The Admiral of the West,
also known as Admiral of the Western Seas or Admiral of the Western Fleet,
was formerly an
English Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fra ...
appointment. The postholder was chiefly responsible for the command of the English navy's fleet based at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, which operated in the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
,
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...
and
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, from 1294 to 1412.
History
The origin of the office of Admiral of the West dates back to 1294, with the appointment of Sir William, Baron de Leybourne, originally styled ''Admiral of the West and Irish Sea''. He also jointly held the title of
Admiral of the South
The Admiral of the South also known as Admiral of the Southern Fleet was a senior English Navy appointment. The post holder was chiefly responsible for the command of the navy's fleet that operated in the English Channel out of Portsmouth from ...
until 1306, when that post was left vacant; it resumed very briefly in 1325. In 1326, the post of Admiral of the South and its command duties were merged with that of Admiral of the West. The office was styled by different names from its establishment, such as ''Admiral of the West and Irish Sea'' and ''Admiral on the Western Station'' (1294-1306),
''Admiral of the Western Squadron'' and ''Admiral West, of the mouth of the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
'' (1306-1406). With the exception of the periods for the creation of the offices of the Admiral of the North and West from 18 July 1360 to 16 January 1361, and the office of ''Admiral of all the Fleets about England'' from 16 January 1361 to 28 April 1362, no further official appointments were made.
The office resumed again until the creation of the office of the ''Admiral of England'' from April 1385 to 18 March 1388,
when once more appointments ceased. The post was revived in 1388, and lasted until the creation of the office of
Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine some time between 1406 and 1412. The first royal commission as Admiral to a
naval officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
was granted in 1303. By 1344 it was only used as a rank at sea for a captain in charge of a fleet or fleets.
This command, along with that of
Admiral of the North
The Admiral of the North also known as Admiral of the Northern Seas and Admiral of the Northern Fleet was a senior English Navy appointment. The Admiral was chiefly responsible for the command of the navy's fleet that operated in the North Sea ...
, was regarded as one of the most senior posts in the English navy from the end of the 13th century until the beginning of the 15th century.
: Rank and Role
The administration of English Navy from the end of the 13th century was decentralized into three regional 'admiralties' until the end of the fourteenth Century. The appointment of an admiral was not regarded by the English government at the time as an honorary post subordinate to a military rank, their importance attached to their office can be confirmed by the recording of their allowances paid recorded in the
Calendar of Patent Rolls. In the fourteenth Century Admirals were paid a respectable salary which was only granted because the position was viewed as substantially important. In addition the rank of admiral was only granted to men of high prestige within feudal hierarchy, most recipients of the office were usually knights but more often earls.
[Rodger pp. 131-142] The Admirals duties usually consisted of assembling fleets for naval expeditions undertaken by the monarch on campaign, maintaining order and discipline and supervising the work of the
Admiralty Courts
Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offences.
Admiralty courts in the United Kingdom England and Wales
Scotland
The Scottish court's earliest ...
for each region. On major military expeditions the Admiral would go to sea with their fleets and accompany the overall Commander-in-Chief of both sea and land forces usually the King himself but sometimes a nobleman of higher rank than the admiral. Their role was to observe and direct naval battles but not necessarily taking part in them, themselves.
However, from 1344 onward their role was moving from primarily administrative one to that of a seagoing command.
In 1337 the first known record of the appointment of a "vice-admiral' was granted to a Nicholas Ususmaris, a Genoese, he was made Vice-Admiral
of the King's fleet of galleys, and all other ships of Aquitaine. However these appointments were few and far between. There was two further instances of the appointment of Vice-Admirals to Sir Thomas Drayton as Vice-Admiral of the Northern Fleet and Sir Peter Bard Vice-Admiral of the Western Fleet both on 28 July 1338.
Special assistants were appointed to handle two important sub-divisions of the admirals powers. The first was the admiral's lieutenant, or deputy, referred to as sub-admirals, who handled administrative and legal duties and each of these admirals had one and often retained more knowledge than the Admiral himself in relation to the sea and coastal communities. It would not be until the early 15th century that they would appointed on a more regular basis however they were referred to at this time as the admirals Lieutenant-General this office eventually became known as the
Lieutenant of the Admiralty
The Lieutenant of the Admiralty is a now honorary office generally held by a senior retired Royal Navy admiral. He is the official deputy to the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom. He is appointed by the Sovereign on the nomination of the First ...
.
The second was the Wardens of the Coast for each region who were responsible for the direction and co-ordination of the fleet, the equipping of boats and processing payments to sailors and superintendence of the Sea Guard Militia assigned to each maritime coastal county.
