165-517: Francis Light ( c. 1740 – 21 October 1794) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for founding the colony of Penang and its capital city of George Town in 1786. Light was the father of William Light , who founded the city of Adelaide in South Australia in 1836. Francis Light was born in Dallinghoo , Suffolk and baptised on 15 December 1740. His mother
330-405: A Buddhist monastery called Kosawat Temple (Thai: วัดโกษาวาส) (later, Choengtha Temple (Thai: วัดเชิงท่า)). After seven years, he was sent by his stepfather to serve as a royal page. He studied Hokkien-Chinese , Vietnamese , and several Indian languages , and became fluent in them. It was the time he learnt Vietnamese, he took his name as "Trịnh Quốc Anh". When Sin and his friend Thongduang who
495-828: A "country ship" belonging to the Madras trading firm Jourdain, Sulivan & Desouza, the Speedwell . Setting up a base in Thalang in Siam (also known as Salang and Jung/JunkCeylon, now Phuket province , in Thailand), he traded there, in Aceh (now an Indonesian province) and the Malay Peninsula , learning the local languages. Basing himself in Thalang, he met a woman named Martina Rozells, and together they set up
660-460: A Royal Navy captain, has been responsible for the former duty whilst Commander Task Force Iraqi Maritime, a Royal Navy commodore, was responsible for the latter. The mission ended in May 2011. The financial costs attached to nuclear deterrence, including Trident missile upgrades and replacements, have become an increasingly significant issue for the navy. HMS Raleigh at Torpoint, Cornwall ,
825-630: A component of His Majesty's Naval Service . Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against France . The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the English Navy of the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services , it is consequently known as the Senior Service . From
990-593: A comprehensive transformation, brought about by steam propulsion , metal ship construction, and explosive munitions. Despite having to completely replace its war fleet, the Navy managed to maintain its overwhelming advantage over all potential rivals. Owing to British leadership in the Industrial Revolution , the country enjoyed unparalleled shipbuilding capacity and financial resources, which ensured that no rival could take advantage of these revolutionary changes to negate
1155-780: A daughter and two sons. He died in 1823. His descendants are the Capel family in Malaysia. Their daughters were named Sarah, Mary and Ann (aka "Lukey"). They all married in Calcutta. Sarah married General James Welsh , an EIC officer in the Madras Army . Mary married a wealthy indigo plantation owner, George Boyd, and Ann married a physician, Charles Hunter. By 1818, Welsh observed that his wife and her siblings had seen all of their mother's property disappear. In October 2019, co-commissioned by Adelaide 's OzAsia festival and Penang's George Town Festival ,
1320-510: A family shrine were found at Chenghai district in Guangdong province in China in 1921. It is believed that a descendant of Taksin must have sent his clothes to be buried there to conform to Chinese practice. This supports the claim that the place was his father's hometown. Chinese people called it "Tomb of King Zhèng" (鄭王墓), or its official name "Cenotaph of Zhèng Xìn" ( 鄭信衣冠墓 ). It had been included in
1485-453: A first rate general in the wars with China and in the suppression of a recent Peguan rising. The war saw Burmese forces pushing into Siamese territory, capturing cities as south as Phitsanulok before the Siamese were able to push back, finally recapturing Chiang Mai in 1776. The war devastated Siam's northern cities, as well as Chiang Mai itself. Chiang Mai was abandoned, remaining deserted for
1650-501: A formal submission to the Thonburi Kingdom when he annexed Champasak , but after the withdrawal of Taksin army, he was attacked and killed by troops from Vientiane. This action was instantly regarded by King Taksin as a great insult to him, and at his command, Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek invaded Vientiane with an army of 20,000 men in 1778. Laos had been separated into the two principalities of Luang Prabang and Vientiane since
1815-647: A future Buddha , expecting to change the color of his blood from red to white. As he started practicing meditation, he even gave lectures to the monks. More seriously, he was provoking schism in Siamese Buddhism by requiring that the monkhood should recognize him as a sotāpanna or "stream-winner"—a person who has embarked on the first of the four stages of enlightenment . Monks who refused to bow to Taksin and worship him as god were demoted in status, and hundreds who refused to worship him as such were flogged and sentenced to menial labor. Economic tension caused by war
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#17328485188301980-471: A gradual decline in its fleet size in accordance with the changed strategic environment it operated in. While new and more capable ships are continually brought into service, such as the Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers , Astute -class submarines , and Type 45 destroyers , the total number of ships and submarines operated has continued to steadily reduce. This has caused considerable debate about
2145-568: A great city, as he was occupied with suppression of internal and external enemies, as well as territorial expansion throughout his reign. After the sacking of Ayutthaya the country had fallen apart, due to the disappearance of central authority. In addition to Taksin, several local lords had established themselves as rulers in Phimai , Phitsanulok , Fang (Sawangkhaburi, near Uttaradit ), and Nakhon Si Thammarat. From 1768 to 1771, Taksin launched campaigns to subjugate these rivals, and Thonburi emerged as
2310-469: A heavy reliance upon impressed labour. This would result in problems countering large, well-armed United States Navy frigates which outgunned Royal Naval vessels in single-opponent actions, as well as United States privateers, when the American War of 1812 broke out concurrent with the war against Napoleonic France and its allies. The Royal Navy still enjoyed a numerical advantage over the former colonists on
2475-416: A lower-ranking wife of mixed Thai-Portuguese ancestry. She may have adopted her mother's name to emphasise her ancestry and "high birth". She was probably one of many Portuguese Eurasian Catholics who had fled religious persecution in southern Siam and to Kedah. There were a number of Rozells registered at George Town in 1788. There was also a Martinha (no surname shown) registered as being from Siam, with
2640-819: A national institution and not a possession of the Crown as it had been before. Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688, England joined the War of the Grand Alliance which marked the end of France 's brief pre-eminence at sea and the beginning of an enduring British supremacy which would help with the creation of the British Empire. In 1707, the Scottish navy was united with the English Royal Navy. On Scottish men-of-war,
2805-732: A navy, this meant the French landed at Sandwich unopposed in April 1216. John's flight to Winchester and his death later that year left the Earl of Pembroke as regent, and he was able to marshal ships to fight the French in the Battle of Sandwich in 1217 – one of the first major English battles at sea. The outbreak of the Hundred Years War emphasised the need for an English fleet. French plans for an invasion of England failed when Edward III of England destroyed
2970-538: A peak of efficiency, dominating the navies of all Britain's adversaries, which spent most of the war blockaded in port. Under Lord Nelson , the navy defeated the combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar (1805). Ships of the line and even frigates, as well as manpower, were prioritised for the naval war in Europe, however, leaving only smaller vessels on the North America Station and other less active stations, and
3135-517: A play was created and staged by Australian writer and director Thomas Henning in collaboration with Malaysian duo TerryandTheCuz, named Light . The play explores the personal circumstances first of Light and his pivotal role in Penang's modern history , and then of his son William in Adelaide. The roles of the women in their lives are explored, as well as the geopolitical situation of the time which influenced
