Lambert
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Today, we have an unprecedented interest in the dramatic naval battles of the Age of Sail. This book vividly depicts the most dramatic naval battles of the Age of Sail's peak period, from 1650 to 1850, which were highly dramatic both at the time and in the entire history of naval warfare. The book begins with the background of naval battles in the Age of Sail, introducing the origins of naval power, the organization of navies, ship design, naval bases, shipboard weapons, naval tactics, and the fascinating life aboard warships. It not only covers the history of naval battles and naval construction during the Age of Sail but also connects the navy to the national policies, commercial expansion, and imperial ambitions of naval powers. The history of naval battles in the Age of Sail began with the Anglo-Dutch War of 1650-1674, which marked the birth of modern naval power. The author then discusses the rise and fall of the French Navy during the reign of Louis XIV. Subsequently, as the respective strengths of France and Britain expanded, their conflicts on a global scale intensified. Napoleon's rise brought the Age of Sail's naval battles to their climax. Many outstanding naval commanders achieved immortal glory in the Napoleonic Wars, including Rodney and Saint Vincent, but the most important figure was Nelson—the hero of the Battle of the Nile and the Battle of Trafalgar. The victory of the British Navy preserved itself and laid the foundation for ultimately defeating Napoleon and exiling him. This book uses numerous contemporary paintings and computer-generated maps and diagrams, making it an excellent read on naval battle history. Dr. Andrew Lambert is a professor of naval history at the Department of War Studies, King's College London. He specializes in the study of naval and strategic history. Lambert is the Honorary Secretary of the Naval Records Society and a member of the Royal Historical Society. His major works include The Crimean War: Britain, Russia, and the Great Game of 1853–1856 (published in 1990) and The Last Fleet: The War for Mastery of the Seas, 1815–1850 (published in 1991). This book is part of the multi-volume series "Warfare in History" published by Cassell, which covers warfare from ancient times to the modern era, written by historians from various fields. The series is edited by John Keegan, one of the most distinguished military historians of our time. The maps in the book were drawn by Malcolm Swanston and his team, who developed a series of unique and highly innovative mapping techniques, providing a brilliant complement to the main text.