From the mid fourteenth century there was a move to centralise these regional naval authorities as seen with the appointment of the
Admiral of the Southern, Northern and Western fleets sometimes referred to as Admiral of the Fleet or Admiral of England and the Admiral of the North and West this tendency towards unifying regional naval authorities under one admiral eventually led to the creation of the office of the
Lord-Admiral of England
The Admirals were logistically supported by the
Clerk of the Kings Ships
The Clerk of the Acts, originally known as the Keeper of the King's Ports and Galleys, was a civilian officer in the Royal Navy and a principal member of the Navy Board. The office was created by King Charles II in 1660 and succeeded the earlier ...
who looked after all the navy's finances whilst victualling of the navy was handled by another one of Kings Clerks.
Admirals of the West
Includes:
:''Admiral of the West and Irish Sea''
* Admiral
Sir William de Leybourne, 1294 - 1306
:''Admiral of the West''
* Admiral
Gervase Alard
Admiral Sir Gervase Alard, Bart. (1270–1340), was an English knight and naval commander who was appointed Admiral of the Cinque Ports Fleet and Admiral of the Western Fleet of the English Navy who served under King's Edward I, Edward II and ...
, 1306 - 1314
* Admiral William Cranis, 1314 - 1316
* Admirals Sir Robert Leyburn &
Nicholas Crioill, 1316 - 1318 (jointly)
* Admiral John Athey, 1318 - 1322
* Admiral Sir Robert de Leyburn, 1322 - 1323
* Admiral Robert Battail (alias Battall), 1323 - 1324
* Admiral Robert Bendon, 1324 - 1325
* Admiral Sir John de Felton, 1325
* Admiral
Nicholas Crioill, 1325 - 1327
:''Note: In 1326, the office of
Admiral of the Southern Fleet was amalgamated with this command''.
* Admiral Wares de Valoines, 1327 - 16 July 1327
* Admiral
William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon
William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon (c.1304 – 31 October 1354) and Lord High Admiral, was the younger son of John de Clinton, 1st Baron Clinton (d.1312/13) of Maxstoke Castle, Warwickshire, and Ida de Odingsells, the granddaughter of ...
, 16 July 1327 – 2 January 1334
* Admiral William de Mantes, 2 January 1334 – 11 August 1337
* Admiral
Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh
Bartholomew Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh (died 3 August 1355, Dover), called "the elder", was an English nobleman and soldier, a younger son of Robert Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh and Maud Badlesmere, sister of Bartholomew Badlesmere, 1st Bar ...
, 11 August 1337 – 22 July 1338
* Admiral Peter Dardus (alias Bard), 22 July 1338 – 18 February 1339
* Admirals Robert Truffel &
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 18 February 1339 – 12 January 1341 (jointly)
* Admiral
William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon
William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon (c.1304 – 31 October 1354) and Lord High Admiral, was the younger son of John de Clinton, 1st Baron Clinton (d.1312/13) of Maxstoke Castle, Warwickshire, and Ida de Odingsells, the granddaughter of ...
, 12 January 1341 – 20 December 1342
* Admiral Robert Beaupell, 20 December 1342 – 1343
* Admiral Sir John de Montgomery, 1343 - 8 May 1344
* Admiral Sir
Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham
Reynold Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham of Sterborough, Order of the Garter, KG (c.1295–1361) was a medieval English knight and diplomat.
Life
He was the son of Sir Reynold Cobham by Joan, the daughter and heir of William de Evere. This Reynold was ...
, 8 May 1344 – 23 February 1345
* Admiral
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 23 February 1345 – 23 February 1347
* Admiral Sir John de Montgomery, 23 February 1347 – 14 March 1348
* Admiral Sir
Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham
Reynold Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham of Sterborough, Order of the Garter, KG (c.1295–1361) was a medieval English knight and diplomat.
Life
He was the son of Sir Reynold Cobham by Joan, the daughter and heir of William de Evere. This Reynold was ...
, 14 February 1348 – 1350
* Admiral Sir John de Beauchamp, 1350 – 8 March 1352
* Admiral
Henry, Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster (– 23 March 1361) was an English statesman, diplomat, soldier, and Christian writer. The owner of Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, Grosmont was a member of the House of Plantagenet, which was ruling ov ...
, 8 March 1352 – 1354
* Admiral Sir
Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the Ap ...
, 1354 - 5 March 1355
* Admiral Sir
John de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp de Warwick
Admiral of the Fleet John Paveley de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp de Warwick KG (c. 1316 – 2 December 1360) was the third son of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick, and brother of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, with whom ...
, 5 March 1355 – 1 March 1356 (brother of Earl of Warwick)
* Admiral Sir
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, KG (born before 1319, died 17 August 1390) was an English military commander and Admiral.
Origins
He was the son of Sir Guy de Bryan (d.1349) (''alias'' de Briene), of Walwyn's Castle in Pembrokeshire and T ...
, 1 March 1356 – 18 July 1360
: ''No appointments: see
Admiral of all the Fleets, 16 January 1361 – 28 April 1362''
: ''No Appointments: see
Admiral of the North and West
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, 17 July 1364 - 28 April 1369''
* Admiral Sir
Robert de Ashton, 28 April 1362 – 3 May 1370
* Admiral Sir
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, KG (born before 1319, died 17 August 1390) was an English military commander and Admiral.