3300-624: A popular version of oral history, he said, "We are going to attack Chanthaburi tonight. Destroy all the food and utensils we have, for we will have our food in Chanthaburi tomorrow morning." On 7 April 1767, Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese. After the destruction of Ayutthaya and the death of the Thai king, the country was split into six parts, with Taksin controlling the east coast. Together with Thongduang, now Chao Phraya Chakri, he eventually managed to drive back
3465-399: A previous Thai king, helped them build a church in 1780. When Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese in 1767, Thai and Chinese sources mentioned that Taksin, then the lord of Tak, broke the Burmese siege and led his troops to Chantaburi . During those years, Chinese Empire had border conflicts with Konbaung Burma. The Burmese invasion into Siam became the warning for Chinese Empire. Taksin, then, sent
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#17328485188303630-568: A promise of military aid should the Burmese or Siamese invade, despite the fact that Sultan Abdullah asked him to refrain from landing until the promise of military aid had been confirmed in London. Thus, when the Sultan's territories were invaded and no aid was forthcoming, the Sultan attempted to take back the island as a refuge in 1790. The multicultural colony of Penang became extraordinarily successful from its inception and Light served as superintendent of
3795-755: A proper system of justice should be instituted in Penang, as it should not be within the powers of the superintendent to dispense "arbitrary judgement". Light died from malaria on 21 October 1794 and was buried at the Old Protestant Cemetery at Northam Road (now Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah Road) in George Town. He remembered his friends James Scott, William Fairlie and Thomas Pegou in his will. A bronze statue , sculpted by F.J. Wilcoxson and cast at Burton's Foundry in Thames Ditton , bears Francis Light's name but
3960-541: A range of vessels, including so-called "motherships" planned for procurement by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Hunt-class vessels combine the separate roles of the traditional minesweeper and the active minehunter in one hull. If required, the vessels can take on the role of offshore patrol vessels. A fleet of eight River-class offshore patrol vessels are in service with the Royal Navy. The three Batch 1 ships of
4125-492: A reward, or the island as her dowry , although other sources state that the princess was sent to enlist Light's aid on behalf of the Sultan. Two contemporaries of Light, historian William Marsden (who says that she was the daughter of the Sultan of Kedah), and Captain Elisha Trapaud (who describes the wedding of Light to a princess of the Sultan's family, bestowed upon him as a mark of the prince's gratitude) seem to confirm
4290-668: A royal troupe in Thonburi on the Ayutthaya model. The king wrote four episodes from the Ramakian for the royal troupe to rehearse and perform. When he went north to suppress the Phra Fang faction, he could see that monks in the north were lax and undisciplined. He invited ecclesiastical dignitaries from the capital to teach those monks and brought them back in line with the main teachings of Buddhism. Even though Taksin had applied himself to reforming
4455-465: A single force. During the early 17th century, England's relative naval power deteriorated until Charles I undertook a major programme of shipbuilding. His methods of financing the fleet contributed to the outbreak of the English Civil War , and the abolition of the monarchy . The Commonwealth of England replaced many names and symbols in the new Commonwealth Navy, associated with royalty and
4620-448: A small permanent core of warships in peacetime. England's naval organisation was haphazard and the mobilisation of fleets when war broke out was slow. Control of the sea only became critical to Anglo-Saxon kings in the 10th century. In the 11th century, Aethelred II had a large fleet built by a national levy. During the period of Danish rule in the 11th century, authorities maintained a standing fleet by taxation, and this continued for
4785-517: A son William, of Kedah. Steuart posits that Martina was the same person as the "Nonya" who took part in the earliest negotiations with the Sultan in 1770–1771. This would support the idea that she was not a princess, but nevertheless had strong connections with both Siam and Kedah and therefore a useful person to employ in negotiations between the Sultan and the British administration at Aceh . If they were legally married, Light did not declare it. However, it
4950-493: A suitable base for him to make preparations for the liberation of his motherland. Having thoroughly looted Ayutthaya, the Burmese did not seem to show serious interest in holding the capital of Siam, since they left only a handful of troops under General Suki to control the shattered city. They turned their attention to the north of their own country which was soon threatened with Chinese invasion . On 6 November 1767, having amassed 5,000 troops and built 100 ships, Taksin sailed up
5115-785: A time under Edward the Confessor , who frequently commanded fleets in person. After the Norman Conquest , English naval power waned and England suffered large naval raids from the Vikings. In 1069, this allowed for the invasion and ravaging of England by Jarl Osborn, brother of King Svein Estridsson , and his sons. The lack of an organised navy came to a head during the First Barons' War , in which Prince Louis of France invaded England in support of northern barons. With King John unable to organise
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5280-573: A trading post in Kuala Kedah . He soon gained an influential position with the Sultan of Kedah . For about ten years he had his headquarters in Thalang, where he revived a defunct French trading post. While in Thalang he learned to speak and write several languages, including Malay and Thai , and became family friends with Than Phu Ying Chan and her husband, the Governor of Thalang. Later, in 1785, he warned
5445-420: A tributary mission to require the royal seal, claiming that the throne of Ayutthaya Kingdom had come to an end. However, his attempt was hindered by Mạc Thiên Tứ (Mo Shilin), the governor of Hà Tiên , whom had thorough knowledge of Chinese diplomatic practices and alleged that Taksin was a usurper. Tứ also offered shelter to Prince Chao Chui, an Ayutthaya prince. The Chinese Court could not help but seize
5610-501: A year, Thai and Burmese soldiers fought fierce battles at the Siege of Ayutthaya . It was during this time that Phraya Vajiraprakarn experienced the setbacks which led him to doubt the value of his endeavors. On 3 January 1767, 3 months before the fall of Ayutthaya, Taksin made his way out of the city at the head of 500 followers to Rayong , on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand . This action
5775-564: Is one of the largest ships in the Navy. As of 2018, the newly commissioned HMS Magpie also undertakes survey duties at sea. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary plans to introduce two new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ships , in part to protect undersea cables and gas pipelines and partly to compensate for the withdrawal of all ocean-going survey vessels from Royal Navy service. The first of these vessels, RFA Proteus , entered service in October 2023. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) provides support to
5940-562: Is primarily designed for anti-aircraft and anti-missile warfare and the Royal Navy describe the destroyer's mission as "to shield the Fleet from air attack". They are equipped with the PAAMS (also known as Sea Viper) integrated anti-aircraft warfare system which incorporates the sophisticated SAMPSON and S1850M long range radars and the Aster 15 and 30 missiles. Sixteen Type 23 frigates were delivered to
6105-752: Is the submarine based element of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes referred to as the " Silent Service ", as the submarines are generally required to operate undetected. Founded in 1901, the service made history in 1982 when, during the Falklands War, HMS Conqueror became the first nuclear-powered submarine to sink a surface ship, ARA General Belgrano . Today, all of the Royal Navy's submarines are nuclear-powered . The Royal Navy operates four Vanguard -class ballistic missile submarines displacing nearly 16,000 tonnes and equipped with Trident II missiles (armed with nuclear weapons ) and heavyweight Spearfish torpedoes , to carry out Operation Relentless,
