Royal Charles (was Naseby)

helena murphy on 7 Mar 2003   Link to this

The Naseby: This ship was so named to commemorate the great parliamentarian victory over the royalist army near Naseby on June 14th 1645. The New Model Army was commanded by Cromwell, Fairfax, Skippon and Henry Ireton while the royalists were commanded by Charles I, the princes Rupert and Maurice of the Rhine,Sir Jacob Astley and Marmaduke Langdale. The battle lasted a mere three hours and the parliamentarians lost no more than 300 men. On the other hand the king's army was decimated. This battle did not end the civil war but it made the outcome inevitable as the royalists never recovered strength after this. Interestingly, the royalist infantrymen who surrendered could join the New Model Army provided they took the Covenant which was a prerequisite to serve. Ironically the Naseby was the same ship sent to Holland to bring Charles II back from his continental exile but it was then hastily renamed the Royal Charles.The Royal Charles saw action in the second Anglo-Dutch war but unfortunately it was captured by the Dutch when they humiliated Britain by sailing up the Medway in june 1666. It was towed back to Holland where it arrived amidst jubilation as one of the greatest spoils of war.

Glyn on 13 Mar 2003   Link to this

Here are two Dutch paintings of the Nazeby (which by then had been renamed the "Royal Charles") which give a very good idea of what a 17th-century warship was like. This was one of the most powerful warships of its era.

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/mag/pages/title3.cfm?pictu...

Here the ship has been captured and is being taken to the Netherlands, which is why it is flying Dutch flags. If you look closely at its stern you will see the Lion-and-Unicorn of the Royal Coat of Arms. This has been preserved and is now in the Rikjsmuseum in Amsterdam.

http://www.btinternet.com/~j.pasteur/RoyalCharl...

This painting shows it still flying the Union Jack (which you can see does not have the red diagonal stripe that later symbolized Ireland).

KVK on 13 Mar 2003   Link to this

The Naseby was first launched in 1655. Cromwell had provoked a war with Spain in May of that year by seizing Jamaica, and the Naseby was the flagship of the fleet sent in 1656 to harass Spanish shipping.

Commanded by Robert Blake, the fleet destroyed the entire Spanish treasure fleet anchored on the island of Tenerife in 1657. This event is sometimes described as the death-knell for Spain as a major power. Blake died just a few months later.

The ship was designed by Peter Pett, the shipwright who built the 'Sovereign of the Seas', the first three-decked 'first-rate', for Charles I in 1637. The unorthodox form of taxation Charles used to pay for that expensive ship was one of the major grievances held against him by the Long Parliament in 1640. Pett thus forms a link from Charles I through the governments of the '50s to Charles II, who was brought back on the later ship of Pett's design.

michael f. vincent on 31 Mar 2003   Link to this

The Naseby, named for Oliver Cromwell's crushing victory over the royal forces in 1645, was launched at Woolwich dockyard in 1655. At 1230 tons, she was larger than the celebrated ...
Captain Sir Edward Montagu, another army man who joined the navy, was ordered over to Holland with some 37 great ships to bring him back. The Naseby was the flagship of this fleet.
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/1258...
.....

it is at the bottom of the page.
Within a decade, the word "frigate" was being used to denote either a ship with a higher than usual keel:beam ratio or one with a good turn of speed. It must be in this sense that the word was used in relation to the 90-gun Naseby.
....

At this time there were in 1660 a huge fleet of 154 ships. Most of them in uncommissioned due to insufficient funds

Pauline on 31 Mar 2003   Link to this

Montagu's first command on the Naseby

michael f vincent on 31 Mar 2003   Link to this

Naseby in a fight "Spoiler"

battle of lowerstotf
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/uploads//jpg/BHC0283.jpg

Paul Brewster on 24 May 2003   Link to this

Wheatley adds the following :
"The Naseby now no longer England's shame,
But better to be lost in Charles his name."
Dryden, Astraa Redux.

vincent on 11 Jan 2004   Link to this

from J Evelyn:1655
9th ... my Bro: dining with me, we went to see the greate Ship(*2) newly built, by the
Usurper Oliver, carrying 96 brasse Guns, & of 1000 tunn: In the prow was Oliver on horseback
trampling 6 nations under foote, a Scott, Irishman, Dutch, French, Spaniard & English as was
easily made out by their several habits: A Fame held a laurell over his insulting head, & the word
God with us:
(2) The Naseby, renamed the Royal Charles in 1660, E went aboard
in 1665.

Michael Robinson on 9 Oct 2007   Link to this

surviving 'counter decoration' - the royal arms, includes historical info etc. on tabs:-

http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/aria/aria_assets/NG-M...

Australian Susan on 9 Oct 2007   Link to this

Excellent website, Michael - thanks very much!