43-482: Admiral Charles Ramsay Drinkwater Bethune CB (27 December 1802 – 14 February 1884) was a British officer of the Royal Navy . He rose to the rank of Admiral during his career. Born at Little Ealing , Middlesex , the son of Colonel John Drinkwater and Eleanor Congalton, he assumed the name of Bethune in 1837, when his mother inherited the estates of her brother, George Congalton-Bethune. Bethune served with
86-628: A French fleet arrived off the coast of Sandwich in Kent, in order to provide Prince (later King) Louis of France, then ravaging England, with soldiers, siege engines and fresh supplies. Claiming command of the English fleet raised in response, Hubert intercepted the French fleet at the Battle of Sandwich , where he scattered the French and captured their flagship The Great Ship of Bayonne under Eustace
129-511: A broad band with three narrower bands. In 2001 the number of stars on the shoulder board was increased to four, reflecting the equivalence to the OF-9 four-star ranks of other countries. Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path. The command flags flown by an Admiral changed a number of times during this period, there was no Admiral of
172-679: A number of watercolour views in Sarawak which were published in 1847 in James Augustus St. John 's Views in the Eastern Archipelago . In 1846 he joined the Council of the newly formed Hakluyt Society , for which he subsequently edited two volumes. (The first edited volume, written by Sir John Hawkins , was published in 1847, and the second edited volume, written by Antonio Galvano , was published in 1862.) In 1851, on
215-458: A rather long period seems to have elapsed between the two appointments. Sometime after 1215, De Burgh started building a castle in Hadleigh having been awarded the lands by King John. A licence to crenellate was retrospectively given in 1230, at which point that original castle had been completed. After falling out with King Henry III, De Burgh was stripped of Hadleigh Castle . The castle
258-426: A time, restored the earldom. The marriage of Hubert de Burgh's daughter, Margaret (or Megotta as she was also known), to the young Richard of Clare, Earl of Gloucester , brought de Burgh into some trouble in 1236, for the earl was still a minor and in the king's wardship, and the marriage had been celebrated without the royal licence. Hubert, however, protested that the match was not of his making, and promised to pay
301-459: Is a senior rank of the Royal Navy , which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9 , outranked only by the rank of admiral of the fleet . Royal Navy officers holding the ranks of rear admiral , vice admiral and admiral of the fleet are sometimes considered generically to be admirals. The rank of admiral is currently the highest rank to which a serving officer in the Royal Navy can be promoted, admiral of
344-518: The First Barons' War (1215–17), Hubert de Burgh served John as sheriff of Kent (1216–25) and Surrey (1215–16), as well as castellan of Canterbury and Dover. He successfully defended Dover Castle during a siege that lasted until John died (in October 1216), and the infant King Henry III was crowned. He denied Louis VIII of France possession of the castle later in 1216. On 24 August 1217,
387-663: The Thames to Scotland. This was part of an effort by Edward I to establish a permanent official staff, even if a permanent naval force was not yet considered necessary. Leybourne's immediate purview was subsequently divided into the roles of Admiral of the West and Admiral of the South while Botetourt's became the Admiral of the North ; the first and last merged as the Admiral of
430-505: The 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one man per rank, although the rank of admiral of the red was always filled by only one man and was known as Admiral of the Fleet . After the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the rank of admiral of the red was introduced. The number of officers holding each rank steadily increased throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1769 there were 29 admirals of various grades; by
473-678: The British Army, #2 Henry Leonard Drinkwater Bethune (1858–1939) became a Captain in the Royal Navy, and #3 Francis John Brownlow Bethune (1860–1954) became a King's Counsel in Australia. His eldest daughter, Mary Frances Drinkwater Bethune (1847–1929), in 1867 married John George Frederick Hope-Wallace (1839–1900), son of the Honourable James Hope and his wife Lady Mary Frances Nugent. Mary Frances Drinkwater Bethune had seven children. Admiral (Royal Navy) Admiral