6270-752: Is the basic training facility for newly enlisted ratings. Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon is the initial officer training establishment for the Royal Navy. Personnel are divided into a warfare branch , which includes Warfare Officers (previously named seamen officers) and Naval Aviators , as well other branches including the Royal Naval Engineers , Royal Navy Medical Branch , and Logistics Officers (previously named Supply Officers ). Present-day officers and ratings have several different uniforms ; some are designed to be worn aboard ship, others ashore or in ceremonial duties. Women began to join
6435-468: Is the traditional workhorse of the Navy. As of May 2024 there are six Type 45 destroyers and 9 Type 23 frigates in commission. Among their primary roles is to provide escort for the larger capital ships—protecting them from air, surface and subsurface threats. Other duties include undertaking the Royal Navy's standing deployments across the globe, which often consists of: counter-narcotics, anti-piracy missions and providing humanitarian aid. The Type 45
6600-463: Is to conduct amphibious warfare, they have also been deployed for humanitarian aid missions. Both vessels were in reserve as of 2024 and in November 2024, the newly elected Labour government indicated that they would in fact be retired from service completely by March 2025. While second-line amphibious capabilities remained within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the future of the navy's amphibious capability
6765-753: The Admiralty Board , chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence . The Royal Navy operates from three bases in Britain where commissioned ships and submarines are based: Portsmouth , Clyde and Devonport , the last being the largest operational naval base in Western Europe, as well as two naval air stations, RNAS Yeovilton and RNAS Culdrose where maritime aircraft are based. The Royal Navy stated its six major roles in umbrella terms in 2017 as. The Royal Navy protects British interests at home and abroad, executing
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6930-515: The American War of Independence . The United States was allied to France , and the Netherlands and Spain were also at war with Britain. In the Battle of the Chesapeake , the British fleet failed to lift the French blockade, resulting in the surrender of an entire British army at Yorktown . The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793–1801, 1803–1814 & 1815) saw the Royal Navy reach
7095-628: The Battle of Britain in order to neutralise the Home Fleet , but faced stiff resistance from the Royal Air Force . The Luftwaffe bombing offensive during the Kanalkampf phase of the battle targeted naval convoys and bases in order to lure large concentrations of RAF fighters into attrition warfare . At Taranto , Admiral Cunningham commanded a fleet that launched the first all-aircraft naval attack in history. The Royal Navy suffered heavy losses in
7260-711: The Invergordon Mutiny took place in the Atlantic Fleet over the National Government 's proposed 25% pay cut, which was eventually reduced to 10%. International tensions increased in the mid-1930s and the re-armament of the Royal Navy was well under way by 1938. In addition to new construction, several existing old battleships , battlecruisers and heavy cruisers were reconstructed, and anti-aircraft weaponry reinforced, while new technologies, such as ASDIC , Huff-Duff and hydrophones , were developed. At
7425-574: The King of Thonburi ( Thai : สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี , RTGS : Somdet Phra Chao Krung Thon Buri ; simplified Chinese : 郑昭 ; traditional Chinese : 鄭昭 ; pinyin : Zhèng Zhāo ; Teochew : Dên Chao; 17 April 1734 – 7 April 1782) was the only king of the Thonburi Kingdom that ruled Thailand from 1767 to 1782. He had been an aristocrat in the Ayutthaya Kingdom and then
7590-682: The Kingdom of England had possessed less-organised naval forces for centuries prior to this. The Royal Scots Navy (or Old Scots Navy) had its origins in the Middle Ages until its merger with the English Royal Navy per the Acts of Union 1707 . During much of the medieval period, fleets or "king's ships" were often established or gathered for specific campaigns or actions, and these would disperse afterwards. These were generally merchant ships enlisted into service. Unlike some European states, England did not maintain
7755-512: The Kingdom of Great Britain sent 1,400 flintlocks along with other goods as gifts to King Taksin. In 1770, natives of Terengganu and Jakarta presented Taksin with 2,200 shotguns . At that time, the Dutch Republic controlled the Java Islands. Simultaneously Taksin was deeply engaged in restoring law and order in the kingdom and administering a public welfare programme. Abuses in
7920-403: The Merchant Navy available to the RFA under a private finance initiative , while the civilian Marine Services operate auxiliary vessels which further support the Royal Navy in various capacities. The RFA replenishes Royal Navy warships at sea, and augments the Royal Navy's amphibious warfare capabilities through its three Bay-class landing ship vessels. It also works as a force multiplier for
8085-408: The Middle East , especially Iraq . The Royal Navy played an historic role in several great global explorations of science and discovery. Beginning in the 18th century many great voyages were commissioned often in co-operation with the Royal Society , such as the Northwest Passage expedition of 1741 . James Cook led three great voyages, with goals such as discovering Terra Australis , observing
8250-407: The Ministry of Defence published figures showing that the Royal Navy and Royal Marines had 29,090 full-time trained personnel compared with a target of 30,600. In 2023, it was reported that the Royal Navy was experiencing significant recruiting challenges with a net drop of some 1,600 personnel (4 percent of the force) from mid-2022 to mid-2023. This was posing a significant problem in the ability of
8415-439: The North America and West Indies Station . After the First World War, this formation assumed responsibility for the eastern Pacific Ocean and the western South Atlantic and was known as the America and West Indies Station until 1956. In 1921, due to the ambitions of Imperial Japan and the threat of the Imperial Japanese Navy , it was decided to construct the Singapore Naval Base . During this period, naval warfare underwent
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#17328485188308580-440: The Suffolk Estate . Rozells did however inherit a bungalow in Penang, along with a pension from the East India Company. Despite the lack of recognition from Light's British peers in regards to the status of Rozells as his wife, she was perceived as such by the local Eurasians and Thai community. Rozells later remarried, marrying a John Timmer at a ceremony at the chapel in Fort Cornwallis in 1799. Light and his family lived in
8745-448: The Transit of Venus and searching for the elusive North-West Passage , these voyages are considered to have contributed to world knowledge and science. In the late 18th century, during a four year voyage Captain George Vancouver made detailed maps of the western coastline of North America . In the 19th century, Charles Darwin made further contributions to science during the second voyage of HMS Beagle . The Ross expedition to
8910-537: The Type 26 Frigate , with the incremental retirement of the remaining Type 23s commencing in 2021. The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 reduced the procurement of Type 26 to eight with five Type 31e frigates also to be procured. There are two classes of MCMVs in the Royal Navy: one Sandown -class minehunter and six Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessels . All the Sandown-class vessels are to be withdrawn from service by 2025 and are being replaced by autonomous systems that are planned to operate from
9075-438: The War of the Spanish Succession (1702–1714) granted Britain Gibraltar and Menorca , providing the Navy with Mediterranean bases. The expansion of the Royal Navy would encourage the British colonisation of the Americas , with British (North) America becoming a vital source of timber for the Royal Navy. There was a defeat during the frustrated siege of Cartagena de Indias in 1741. A new French attempt to invade Britain
9240-412: The high church , and expanded it to become the most powerful in the world. The fleet was quickly tested in the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652–1654) and the Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660) , which saw the British conquest of Jamaica and successful attacks on Spanish treasure fleets . The 1660 Restoration saw Charles II rename the Royal Navy again, and started use of the prefix HMS . The Navy remained
