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The Royal Navy was by far the most powerful of the world’s fleets. It kept the British Isles immune from invasion and was also primed to blockade enemy ports in time of war. Fundamentally, however, its purpose was the protection of trade. Any threat to Britain’s naval supremacy was a threat to the nation itself.
He built the first naval dock at Portsmouth. As well as space for building the ships, great storehouses had to be built, because the new ships needed lots of supplies. Henry also set up the Navy Board, the administrative wing of the navy, which oversaw the running of the navy.
When did the English Navy become the British navy?
The English Navy becomes the Royal Navy after the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II in 1660.
Who is called the father of the English Navy?
Henry VIII
Henry VIII. Biographer Jack Scarisbrick says that Henry VIII (reigned 1509–1547) deserved his traditional title of “Father of the English navy”. He inherited seven small warships from his father, and added two dozen more by 1514.
| Royal Navy | |
|---|---|
| Size | 34,040 active personnel 4,130 maritime reserve 7,960 royal fleet reserve 76 commissioned ships; 87 including RFA 174 aircraft |
| Part of | Her Majesty’s Naval Service |
| Naval Staff Offices | Whitehall, London, United Kingdom |
| Nickname(s) | Senior Service |
the Portuguese Navy
On 12 December 2017, the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal. Tracing its origins back to the 12th century, it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world.
Which King founded the British navy?
The official history of the Royal Navy began with the establishment of the Navy Royal by Henry VIII in 1546. The modern incarnation of the institution re-emerged as the national naval force of the Kingdom of England in 1660, following the Restoration of King Charles II to the throne.
Why did Britain have a large navy in the nineteenth century?
When England found its self isolated, foreign invasion became a possibility, such as with Napoleon in the early nineteenth century. A large navy would usually mean a smaller army because of resource constraints; as a result Britain would need to rely on an allied power to fight on land.
Britain fought most of this war on the seas, both in Europe and the Americas. And the English navy would play an important role in Great Britain’s victory. English naval power would reach its zenith during this war; very few English ships were sunk, while no fewer then 1165 French merchant ships were taken as prizes. [43]
After the Queen Anne’s death in 1714, the Hanoverians were instated as the Ruling Dynasty in England. It is under the Hanoverians that the Navy would see the most important developments in its history. By the end of 1755, the navy had expanded to over 200 ships in commission, including 88 of the line, and personnel of 40,000. [36]
How many ships were in the Navy during the Seven Years War?
When the Seven Years War began, the navy had increased to 239 total ships in commission, in which 90 were ships of the line. [37] And the manpower had increased to over sixty thousand. [38] At the height of the Seven Years War in 1759, the Navy had increased to about 300 ships with over 80,000 Navy personnel. [39]