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#1732779944672516-650: The English long depended upon levies of their subjects' vessels for any major naval expeditions. Nonetheless, historians have sometimes extended the concept of an English navy and its supposed admirals and lord high admirals back as far as Alfred the Great , counting several kings as themselves admirals, along with various dukes and earls who commanded fleets at prominent engagements such as Hubert de Burgh off Sandwich in 1217 . Other lists begin their count at King Henry III 's appointment of Sir Richard de Lucy on 28 August 1223 or 29 August 1224. A similar commission
559-415: The Fleet rather than Algernon Frederick Rous de Horsey , who as senior active admiral nearing the age limit would customarily have received the promotion; John Baird became an Admiral; James Erskine a vice-admiral; and Harry Rawson a rear-admiral. Ironically, all these younger men would die at least a decade before de Horsey. In the time before squadron distinctions were removed or age limits instituted,
602-825: The French king, de Burgh held the castle for an entire year, until he was captured during the ultimately successful storming of the castle in 1205. He was held captive until 1207, during which time his royal appointments and grants of land passed to other men. Following his return to England, de Burgh did, however, acquire other offices in John's administration. He also acquired lands scattered throughout East Anglia , South-West England , and elsewhere, making him once again an important baron in England. In 1212, de Burgh returned to France at first as deputy seneschal of Poitou and then as seneschal (1212–1215). He served John in his efforts to recover dominions lost to Philip II of France, until
645-535: The Monk , who was promptly executed. (This command has sometimes led to Hubert being included anachronistically on lists of the lord high admirals .) When the news reached Louis, he entered into fresh peace negotiations. When Henry III came of age in 1227 Hubert de Burgh was appointed Governor of Rochester Castle , lord of Montgomery Castle in the Welsh Marches, and created Earl of Kent . He remained one of
688-565: The North and West in 1364; and from 1408–1414 they were all reunited as the High Admiral of England, Ireland, and Aquitaine , the forerunner to the present Lord High Admiral . (During this process, the short-lived post of Admiral of the Narrow Seas was used in 1412 and 1413. It was subsequently revived from 1523 to 1688.) The first royal commission as Admiral to a naval officer was granted in 1303 to Gervase Alard . By 1344, it
731-751: The Red rank until that post was introduced in 1805 prior to this the highest rank an admiral could attain to was Admiral of the White who then flew the Cross of St George . The next promotion step up from that was to Admiral of the Fleet. [REDACTED] Media related to Admirals of the United Kingdom at Wikimedia Commons Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent ( English: / d ə ˈ b ɜːr / də- BUR , French: [dəbuʁ] ; c. 1170 – before 5 May 1243)
774-769: The Royal Navy from the age of 13 and commanded HMS Conway in Australasia and the Far East from 1836 to 1842. He reported the Conway Reef in 1838. He served in the First Opium War and was appointed a Companion of the Bath in 1841 for his services. In 1845 he was sent to Borneo by the Admiralty to report on the best location for a British base against piracy. In the course of this mission he painted
817-579: The close of the Napoleonic Wars in 1816 there were 190 admirals in service. Thereafter the number of admirals was reduced and in 1853 there were 79 admirals. Although admirals were promoted according to strict seniority, appointments to command were made at the discretion of the Board of Admiralty . As there were invariably more admirals in service than there were postings, many admirals remained unemployed, especially in peacetime. The organisation of
860-469: The concept of yellow admirals (formally known as granting an officer the position of "Rear-Admiral without distinction of squadron"), being captains promoted to flag rank on the understanding that they would immediately retire on half-pay . This was the navy's first attempt at superannuating older officers. During the Interregnum , the rank of admiral was replaced by that of general at sea . In
903-531: The death in India of his elder brother John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune , he became 24th Laird of Balfour . He was promoted Admiral 2 April 1866. He died in 1884 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery , London. In 1846, he had married Frances Cecilia (1819–1888), only child of Henry Edward Staples, and they had six children. Of his sons, #1 Edward Cecil Bethune (1855–1930) became a Lieutenant-General in