9405-459: The increasing cost of weapons systems . In 1981, Defence Secretary John Nott had advocated and initiated a series of cutbacks to the Navy . The Falklands War however proved a need for the Royal Navy to regain an expeditionary and littoral capability which, with its resources and structure at the time, would prove difficult. At the beginning of the 1980s, the Royal Navy was a force focused on blue-water anti-submarine warfare . Its purpose
9570-405: The nuclear deterrent ), 6 nuclear fleet submarines , 6 guided missile destroyers , 9 frigates , 7 mine-countermeasure vessels and 26 patrol vessels . As of May 2024, there are 66 commissioned ships (including submarines as well as one historic ship, HMS Victory ) in the Royal Navy, plus 13 ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). There are also four Point-class sealift ships from
9735-409: The 19th century until the Second World War , it was the world's most powerful navy. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire , and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superiority. Following World War I , it was significantly reduced in size. During the Cold War ,
9900-418: The Antarctic made several important discoveries in biology and zoology . Several of the Royal Navy's voyages ended in disaster such as those of Franklin and Scott . Between 1872 and 1876 HMS Challenger undertook the first global marine research expedition, the Challenger expedition . During World War I , the Royal Navy's strength was mostly deployed at home in the Grand Fleet , confronting
10065-422: The Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Control of military forces in Nova Scotia passed to the new Government of Canada after the 1867 Confederation of Canada and control of the naval dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia was transferred to the Government of Canada in 1905, five years prior to the establishment of the Royal Canadian Navy . Prior to the 1920s, it was presumed that the only navies that could challenge
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#173284851883010230-436: The Atlantic, and from its base in Bermuda it blockaded the Atlantic seaboard of the United States throughout the war and carried out (with Royal Marines, Colonial Marines , British Army , and Board of Ordnance military corps units) various amphibious operations, most notably the Chesapeake campaign . On the Great Lakes , however, the United States Navy established an advantage. In 1860, Albert, Prince Consort , wrote to
10395-514: The Battle of Bangkaeo (Thai: ยุทธการที่บางแก้ว) in Ratchaburi . Due to starvation, the Burmese army capitulated to Taksin in 1775. Instead of killing all the men, Taksin paraded the prisoners around to boost the morale of his soldiers. Undaunted by this defeat, and aiming to retake Chiang Mai, Hsinbyushin tried again to conquer Siam, and in October 1775 the greatest Burmese invasion in the Thonburi period began under Maha Thiha Thura , known in Thai history as Azaewunky. He had distinguished himself as
10560-431: The British Royal Navy , serving as the servant of a naval surgeon onboard the 64-gun Mars . He began a Royal Navy apprenticeship in 1759 onboard the 70-gun Captain before being transferred after a few months to the newly-commissioned 70-gun Dragon . Light was promoted to the officer's rank of midshipman on the 74-gun Arrogant in 1761 before being discharged from the Royal Navy in 1763. During his career in
10725-491: The British Army and the Board of Ordnance military corps were cutback, weakening garrisons around the Empire, the Militia became a paper tiger, and the Volunteer Force and Fencible units disbanded, though the Yeomanry was maintained as a back-up to the police). Britain relied, throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, on imperial fortress colonies (originally Bermuda , Gibraltar, Halifax (Nova Scotia) , and Malta ). These areas permitted Britain to control
10890-694: The British advantage in ship numbers. In 1889, Parliament passed the Naval Defence Act , which formally adopted the 'two-power standard', which stipulated that the Royal Navy should maintain a number of battleships at least equal to the combined strength of the next two largest navies. The end of the 19th century saw structural changes and older vessels were scrapped or placed into reserve, making funds and manpower available for newer ships. The launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 rendered all existing battleships obsolete. The transition at this time from coal to fuel-oil for boiler firing would encourage Britain to expand their foothold in former Ottoman territories in
11055-433: The Buddhist establishment and among the public were duly rectified and food and clothing and other necessities were distributed to those in need. Taksin was interested in art, including dance and drama. There is evidence that when he went to suppress the Chao Nakhon Si Thammarat faction in 1769, he brought back Chao Nakhon's female dancers. Together with dancers that he had assembled from other places, they trained and set up
11220-410: The Buddhist religion after its period of decline following the loss of Ayutthaya to Burma, gradually bringing it back to the normalcy it enjoyed during the Ayutthaya kingdom, since his reign was so brief he was not able to do very much. The administration of the Sangha during the Thonburi period followed the model established in Ayutthaya, and he allowed French missionaries to enter Thailand, and like
11385-428: The Burmese, defeat his rivals and reunify the country. With his soldiers he moved to Chanthaburi, and being rebuffed by the governor of the town, he made a surprise night attack on it and captured it on 15 June 1767, only two months after the sack of Ayutthaya. His army was rapidly increasing in numbers, as men of Chanthaburi and Trat , which had not been plundered and depopulated by the Burmese, naturally constituted
11550-459: The Chao Phraya River and seized Thonburi opposite present day Bangkok . He executed the puppet Thai governor, Thong-in, whom the Burmese had placed in charge. The taking of Thonburi was quite easy due to the garrison being Thai. He followed up his victory quickly by attacking the main Burmese camp numbering 3,000 men, led by General Suki (สุกี้) at the Battle of Pho Sam Ton (Thai: โพธิ์สามต้น) near Ayutthaya. The Burmese were defeated, General Suki
11715-558: The Chinese merchants. The opposition was led mainly by the Bunnags , a merchant-aristocratic family of Persian origin, successors of Ayutthaya's minister of Ports and Finance, or Phra Klang Later, Thonburi ordered some guns from England. Royal letters were exchanged and in 1777 the Viceroy of British Raj Madras , George Stratton, sent a gold scabbard decorated with gems to King Taksin. Thai galleons travelled to Portuguese colony of Surat , in Goa , India. However, formal diplomatic relations were not formed. In 1776, Francis Light of
11880-549: The Chinese to settle in Siam, principally those from Chaoshan , partly with the intention to revive the stagnating economy and upgrading the local workforce. He had to fight almost constantly for most of his reign to maintain the independence of his country. As the economic influence of the immigrant Chinese community grew with time, many aristocrats, whom he took in from the Ayutthaya nobility, began to turn against him for having allied with
12045-458: The Chinese trade provided the foodstuffs and goods needed for the warfare that enabled Taksin to build up his fledgling state. In the long run, it produced income that could be used "to defray the expenses of the state and for the upkeep of the individual royal, noble, and wealthy commercial families." As one contemporary observed, François Henri Turpin (1771), under the famine conditions of 1767–1768 : A tomb containing Taksin's clothes and
12210-599: The Foreign Secretary John Russell, 1st Earl Russell with his concern about "a perfect disgrace to our country, and particularly to the Admiralty ". The stated shipbuilding policy of the British monarchy was to take advantage of technological change and so be able to deploy a new weapons system that could defend British interests before other national and imperial resources are reasonably mobilized. Nevertheless, British taxpayers scrutinized progress in modernizing
12375-488: The French fleet in the Battle of Sluys in 1340. England's naval forces could not prevent frequent raids on the south-coast ports by the French and their allies. Such raids halted only with the occupation of northern France by Henry V . A Scottish fleet existed by the reign of William the Lion . In the early 13th century there was a resurgence of Viking naval power in the region. The Vikings clashed with Scotland over control of
