Admiral of the South, North and West Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Office of the Admiral of the South, North and West

Reports to	Privy Council of England
Nominator	Monarch of England
Appointer	Monarch of England Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council
Term length	Not fixed , (usually for life)
Inaugural holder	Admiral of all the Fleets, Sir John de Beauchamp
Formation	1360-1369

The Admiral of the South, North and West was a very important leader in the English Navy a long time ago. This person was like the main boss, or Commander-in-Chief, of all the English ships and sailors. This special job existed from 1360 to 1369. It was also known as the Admiral of the Kings Southern, Northern and Western Fleets or Admiral of all the Fleets about England.

History of the Admiral's Role
List of Admirals
See also

History of the Admiral's Role

Early Naval Commands

For a long time, starting in the late 1200s, England's navy was split into different areas. These areas were called 'admiralties'. There was an Admiral of the North, an Admiral of the South, and an Admiral of the West. The first time a naval officer was officially called an Admiral by the King was in 1303.

In 1328, the Admiralty of the South and its ships joined with the Admiralty of the North. This lasted until the end of the 1300s. By 1344, the title of Admiral was mostly used for a captain who was in charge of one or more groups of ships at sea.

Importance of the Admiral

The English government thought the Admiral's job was very important. It was not just an honorary title. We know this because records show they were paid a good salary. This salary was only given because the position was seen as very significant.

Also, only important people from noble families could become an Admiral. Most Admirals were knights, but often they were even more important, like earls.

The First Unified Admiral

On July 18, 1360, King Edward III of England made a special appointment. He chose Sir John de Beauchamp to be the 'Admiral of the King's Southern, Northern and Western Fleets'. This meant Sir John was in charge of the entire English Navy. He was effectively the Admiral of the Fleet. Two more people held this important job after him.

Admiral's Duties

The Admiral had many important duties. These included:

Gathering ships for naval trips ordered by the King.
Keeping order and discipline among the sailors.
Watching over the Admiralty Courts in each region. These courts dealt with sea-related laws.

When there were big military missions, the Admiral would go to sea with the fleets. They would usually go with the main commander of both land and sea forces, which was often the King himself. Sometimes, a nobleman who was higher in rank than the Admiral would lead. The Admiral's job was to watch and guide naval battles, but not always to fight in them directly. From 1344 onwards, their role changed from mostly managing things to leading ships at sea.

Vice-Admirals and Deputies

In 1337, we find the first record of a "vice-admiral" being appointed. Nicholas Ususmaris, from Genoa, was made Vice-Admiral of the King's fleet of galleys and other ships in Aquitaine. These appointments were rare at first. Later, in 1338, Sir Thomas Drayton became Vice-Admiral of the Northern Fleet, and Sir Peter Bard became Vice-Admiral of the Western Fleet.

The Admirals also had special helpers.

One helper was the Admiral's lieutenant, or deputy. This person handled the Admiral's paperwork and legal duties. In the early 1400s, these deputies were appointed more often and were called the Admiral's Lieutenant-General. This job later became known as the Lieutenant of the Admiralty.
Another helper was the Wardens of the Coast for each region. They were in charge of directing and organizing the fleet. They also helped get boats ready, paid sailors, and oversaw the Sea Guard Militia, which was a group of local guards for each coastal area.

Centralizing Naval Power

From the mid-1300s, there was a move to bring these regional naval groups under one main leader. This is why the Admiral of the Southern, Northern and Western fleets was created. This person was sometimes called the Admiral of the Fleet or Admiral of England. Another similar role was the Admiral of the North and West. This trend of putting all naval power under one Admiral eventually led to the creation of the very important job of the Lord-Admiral of England.

The Admirals also had support from other officials. The Clerk of the Kings Ships managed all the navy's money. Another one of the King's Clerks was in charge of getting food and supplies for the navy.

List of Admirals

Here are the people who held the title of Admirals of all the Fleets:

Admiral of all the Fleets: Sir John de Beauchamp, from July 18, 1360, to December 2, 1360. (He died while in office).
Admiral of all the Fleets: Sir Robert de Herle, from December 2, 1360, to July 7, 1364. (He also died while in office).
Admiral of all the Fleets: Sir Ralph de Spigurnell, from July 1364 to 1369. (He kept the title for the rest of his life).

Admiral of the South, North and West facts for kids

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