General Military
4 total works
In their heyday, the sight of a pirate ship on the horizon would strike terror into the hearts of their intended victims. The colourful yet fearsome reputation of the pirate still resonates today and the sight of the skull and crossbones retains its thrilling power. The lives of the most famous of their brethren have been immortalised, initially in the pamphlets of the time, now in films and books. Telling the full story of piracy from the 'buccaneering era' of 17th century to the last great piratical wave of the early 19th century, this book explores the generally short and bloody life of the pirate, detailing his ship, weaponry and codes of behaviour, as well as his most famous exploits. It is the gripping tale of the violent and deadly brigands who roamed the high seas in search of plunder.
With the launch of the Spanish Armada in 1588, England suffered its greatest threat since the Norman invasion some 500 years before. The Spanish King, Philip II had devised a complex plan where by the armada would sail up the English Channel, pick up the Spanish Army of Flanders on the French coast and ferry them across to England. In response, Elizabeth I launched her fleet of Sea Dogs to counter the threat. Led by colorful characters like Sir Francis Drake, the English surprised the Spanish Armada at its anchorage at Gravelines, preventing their rendezvous and forcing a full retreat. Naval expert Angus Konstam details the background to the campaign, the opposing fleets, and the whole campaign, including the Armada's disastrous return voyage around Scotland and Ireland that became one of the most tragic episodes in maritime history. Fully illustrated with photographs, maps and artwork, this book is a action-packed account of one of the best known naval campaigns in world history.
For armchair admirals, history buffs, and naval enthusiasts everywhere, "A Naval Miscellany" is an indispensible and entertaining collection of fascinating and little-known facts, anecdotes, lists, curiosities and stories from our naval past. Forgotten heroes, amazing blunders, surprising trivia, and strange-but-true stories are all included. Who were the naval heroes of the ancient world, and the world's worst admirals? How much did a midshipman get paid in the eighteenth century? What are the origins of sea shanties? Where are the biggest naval bases in the world today? And how does a ship float? It's all here in this little book that will amaze and enlighten even the most avid student of naval history!
When we think of pirates we conjure up images of Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, but these characters hailed from one period. Known as "The Golden Age of Piracy", this period only lasted around a quarter of a century - from around 1700 until 1725.