12540-588: The German High Seas Fleet across the North Sea. Several inconclusive clashes took place between them, chiefly the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The British fighting advantage proved insurmountable, leading the High Seas Fleet to abandon any attempt to challenge British dominance. The Royal Navy under John Jellicoe also tried to avoid combat and remained in port at Scapa Flow for much of the war. This
12705-646: The Governor of Nangrong , who had rebelled against the King Taksin. The army under Chao Phraya Chakri was ordered to move against the rebel, who was caught and executed. Having received reinforcements under Chao Phraya Surasi , he advanced to Champasak, where the rulers, Chao O and his deputy, were captured and summarily beheaded. Champasak was conquered by Siam, and as a result of Chao Phraya Chakri's successful campaign Taksin promoted him to Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek Piluekmahima Tuknakara Ra-adet ( Thai :สมเด็จเจ้าพระยามหากษัตริย์ศึก พิลึกมหึมาทุกนคราระอาเดช) (meaning
12870-616: The Great . Whereas his previous suggestion had brought no result, following the American Revolutionary War during which Britain had struggled with France for naval superiority, Light's suggestion took on a new significance. In 1786, on behalf of the EIC, Light leased Penang Island from Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah , for the price of 6,000 Spanish dollars per annum. Under the administration of Governor-general Sir John Macpherson , Light
13035-603: The Navy, he met James Scott, who would later play an important part in Light's life and business career. His movements between 1763 and 1765 are not recorded, but it seems that he managed to amass enough of a fortune to bequeath a considerable amount of property in a will to William Negus and three other men. In 1765 Light embarked on the East India Company (EIC) merchant ship Clive , captained by John Allen, bound for Madras and Bombay . In British India , he secured command of
13200-698: The Pacific and had begun building large, modern fleets which went to war with each other in 1904. Britain's reliance on Malta, via the Suez Canal, as the nearest Imperial fortress was improved, relying on amity and common interests that developed between Britain and the United States during and after World War I, by the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914, allowing the cruisers based in Bermuda to more easily and rapidly reach
13365-663: The Queen's ships in highly profitable raids against Spanish commerce and colonies. The Royal Navy was then used in 1588 to repulse the Spanish Armada , but the English Armada was lost the next year. In 1603, the Union of the Crowns created a personal union between England and Scotland. While the two remained distinct sovereign states for a further century, the two navies increasingly fought as
13530-526: The Royal Navy at sea in several capacities. For fleet replenishment, it deploys one Fleet Solid Support Ship and six fleet tankers (three of which are maintained in reserve). The RFA also has one aviation training and casualty reception vessel, which also operates as a Littoral Strike Ship . Three amphibious transport docks are also incorporated within its fleet. These are known as the Bay-class landing ships, of which four were introduced in 2006–2007, but one
13695-661: The Royal Navy belonged to nations on the Atlantic Ocean or its connected seas, despite the growth of the Imperial Russian and United States Pacific fleets during the latter half of the 19th Century. Britain relied on Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea, to project power to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean via the Suez Canal after its completion in 1869. It relied on friendship and common interests between Britain and
13860-625: The Royal Navy in 1917 with the formation of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), which was disbanded after the end of the First World War in 1919. It was revived in 1939, and the WRNS continued until disbandment in 1993, as a result of the decision to fully integrate women into the structures of the Royal Navy. Women now serve in all sections of the Royal Navy including the Royal Marines . In August 2019,
14025-530: The Royal Navy so as to ensure, that taypayers' money is not wasted. Between 1815 and 1914, the Royal Navy saw little serious action, owing to the absence of any opponent strong enough to challenge its dominance, though it did not suffer the drastic cutbacks the various military forces underwent in the period of economic austerity that followed the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the American War of 1812 (when
14190-637: The Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force , hunting for Soviet submarines and mostly active in the GIUK gap . Following the collapse of the Soviet Union , its focus has returned to expeditionary operations around the world and it remains one of the world's foremost blue-water navies . The Royal Navy maintains a fleet of technologically sophisticated ships, submarines, and aircraft, including 2 aircraft carriers , 2 amphibious transport docks , 4 ballistic missile submarines (which maintain
14355-626: The Royal Navy, often doing patrols that frigates used to do. The Royal Navy is part of His Majesty's Naval Service, which also includes the Royal Marines and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord who is an admiral and member of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom . The Defence Council delegates management of the Naval Service to
14520-530: The Royal Navy, with the final vessel, HMS St Albans , commissioned in June 2002. However, the 2004 Delivering Security in a Changing World review announced that three frigates would be paid off as part of a cost-cutting exercise, and these were subsequently sold to the Chilean Navy . The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review announced that the remaining 13 Type 23 frigates would eventually be replaced by
14685-610: The Royal Navy. In December 2019, the modified Batch 1 River-class vessel, HMS Clyde , was decommissioned, with the Batch 2 HMS Forth taking over duties as the Falkland Islands patrol ship. HMS Protector is a dedicated Antarctica patrol ship that fulfils the nation's mandate to provide support to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). HMS Scott is an ocean survey vessel and at 13,500 tonnes
14850-825: The STOVL variant of the F-35 Lightning II . Queen Elizabeth began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned later that year, and entered service in 2020, while the second, HMS Prince of Wales , began sea trials on 22 September 2019, was commissioned in December 2019 and was declared operational as of October 2021. The aircraft carriers form a central part of the UK Carrier Strike Group alongside escorts and support ships. Amphibious warfare ships in current service include two landing platform docks ( HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark ). While their primary role
15015-769: The Thonburi Kingdom. Nothing definite is known about the origin of the celebrated Emerald Buddha. It is believed that this image was carved from green jasper by an artist or artists in northern India about two thousand years ago. It was taken to Ceylon and then to Chiang Rai of Lan Na kingdom where it was, in 1434, found intact in a chedi which had been struck by lightning. As an object of great veneration among Thai Buddhists, it had been deposited in monasteries in Chiang Rai , Chiang Mai , Luang Prabang , Vientiane , Thonburi , and later Bangkok . When King Taksin established Thonburi as his capital, people were living in abject poverty, and food and clothing were scarce. The King Taksin
15180-520: The United Kingdom's Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD). The UK government has committed to replace these submarines with four new Dreadnought -class submarines , which will enter service in the "early 2030s" to maintain this capability. Taksin the Great King Taksin the Great ( Thai : สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช , RTGS : Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharat , listen ) or
15345-647: The United States (which controlled transit through the Panama Canal , completed in 1914) during and after the First World War, and on Bermuda, to project power the length of the western Atlantic, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. The area controlled from Bermuda (and Halifax until 1905) had been part of the North America Station, until the 1820s, which then absorbed the Jamaica Station to become
