Victory: From Fighting the Armada to Trafalgar and Beyond

There is no more illustrious warship name in British naval history than HMS Victory, which is inextricably linked with Admiral Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. In 1805 the most famous Victory was the scene of Nelson's greatest triumph and also his death. She is today preserved at Portsmouth as the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Less well known is that six previous warships also carried the name. The first Victory was Sir John Hawkins' flagship during the Battle of the Armada in 1588 while the loss of the sixth in 1744 was considered a national tragedy. All manner of maritime life is included in this book, from piracy in the Azores to gentlemanly encounters between fleets and the battle of annihilation that was Trafalgar. The full horror, majesty and thunder of naval strategy and warfare in the age of fighting sail are all revealed via first-hand accounts of the action and key events. The post-Trafalgar career of Victory is also studied, including her part in destroying Napoleon's hopes of conquering Russia. We also learn how HMS Victory was saved for the British nation and the world. Researched and written by leading maritime experts Iain Ballantyne and Jonathan Eastland, 'Victory' will be enjoyed by all those interested in naval heritage and the proud fighting record of the Royal Navy.

Iain Ballantyne and Jonathan Eastland are Editor and Editor-at-Large of the internationally reknowned naval news magazine WARSHIPS International Fleet Review. Iain is an award winning editor and author of several works on naval history, including Killing the Bismarck, HMS Rodney and HMS Victory - First Rate 1765 (co-authored with Jonathan and nominated for the Mountbatten Award.) published by Pen & Sword, Seaforth Publishing and the US Naval Institute Press. Jonathan is an award winning photojournalist specialising in maritime affairs and the author of more than fifteen books on marine and photography subjects. Both authors live by the sea in England.