José Romero y Fernández de Landa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Romero y Fernández de Landa
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Born | Huelva |
27 May 1735
Died | 5 August 1807 Madrid |
(aged 72)
Other work | Naval engineer |
José Romero y Fernández de Landa (1735–1807), often known as Romero Landa, was a very important Spanish naval and army officer. He was the first official naval engineer and ship designer for the Spanish Navy. He created many powerful warships, including two-deck and three-deck ships of the line in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Some of his ships fought in famous battles like the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar.
Romero Landa also wrote an important book in 1784. It was called Reglamento de maderas necesarias para la fábrica de los baxeles del Rey. This translates to Rules for the wood necessary for building the King's ships. The book gave detailed rules for the types and sizes of wood needed to build the King's ships. It covered everything from the ship's body to its masts and sails, for ships with 100, 74, 64, and 34 guns.
Contents
The Life of a Ship Designer
José Romero Landa began his career in the military on May 27, 1752. He joined the Regimiento de Dragones de Edimburgo as a company commander. In 1754, he moved to the navy. He became an 'alférez de fragata', which is like an ensign. He then commanded a company of Marines in Ferrol.
On November 1, 1765, Romero Landa started working at the shipyard in Guarnizo. He worked under the famous ship designer Francisco Gautier. In October 1770, a new group was formed called the Cuerpo de Ingenieros de Marina (Marine Engineers Corps). He was one of the few officers from the regular military to join this new engineering group.
He was promoted to frigate captain. Then, he was named Commandant of the Engineers and Engineer General. On January 28, 1786, he rose to the top rank of Engineer General of the Fleet. This made him the most important naval engineer in Spain.
Warships Designed by Romero Landa
Romero Landa designed many different types of warships. These ships were very important for the Spanish Navy. They included large ships of the line and smaller, faster frigates.
112-Gun Ships
These were some of the largest and most powerful warships of their time. They had 112 cannons!
Launch Date | Name | Shipyard | In Service |
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28 September 1784 | Santa Ana | Ferrol | 1784–1816 |
20 January 1786 | Mejicano | Havana | |
4 November 1786 | Conde de Regla | Havana | |
2 May 1787 | Salvador del Mundo | Ferrol | |
4 November 1787 | Real Carlos | Havana | |
20 January 1789 | San Hermenegildo | Havana | |
12 September 1791 | Reina María Luisa | Ferrol | |
28 January 1794 | Príncipe de Asturias | Havana | 1794–1812 |
74-Gun Ships
These ships were also very strong and important for naval battles. They carried 74 cannons.
Launch Date | Name | Shipyard | In Service |
---|---|---|---|
22 January 1785 | San Ildefonso | Cartagena | 1784–1805–1816 |
20 June 1788 | San Telmo | Ferrol | |
20 December 1788 | San Francisco de Paula | Cartagena | |
19 October 1789 | Europa | Ferrol | |
20 November 1790 | Intrépido | Ferrol | |
9 December 1791 | Conquistador | Cartagena | |
22 November 1792 | Infante don Pelayo | Havana | |
1794 | Monarca | Ferrol | 1794–1805 |
64-Gun Ships
These three ships were based on his 74-gun designs. They were slightly smaller but still powerful.
Launch Date | Name | Shipyard | In Service |
---|---|---|---|
3 November 1787 | San Fulgencio | Cartagena | |
27 November 1787 | San Leandro | Ferrol | 1787–1812 |
27 June 1788 | San Pedro Alcántara | Havana |
Frigates
Frigates were smaller and faster ships. They were often used for scouting or protecting convoys.
Launch Date | Name | Shipyard |
---|---|---|
12 March 1784 | Santa Casilda | Cartagena |
4 March 1786 | Santa Florentina | Cartagena |
3 May 1788 | Nuestra Señora de la Soledad | Cartagena |
2 October 1789 | Mahonesa | Mahón |
31 July 1789 | Perla | Cartagena |
1791 | Preciosa | Cádiz |
Romero Landa's Ships at the Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a very famous naval battle in 1805. Five of the ships designed by Romero Landa fought in this important battle:
- Santa Ana (a huge 112-gun ship)
- Príncipe de Asturias (another 112-gun ship)
- San Ildefonso (a 74-gun ship)
- Monarca (a 74-gun ship)
- San Leandro (a 64-gun ship)
See also
In Spanish: José Joaquín Romero y Fernández de Landa para niños