15510-559: The arts such as drama, painting, architecture and handicrafts. He also issued regulations for the collection and arrangement of various texts to promote education and religious studies. He was taken in a coup d'état and executed, and succeeded by his long-time friend Maha Ksatriyaseuk , who then assumed the throne, founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the Chakri dynasty , which has since ruled Thailand. In recognition for his deeds, he
15675-657: The beginning of the 18th century. The Prince of Luang Prabang, who was at odds with the Prince of Vientiane, submitted to Siam for his own safety, bringing his men to join Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek in besieging Vientiane. After the siege of Vientiane which took about four months, Thaksin's took Vientiane, sacked the city, and carried off the images of Emerald Buddha and Phra Bang to Thonburi. The Prince of Vientiane managed to escape and went into exile. Thus Luang Prabang and Vientiane became tributary state of
15840-560: The beginning of the war without the loss of a single life. The Royal Navy nevertheless remained active in other theatres, most notably in the Mediterranean Sea , where they waged the Dardanelles and Gallipoli campaigns in 1914 and 1915. British cruisers hunted down German commerce raiders across the world's oceans in 1914 and 1915, including the battles of Coronel , Falklands Islands , Cocos , and Rufiji Delta , among others. At
16005-463: The chance by asking Taksin, as a 'new vassal', to be her ally in the war against the Burmese. Eventually Chinese Court approved the royal status of Taksin as the new king of Siam. A considerable contribution to his success came from the Teochew Chinese trading community of the region, on whom Taksin was able to call by virtue of his paternal relations; he was half-Teochew himself. In the short run,
16170-415: The city of Ayutthaya had suffered such destruction that to restore it to its former state would have strained his resources. The Burmese were quite familiar with Ayutthaya's vulnerabilities, and in the event of renewal of a Burmese attack on it, the troops under the liberator would be inadequate for effective defense of the city. With these considerations in mind, he established his capital at Thonburi , which
16335-458: The city of Phichai, beginning a series of campaigns over Siam's northern cities (Sukhothai , Phitsanulok ). In 1772, after finishing his campaign in Luang Phrabang, Nemyo Thihapate attacked the city of Phichai, but was repelled. In 1773, Nemyo Thihapate attacked the city of Phichai again. During the siege, a commander named Phraya Phichai fought the Burmese until his sword broke. For that, he
16500-653: The class serve in U.K. waters in a sovereignty and fisheries protection role while the five Batch 2 ships are forward-deployed on a long-term basis to Gibraltar, the Caribbean, the Falkland Islands and the Indo-Pacific region. The vessel MV Grampian Frontier is leased from Scottish-based North Star Shipping for patrol duties around the British Indian Ocean Territory . However, she is not in commission with
16665-652: The cross of St Andrew was replaced with the Union Jack. On English ships, the red, white, or blue ensigns had the St George's Cross of England removed from the canton, and the combined crosses of the Union flag put in its place. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Royal Navy was the largest maritime force in the world, maintaining superiority in financing, tactics, training, organisation, social cohesion, hygiene, logistical support and warship design. The peace settlement following
16830-578: The decisions of the elder and junior Lights.The life of Martina Rozells is also brought to life. The play is mainly about family, aiming to use Light's inner perspective to look at the world, and touches on "the values and notions of nationalism". Henning used the Mayo and Dutton collections at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia for all of his research for the play. Henning sees William Light as an unfulfilled individual, despite all of his success; his life
16995-677: The eastern Pacific Ocean (after the war, the Royal Navy's Bermuda-based North America and West Indies Station was consequently re-designated the America and West Indies station , including a South American division. The rising power and increasing belligerence of the Japanese Empire after World War I, however, resulted in the construction of the Singapore Naval Base , which was completed in 1938, less than four years before hostilities with Japan did commence during World War II . In 1932,
17160-587: The end of World War I, the Royal Navy remained by far the world's most powerful navy, larger than the U.S. Navy and French Navy combined, and over twice as large as the Imperial Japanese Navy and Royal Italian Navy combined. Its former primary competitor, the Imperial German Navy, was destroyed at the end of the war . In the inter-war period , the Royal Navy was stripped of much of its power. The Washington and London Naval Treaties imposed
17325-507: The first home constructed on the Suffolk Estate, now known as Suffolk House , 6.4 kilometres (4 mi) west of George Town. Their home was described as a "simple Anglo-Indian Garden House style of timber and attap construction", built within his pepper estate. (After Light's estate was settled in 1805, William Edward Phillips built a grand Georgian-styled mansion, also known as Suffolk Park.) His eldest son, Colonel William Light ,
17490-453: The first two years of the war. Over 3,000 people were lost when the converted troopship Lancastria was sunk in June 1940, the greatest maritime disaster in Britain's history. The Navy's most critical struggle was the Battle of the Atlantic defending Britain's vital North American commercial supply lines against U-boat attack. A traditional convoy system was instituted from the start of
17655-440: The forces of nature were under his control when he was destined to succeeded, and this faith led him to attempt and achieve tasks which to another man would seem impossible. Like Napoleon III , he was a man of destiny." The king elected not return to Ayutthaya but instead to make his capital at Thonburi, which being only 20 kilometers from the sea, was much better suited to seaborne commerce. He never really had time to build it into
17820-436: The foreign and defence policies of His Majesty's Government through the exercise of military effect, diplomatic activities and other activities in support of these objectives. It is also a key element of the British contribution to NATO, with a number of ships or aircraft allocated to NATO tasks at any time. In 2007 core capabilities were described as: The English Royal Navy was formally founded in 1546 by Henry VIII , though
17985-405: The governor of Phitsanulok to meet up with Phraya Kawila, the ruler of Lampang to retake Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai was retaken, but due to constant wars, it was heavily devastated and remained abandoned for 15 years until it was rebuilt 15 years later. In 1777, the ruler of Champasak , which was at that time an independent principality bordering the eastern frontier of the Thonburi Kingdom, supported
18150-722: The idea of a British settlement in the neighbourhood of the Malay Peninsula to Warren Hastings , the East India Company's Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal) . He suggested that the island of Penang might serve as a "convenient magazine for the Eastern trade" but at that time his idea didn't gain traction. In 1776–77, Light arranged a large shipment of firearms for the Siamese Kingdom of Thonburi , ruled by Taksin
18315-461: The island administrators of an imminent Burmese attack . Light's warning enabled the islanders, led by Chan and her sister Mook, to prepare for Thalang's defence and subsequently repel the Burmese invasion. In 1785, after the death of the Governor of Thalang, his widow and other relatives proposed that Light assume the position; however the King of Siam , Rama II, thwarted the proposal. Light's interest in Penang had begun in 1771, when he proposed
18480-463: The isles though Alexander III was ultimately successful in asserting Scottish control. The Scottish fleet was of particular import in repulsing English forces in the early 14th century. A standing "Navy Royal", with its own secretariat, dockyards and a permanent core of purpose-built warships, emerged during the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I , England became involved in a war with Spain , which saw privately owned vessels combining with
