Great Harry's Navy: How Henry VIII Gave England Seapower

Henry VIII's domestic life overshadows a now almost forgotten fact: he founded what would become the Royal Navy. When Henry ascended the English throne, the country's fleet consisted of just five ships. At his death, he handed down to his son, Edward VI, a navy of more than 50 vessels. Without Henry's interest, would Elizabeth I have had the sea power to fend off the Spanish Armada? Would Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher have been in the position to profitably raid the Spanish Main? But <i>Great Harry's Navy</i> is far more than a history of naval warfare. "Moorhouse brings to the subject a deep knowledge and love of the period. With infectious relish, he gives us a rich and colorful tapestry of the age." (<i>The Guardian</i>)