Origins
He was the son of Sir Guy de Bryan (d.1349) (''alias'' de Briene), of Walwyn's Castle in Pembrokeshire and T ...
, 3 May 1370 - 6 October 1372
* Admiral Sir
Philip Courtenay, 7 October 1372 – 16 July 1376 (the King's cousin)
* Admiral
William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 4th Baron Montagu, King of Mann, KG (25 June 1328 – 3 June 1397) was an English nobleman and commander in the English army during King Edward III's French campaigns in the Hundred Years War. He was one ...
, 16 July 1376 – 24 November 1376
* Admiral
Robert Hales
Sir Robert Hales ( – 14 June 1381) was Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller of England, Lord High Treasurer, and Admiral of the West. He was killed in the Peasants' Revolt.
Career
In 1372 Robert Hales became the Lord/Grand Prior of th ...
, 24 November 1376 – 24 November 1377 (
prior of Saint John of Jerusalem in England)
: ''No appointments: see
Admiral of the North and West
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, 24 November 1377 - 5 December 1377''
* Admiral
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 5 December 1377 – 1 September 1378
* Admiral Sir
Hugh Calveley
Sir Hugh Calveley (died 23 April 1394) was an English knight and commander, who took part in the Hundred Years' War, gaining fame during the War of the Breton Succession and the Castilian Civil War. He held various military posts in Brittany a ...
, 1 September 1378 – 8 March 1380
* Admiral Sir
Philip Courtenay, 8 March 1380 – 1381
* Admiral Walter de Hauley, 1381 – 23 May 1381
* Admiral Sir
John Roches
Sir John Roches (c.1333–1400), of Bromham, Wiltshire, was an English admiral, diplomat, magistrate and politician.
Political career
He was made Ambassador to the Kingdom of Aragon from 30 October 1377 to 4 May 1378, and again from 20 Jun ...
, 23 May 1381 – 10 November 1383
* Admiral
Edward de Courtenay, Earl of Devon, 10 November 1383 – 29 January 1384
* Admiral John Radington, 29 January 1384 – 22 February 1385 (
prior of Saint John of Jerusalem in England)
* Admiral Sir Thomas Trivett, 22 February 1385 – April 1385
:''No appointments: see
Admiral of England, April 1385 – 18 March 1388''
* Admiral
John Holand, Earl of Huntingdon, 18 March 1388 – 29 January 1391
:''No appointments: see
Admiral of the North and West
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, 29 January 1391 – 21 April 1400''
* Admiral Sir Thomas Reniston, 21 April 1400 – 5 November 1403
* Admiral
Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley
Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley (5 January 1352/53 – 13 July 1417), ''The Magnificent'', of Berkeley Castle and of Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire, was an English peer and an admiral. His epithet, and that of each previous and s ...
,5 November 1403 – 20 February 1404
* See
Admiral of the North and South
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
, 20 February 1404 – 28 April 1405
* Admiral Richard Clitherow, 28 April 1405 – 23 December 1406
(appointment is recorded as admiral of the western and southern fleets)
:''Note: The office, although vacant, was amalgamated within a single office of the
Lord High Admiral of England
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
in 1412''.
See also
*
Admiral of all the Fleets
*
Admiral of the Narrow Seas
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
*
Admiral of the North
The Admiral of the North also known as Admiral of the Northern Seas and Admiral of the Northern Fleet was a senior English Navy appointment. The Admiral was chiefly responsible for the command of the navy's fleet that operated in the North Sea ...
*
Admiral of the North and West
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
*
Admiral of the North and South
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
*
Admiral of the South
The Admiral of the South also known as Admiral of the Southern Fleet was a senior English Navy appointment. The post holder was chiefly responsible for the command of the navy's fleet that operated in the English Channel out of Portsmouth from ...
References
Citations
Sources
* Bothwell, J.S. (2004). ''Edward III and the English peerage : royal patronage, social mobility and political control in fourteenth-century England''. Woodbridge: Boydell Press.
*
* Godolphin, John (1661). Synēgoros thalassios, ''A view of the admiral jurisdiction where in the most material points concerning that jurisdiction are fairly and submissively discussed: as also divers of the laws, customs, rights, and privileges of the high admiralty of England by ancient records, and other arguments of law asserted : where unto is added by way of appendix an extract of the ancient laws of Oleron / by John Godolphin'' ... University of Michigan, An Arbour, MI, USA: W. Godbid for Edmund Paxton and John Sherle
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/Full text: Godolphin, John, 1617-1678: Synēgoros Thalassios
*
External links
{{Royal Navy fleets
W
1294 establishments in England
1412 disestablishments in England
Military history of the English Channel