18645-413: The letters of a French missionary who was in Thonburi at the time support the accounts of the monarch's peculiar behavior which reported that "He (Taksin) passed all his time in prayer, fasting, and meditation, in order by these means to be able to fly through the air." Again, the missionaries describe the situation: Thus the terms 'insanity' or 'madness' possibly were the contemporary definition describing
18810-480: The liberator was so pleased that he promoted him to be Phra Mahamontri. Just after his coronation, Taksin secured the service of Luang Yokkrabut on the recommendation of Phra Mahamontri (Thai: พระมหามนตรี) and as he was equally familiar with him as with his brother, he raised him to be Phra Rajwarin. Having rendered service to the king during his campaigns or their own expeditions against the enemies, Phra Rajwarin (Thai: พระราชวรินทร์) and Phra Mahamontri rose so quickly in
18975-496: The list of Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at Chenghai District ( 澄海區文物保護單位 ) since 5 December 1984. Princess Sirindhorn had visited the tomb in 1998. Now the nearby area is opened to the public as Zheng Emperor Taksin Park ( 鄭皇達信公園 ). Thai historians indicate that the strain on him took its toll, and the king started to become a religious fanatic. In 1781 Taksin showed increasing signs of mental trouble. He believed himself to be
19140-408: The love of the residents of Penang. Light had three daughters and two sons with Martina (sometimes spelt Martinha) Rozells (possibly born Thong Di), whose origins and status are the subject of debate. She has been variously recorded as being of Portuguese or French extraction on one side, and of Siamese or Malay on the other. She was also rumoured to have been a princess, possibly given to Light as
19305-467: The monarch's actions: according to the following Rattanakosin era accounts, King Taksin was described as 'insane.' However, with the Burmese threat still prevalent a strong ruler was needed on the throne. Finally a faction led by Phraya San (or Phraya San, Phraya Sankhaburi) seized the capital. A coup d'état removing Taksin from the throne consequently took place, Phraya San attacked Thonburi and took control within one night. King Taksin surrendered to
19470-737: The navy to meet its commitments. In December 2019 the First Sea Lord , Admiral Tony Radakin , outlined a proposal to reduce the number of Rear-Admirals at Navy Command by five. The fighting arms (excluding Commandant General Royal Marines ) would be reduced to commodore (1-star) rank and the surface flotillas would be combined. Training would be concentrated under the Fleet Commander . The Royal Navy has two Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers. Each carrier cost £ 3 billion and displaces 65,000 tonnes (64,000 long tons; 72,000 short tons). The first, HMS Queen Elizabeth , commenced flight trials in 2018. Both are intended to operate
19635-413: The new center of power within Siam. During Taksin's reign, Taksin is recorded to have waged 9 campaigns against Burma: In 1767, Hsinbyushin sent an army of 2,000 men under the command of Maengki Manya (Thai: แมงกี้มารหญ้า), the governor of Tavoy to invade Siam after Taksin as established Thonburi as the capital. The Burmese army advanced to the district of Bang Kung in the province of Samut Songkram to
19800-450: The next fifteen years. Its remaining inhabitants were transplanted to Lampang, where Kawila was established to rule over Lan Na as a Siamese vassal. In 1776, the new Burmese king, Singu Min , ordered 6,000 troops to attack Chiang Mai. Phraya Wichienprakarn considered that Chiang Mai did not have many troops to that can protect the city therefore allowing people to migrate down to the city of Sawankhalok. Taksin ordered Maha Sura Singhanat,
19965-424: The noble ranks that a few years after, the former was created Chao Phraya Chakri, the rank of the chancellor, while the latter became Chao Phraya Surasi . On 28 December 1767, Taksin was crowned King of Siam at Thonburi Palace in Thonburi ("Krung Thonburi Sri Maha Samut"), the new capital of Siam, yet had Siam official documents still used the official name of " Krung Pra Maha Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya ". He assumed
20130-509: The northern Thai kingdom of Lanna , the Laotian principalities , and threatening Cambodia . Although warfare occupied most of Taksin's reign, he paid a great deal of attention to politics, administration, economy, and the welfare of the country. He promoted trade and fostered relations with foreign countries. He had roads built and canals dug. Apart from restoring and renovating temples, the king attempted to revive literature, and various branches of
20295-424: The northern frontier with Lanna, whose capital Chiang Mai , under Burmese rule, served as launching bases for Burmese incursions. A prerequisite for the maintenance of peace in that region would therefore be the complete expulsion of the Burmese from Chiang Mai. In 1770, Taksin started his first expedition to capture Chiang Mai, but he was pushed back. In 1771, the Burmese governor of Chiang Mai launched an attack on
20460-465: The official name of " Borommaracha IV " and " Phra Sri Sanphet X ", but is known to Thai history as King Taksin, a combination of his popular name, "Phraya Tak", and his first name, "Sin", or the King of Thonburi. At the time of his coronation, he was only 34 years of age. W. A. R. Wood (1924) observed that Taksin's father was Chinese or partly Chinese, and his mother Siamese, and he said, "He believed that even
20625-476: The part Martinha Rozells and her family played in the events. The third novel, Emporium , about the early years of the settlement, was due to be released in 2023. Thonburi dynasty Kings Royalty Siamese Foreigners Key events Royal Navy The Royal Navy ( RN ) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom , British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies , and
20790-511: The rebels without resistance, and requested to be allowed to join the monkhood in Wat Chaeng (Wat Arun). However, the disturbance in Thonburi widely spread, with killing and looting prevalent. When the coup occurred, General Chao Phraya Chakri was away fighting in Cambodia , but he quickly returned to the Thai capital following being informed of the coup. Upon reaching the capital, the general ended
20955-616: The reign of King Ekkathat . Nokiang's father was a Tai commoner. Impressed by the boy, Mut, the Chaophraya Chakri [ th ] who was the Grand Chancellor of Civil Affairs ( Thai : สมุหนายก , RTGS : Samuhanayok ) in King Boromakot 's reign, adopted him and gave him the Thai name Sin (สิน) meaning money or treasure. When he was seven, Sin was assigned to a monk named Thongdi to begin his education in
21120-568: The sacking of Ayutthaya, was ennobled as Luang Yokkrabat , taking charge of royal surveillance, serving the Governor of Ratchaburi , and Bunma had a court title conferred upon him as Nai Sudchinda. Luang Yokkrabat (Thongduang) was therefore not in Ayutthaya to witness the fall of the city, while Nai Sudchinda (Bunma) made his escape from Ayutthaya. However, while King Taksin was assembling his forces at Chanthaburi, Nai Sudchinda brought his retainers to join him, thus helping to increase his fighting strength. Due to his previous acquaintance with him,
21285-661: The scrapping of some capital ships and limitations on new construction. The lack of an imperial fortress in the region of Asia , the Indian Ocean , and the Pacific Ocean was always to be a weakness throughout the 19th century as the former North American colonies that had become the United States of America had multiplied towards the Pacific Coast of North America, and the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire both had ports on
21450-483: The self-appointed local nobles were two personalities who subsequently played important roles in Thai history. They were the sons of an official bearing the title of Phra Acksonsuntornsmiantra ( Thai : พระอักษรสุนทรเสมียนตรา ). The elder son was named Thongduang (Thai: ทองด้วง). He was born in 1737 in Ayutthaya and later was to be the founder of the Chakri Dynasty , while the younger one, Bunma (Thai: บุญมา), born six years later, served as his deputy. Thongduang, prior to
