Episodes

8 episodes in this season

The King's Ships 1500 - 1599

Now Playing

Wooden Walls 1600 - 1805

Steam, Steel and Dreadnoughts 1806 - 1918

The Sun Never Sets 1919 - Present

HMS Victory

HMS Dasher

History of the Royal Navy 1900 - 1943

History of the Royal Navy 1943 - 2000

History of the Royal Navy

TV Series

2002

DocumentaryWar & Politics

Now playing

Wooden Walls 1600 - 1805

Season 1 · Episode 2 · Dec 31, 2002

During the 17th century, the Royal Navy's war efforts were aided immeasurably by Samuel Pepys' visionary reforms of the Admiralty and the codification of naval tactics in The Fighting Instructions which transformed naval battles from uncontrollable melees into linear chess games on water. Led by Admirals Robert Blake, George Monck and others the Royal Navy's MIGHTY WOODEN WALLS confronted the great Dutch Admirals, such as Maarten Tromp, in decisive battles that sustained Britain's naval might. However, reforms initiated by France's brilliant Minister of Marine, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, begin to bear fruit. The French built better designed, faster ships and trained their sailors more effectively than the British.

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History of the Royal Navy

TV Series

2002

DocumentaryWar & Politics

Now playing

Wooden Walls 1600 - 1805

Season 1 · Episode 2 · Dec 31, 2002

More details