The book was written about a seminal battle in American and world history — the naval Battle of Midway — that ultimately allowed the United States to defeat Imperial Japan. The author conducted painstaking research which included interviewing 400 participants. His writing is informative and the prose is brisk and riveting.
This book is arguably the best compilation of information about the topic of English privateering during the Anglo-Spanish war of 1585-1605. The reader learns every aspect of this type of naval warfare in light of geo-politics and national economics. The blurring of the distinction between privateering and piracy during this era is fascinating. The raw data has helped me craft authentic historical fiction novels set in that era.
Privateering was a form of legal private warfare at sea in which individuals who possessed suitable ships took the opportunity offered by a war to plunder enemy commerce. In this study of privateering during the Elizabethan war with Spain, which was originally published in 1966, Dr Andrews shows that it was closely connected with trade, in particular having a stimulating effect on oceanic commerce and that it was at the time the main form of English maritime warfare. Dr Andrews begins with an account of how privateering became legal and how it was organised. He then examines the various types…
This is a scholarly work about English piracy in its coastal waters during the Tudor period of history which has helped me draw real-world data and inspirational stories I can tap into while crafting historical fiction novels set in that setting.
Long before Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and Black Barty terrorised the Caribbean, the seas around the British Isles swarmed with pirates. Thousands of men turned to piracy at sea, often as a makeshift strategy of survival. Piracy was a business, not a way of life. Although the young Francis Drake became the most famous pirate of the period, scores of little-known pirate leaders operated during this time, acquiring mixed reputations on land and at sea. Captain Henry Strangeways earned notoriety for his attacks on French shipping in the Channel and the Irish Sea, selling booty ashore in south-west England and Wales.…
Embark on a riveting journey back to 1585, a time when the seas were battlegrounds and loyalty was tested at every wave. “Voyage of Reprisal” invites you into the Tudor era, under the reign of Elizabeth I, where danger and adventure await at every horizon.
Meet Robert Lawton, a young, determined English shipmaster whose recent calamitous expedition to Spain has left him yearning for vengeance. With his crew fallen to the Spanish Inquisition, Lawton finds himself aboard the Elanor Rose, a formidable English galleon, seeking retribution on the high seas.
Commanded by the enigmatic Captain Richard Hawthorne, an old family friend with secrets of his own, they navigate treacherous seas, internal strife, and the guns of Spanish war ships trailing in their wake.
This novel offers more than just a tale of nautical adventure. It presents a careful reconstruction of life aboard an Elizabethan galleon, exploring the very fabric of Renaissance society. With its richly drawn characters, gripping plot, and historical authenticity, “Voyage of Reprisal” promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of the age of exploration, filled with intrigue, action, and the timeless quest for justice.