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#1732779944672946-499: The death of James Hawkins-Whitshed resulted in ten men moving up to higher ranks. In 1996, the rank of admiral of the fleet was put in abeyance in peacetime, except for members of the Royal family but was resurrected on an honorary basis in 2014 for the appointment of Lord Boyce . Admirals of the fleet continue to hold their rank on the active list for life. The current ranks are rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and admiral of
989-627: The fleet being in abeyance except for honorary promotions of retired officers and members of the royal family. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines is general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air chief marshal . The title admiral was not used in Europe until the mid-13th century and did not reach England before the end of that century. Similarly, although some royal vessels are attested under King John ,
1032-519: The fleet his deputy, the vice admiral , would be in the leading portion or van . Below him was another admiral at the rear of the fleet, called rear admiral . Promotion up the ladder was in accordance with seniority in the rank of post-captain , and rank was held for life, so the only way to be promoted was for the person above on the list to die or resign. In 1747 the Admiralty restored an element of merit selection to this process by introducing
1075-596: The fleet into coloured squadrons was finally abandoned in 1864. The Red Ensign was allocated to the Merchant Navy , the White Ensign became the flag of the Royal Navy, and the Blue Ensign was allocated to the naval reserve and naval auxiliary vessels. The 18th- and 19th-century Royal Navy also maintained a positional rank known as port admiral . A port admiral was typically a veteran captain who served as
1118-417: The fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as flag officers , are entitled to fly a personal flag . An admiral of the fleet flies a Union Flag at the masthead, while an admiral flies a St George's cross (red cross on white). Vice admirals and rear admirals fly a St George's cross with one or two red discs in the hoist, respectively. The rank of admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by
1161-476: The king in 1233, the men holding Hubert de Burgh captive released him and he subsequently joined the rebellion. In 1234, Edmund Rich , Archbishop of Canterbury , effected a reconciliation. Hubert officially resigned the Justiciarship (about 28 May 1234) and no longer exercised the power of the office after September 1232. This judgment was reversed by William de Raley (alias Raleigh) in 1234, which, for
1204-489: The king some money, so the matter passed by for the time. Eventually the marriage came to an end, by way of her death. In 1206, he purchased the manor of Tunstall in Kent (from Robert de Arsic) which was later inherited by his eldest son, John de Burgh. Hubert was appointed Constable of Dover Castle and was also given charge of Falaise , in Normandy . At Falaise he was the gaoler of Arthur I, Duke of Brittany ,
1247-471: The king's troops at Rochester , but then John made peace with the rebels. In Magna Carta (1215) de Burgh is listed as one of those who advised the king to sign, and his brother, Geoffrey ( Bishop of Ely ), was a witness. Hubert de Burgh is also listed as the person who would act on the king's behalf if the king were out of the country. Soon after the issuing of Magna Carta , de Burgh was officially declared Chief Justiciar of England and Ireland . During
1290-468: The most influential people at court. On 27 April 1228, he was named Justiciar for life. He was appointed Justiciar of Ireland on 16 June 1232 but never visited Ireland and he retired from this post in August 1232. However, in 1232, his enemies' plots finally succeeded and he was removed from office and was soon imprisoned at Devizes Castle . When Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke rebelled against
1333-533: The nephew of King John and boy claimant to the English throne. Arthur may or may not have been murdered after leaving de Burgh's custody; his fate is unknown. At some time before 1215, Hubert de Burgh is cited as having been appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (1215–20), which position later (after the Barons' War ) included the ex officio constableship of Dover Castle. In the case of de Burgh, however,
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1376-411: The official ranks became admiral of the white and so forth, however each admiral's command flags were different and changed over time. The Royal Navy has had vice and rear admirals regularly appointed to the post since at least the 16th century. When in command of the fleet, the admiral would be in either the lead or the middle portion of the fleet. When the admiral commanded from the middle portion of
