HMY Saudadoes facts for kids
The HMY Saudadoes was a special royal yacht. It was built in 1670 for King Charles II of England and his Queen, Catherine of Braganza. This beautiful ship was used for fun trips on the River Thames. It also helped the Queen stay in touch with her home country, Portugal. The Saudadoes even sailed to Portugal twice!
The Ship's Journey and Use
When it was first built, the Saudadoes was about 86 tons in size. It was around 15 meters (50 feet) long and 5.5 meters (18 feet) wide. It could sail in water about 2.4 meters (8 feet) deep.
Becoming a Warship
In 1674, the Saudadoes was made much bigger. Its size more than doubled to 188 tons. It also became a "sixth-rate" warship with 16 guns. This big change might mean that a new, larger ship was built and given the same name. It was meant to be a special ship for the Queen.
Captain John Jennifer was put in charge of the Saudadoes in December 1674. He later commanded another ship, the HMS Edgar, in a big battle called the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690.
Battles and Adventures
After its rebuild in 1674, the ship was known as HMS Saudadoes. Some people spelled its name Soldado. Under the command of John Graydon, it took part in the Battle of Bantry Bay in May 1689. In this battle, it was used as a fireship. A fireship was an old ship filled with flammable materials, set on fire, and sent into enemy ships to burn them.
A young sailor named John Dann was the coxswain (a type of crew member) on the Soldado. He later left the navy and joined a famous pirate named Henry Every. In September 1692, the Saudadoes captured a French ship. This captured ship was then renamed HMS Saudadoes Prize.
What's in a Name?
The ship's name, Saudadoes, is a Portuguese word. The correct spelling is Saudades. Queen Catherine herself chose this name. It shows how she felt. Saudade means a deep feeling of longing for someone or a place you miss very much. It's like feeling a bit sad because you miss your home or friends who are far away.
The ship's name was spelled in many different ways in old navy papers. Some of these spellings included Sandadoe, Soldadoes, and Suadades.