1419-461: The service of Prince John by 1198, and rose in importance in John's administration: he served successively as chamberlain of John's household, Ambassador to Portugal, Sheriff first of Dorset and Somerset (1200–1204) and then of Berkshire (1202–4) and Cornwall (1202), custodian of the castles of Dover , Launceston and Windsor , and then of the Welsh Marches . For these services, he
1462-471: The shore commander of a British naval port and was in charge of supplying, refitting, and maintaining the ships docked at harbour. The problem of promoting strictly by seniority was well illustrated by the case of Provo Wallis who served (including time being carried on the books while still a child) for 96 years. When he died in 1892 four admirals under him could immediately be promoted. By request of Queen Victoria , John Edmund Commerell became Admiral of
1505-622: The signing of a truce between John and Philip following John's failed military campaign in France in 1214 . Hubert de Burgh remained loyal to King John during the barons' rebellion in the last years of his reign. In the early stages of that rebellion, John sent de Burgh to London with the Bishop of Coventry , in an unsuccessful attempt to command the people of London to resist the Barons' military advance. De Burgh and Philip d'Aubigny brought together
1548-644: The title on account of Hubert marrying a Scottish princess. Hubert is a character in Shakespeare 's play King John . On screen, he has been portrayed by Franklyn McLeay in the silent short King John (1899), which recreates John's death scene; by Jonathan Adams in the BBC TV drama series The Devil's Crown (1978); and by John Thaw in the BBC Shakespeare version of The Life and Death of King John (1984). The story of his daughter's marriage
1591-694: Was a prominent administrator and judge during the reigns of Richard I , John and Henry III. Hubert de Burgh married three times: Hubert de Burgh died in Banstead , Surrey, in 1243, and was buried in the Church of the Friars Preachers (commonly called Black Friars ) in Holborn, London. His sons did not inherit his earldom, as the inheritance of the earldom was restricted to descendants of Hubert and his third wife, possibly because Henry III granted
1634-512: Was an English nobleman who served as Chief Justiciar of England (1215–1232) and Justiciar of Ireland (1232) during the reigns of King John and his son and successor King Henry III and, as Regent of England (1219–1227) during Henry's minority, was one of the most influential and powerful men in English politics in the thirteenth century. Hubert de Burgh was born of unknown parents of Burgh-next-Aylsham , Norfolk . A case has been made for Hubert's father being Walter de Burgh, and his mother
1677-494: Was claimed by the monarchy and stayed in royal hands until being sold (with much of the stonework dismantled and sold) in 1551. The castle later suffered from several landslips, and the ruins are currently owned by English Heritage . Hubert was initially betrothed to Joan de Redvers (daughter of William de Redvers, 5th Earl of Devon ), but the marriage never took place and she later married William Brewer II (d. 1232), eldest surviving son and heir of William Brewer (d. 1226), who
1720-615: Was given to Sir Thomas Moulton in 1264, who held the formal title of Keeper of the Sea and the Sea Ports. On 8 March 1287, Sir William de Leybourne was specifically commissioned as the Admiral of the Seas of England ( Latin : Admirallus Maris Angliae ) and, in 1294, captain of all sailors and mariners of the king's dominions. Sir John de Botetourt served under him as warden at sea from
1763-495: Was granted a series of manors, baronies, and other castles, and became a powerful figure in John's administration. In 1202, de Burgh was sent to France by King John, to assist in the defense of Poitou against King Philip II of France . He was appointed castellan of the great castle of Chinon in Touraine . During this time, he served as guard of the captured Arthur I, Duke of Brittany . After almost all of Poitou had fallen to
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1806-519: Was named Alice. The family were minor landholders in Norfolk and Suffolk , from whom Hubert inherited at least four manors. His elder brother was William de Burgh (d. 1206), founder of the de Burgh / Burke / Bourke dynasty in Ireland, and his younger brothers were Geoffrey ( Archdeacon of Norwich and later Bishop of Ely ), and Thomas ( castellan of Norwich ). Hubert de Burgh had entered
1849-424: Was only used as a rank at sea for a captain in charge of one or more fleets. In Elizabethan times the fleet grew large enough to be organised into squadrons . The squadron's admiral flew a red ensign , the vice admirals white , and the rear admirals blue on the aft mast of his ship. As the squadrons grew, each was eventually commanded by an admiral (with vice admirals and rear admirals commanding sections) and
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