21615-564: The settlement until his death in October 1794, apart from 21 November 1789 to 9 February 1790, when John Glass acted in his place. By 1789 there were about 10,000 inhabitants, and by 1795, 20,000. Accounts of his actions seem to indicate that he was a fair-minded and honourable man. In 1790, he asked for a higher salary, in order to allow him to live without having to engage in trade (by which he may have enriched himself, but possibly compromise his role). This led to his business partnership with James Scott being dissolved. In 1794, he recommended that
21780-411: The size of the Royal Navy. A 2013 report found that the Royal Navy was already too small, and that Britain would have to depend on her allies if her territories were attacked. The Royal Navy was responsible for training the fledgling Iraqi Navy and securing Iraq's oil terminals following the cessation of hostilities in the country. The Iraqi Training and Advisory Mission (Navy) ( Umm Qasr ), headed by
21945-416: The start of World War II in 1939, the Royal Navy was still the largest in the world, with over 1,400 vessels. The Royal Navy provided critical cover during Operation Dynamo , the British evacuations from Dunkirk , and as the ultimate deterrent to a German invasion of Britain during the following four months. The Luftwaffe under Hermann Göring attempted to gain air supremacy over southern England in
22110-407: The story that she was of noble blood. However, John Crawfurd, later First Resident of Singapore, said in 1820 that Martina was not a princess, but a Portuguese woman from Siam, and Steuart points out that there is no evidence that Trapaud knew Light when the couple began living together. Other contemporary accounts name her as the daughter of the 19th Sultan of Kedah (Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II), by
22275-415: The straits and their own history set aside the known events of the life of Captain Light. Dragon looks at the early years of Light, his years in the British navy at war in the Americas, and then his life as a country ship captain for the East India Company in the Straits of Malacca. The second volume Pearl was released in 2022 and charts Light's journey from merchant captain to governor of Penang island and
22440-406: The street. He was respected by his British peers as a fair and honourable man and admired for his achievements, which included keeping the Siamese and Dutch at bay. He was a skilled negotiator and cared for the welfare of the people both in his colony and old friends in Thalang, sending rice when the island was hit by famine. He spoke the local languages and partially assumed the local dress, earning
22605-417: The supreme Chao Phraya, Great Warrior-King who was so remarkably powerful that every city was afraid of his might) —the highest title of nobility that a commoner could achieve. In Vientiane , a Minister of State, Pra Woh [ de ] , had rebelled against the ruling prince and fled to the Champasak territory, where he set himself up at Donmotdang, near the present city of Ubon Ratchathani . He made
22770-406: The troops and retreat to Chanthaburi. His successes against competitors for power were due to Taksin's abilities as a warrior, his leadership, valor, and effective organization of his forces. Usually he put himself in the front rank in an encounter with the enemy, thus inspiring his men. Among the officials who cast their fate with him during the campaigns for independence and for the elimination of
22935-502: The war, but German submarine tactics, based on group attacks by " wolf-packs ", were much more effective than in the previous war, and the threat remained serious for well over three years. After World War II, the decline of the British Empire and the economic hardships in Britain forced the reduction in the size and capability of the Royal Navy. The United States Navy instead took on the role of global naval power. Governments since have faced increasing budgetary pressures, partly due to
23100-423: The west of the new capital, but was routed by the Thai king in the Battle of Bang Kung in 1767, which is also the site of Wat Bang Kung . When more Chinese troops invaded Burma, Hsinbyushin was forced to recall most of his troops back to resist the Chinese. In 1770, Thado Mindin, the governor of Chiang Mai, attacked Sawankhalok. Thado Mindin was repelled by Phraya Surasi. Taksin launched campaigns to stabilize
23265-411: Was "also lonely and drifting". In October 2021, Dragon , the first volume of Penang Chronicles published by Monsoon Books was released worldwide. Written by Rose Gan, a British writer and historian who has lived in Malaysia for many years, the series follows the life and times of Francis Light and Martinha Rozells. It takes a fresh look at the historical sources, presenting a depiction of the people of
23430-440: Was Mary Light. Taken in by a relative, William Negus, Light was sent to attend the Woodbridge Grammar School in 1747.. Several historians have described Light as Negus' illegitimate son, but according to author Noël Francis Light Purdon – the six-times great-grandson of Light – Negus instead received payment from Light's parents for looking after him and acted as his guardian throughout his education. In February 1754, Light joined
23595-445: Was a major leader during the liberation of Siam from Burmese occupation after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, and the subsequent unification of Siam after it fell under various warlords. He established the city of Thonburi as the new capital, as the city of Ayutthaya had been almost completely destroyed by the invaders. His reign was characterized by numerous wars; he fought to repel new Burmese invasions and to subjugate
23760-502: Was acquired in 2023 to act as a mothership for autonomous minehunting systems. The Royal Navy also includes a number of smaller non-commissioned assets such as the Sea-class workboats . On 29 July 2022, the Royal Navy christened a new experimental ship, XV Patrick Blackett , which it aims to use as a testbed for autonomous systems. Whilst the ship flies the Blue Ensign , it is crewed by Royal Navy personnel and will participate in Royal Navy and NATO exercises. The Submarine Service
23925-400: Was actually modelled on the features of his son William, as there were no portrait of Francis to use. Erected in 1936 to celebrate 150 years since George Town was founded, it stands at Fort Cornwallis in George Town. Light Street , within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in George Town, is named after him. Convent Light Street, Penang's oldest girls' school, founded in 1852, is located along
24090-571: Was against East India Company rules to marry a Catholic and, as Martina belonged to the Catholic faith, Light may have tried to avoid dismissal by refraining from officially declaring his marriage. Light left Rozells his considerable property in his will. Either way, they cohabited for at least 22 years before his death. Light's business partners, James Scott and William Fairlie, were the executors of Light's will, and some versions of events have suggested that they cheated Rozells out of portions of her inheritance, namely their family residence and estate,
24255-419: Was also a descendant of Mon aristocratic family were Buddhist novices, they reportedly met a Chinese fortune-teller who told them that both had lucky lines in their hands and would both become kings. Neither took it seriously, but Thongduang would become the successor of King Taksin, called Rama I . After taking the vows of a Buddhist monk for about three years, Sin joined the service of King Ekkathat and
24420-455: Was closer to the sea. Not only would Thonburi be difficult to invade by land, it would also prevent an acquisition of weapons and military supplies by anyone ambitious enough to establish himself as an independent prince further up the Chao Phraya River . As Thonburi was a small town, Taksin's available forces, both soldiers and sailors, could man its fortifications, and if he found it impossible to hold it against an enemy attack, he could embark
24585-405: Was contrary to widespread prewar expectations that in the event of a Continental conflict Britain would primarily provide naval support to the Entente Powers while sending at most only a small ground army. Nevertheless, the Royal Navy played an important role in securing the British Isles and the English Channel , notably ferrying the entire British Expeditionary Force to the Western Front at
24750-441: Was entitled superintendent and put in charge of the settlement, styled Dewa Raja by the Malays, on 1 July 1786; thus marking the beginning of British Malaya . The new colony was sparsely populated at this time: it was described as "one vast jungle of nearly 107 square miles, with a population of only fifty-eight souls". Pirates had to be discouraged from landing, and forests were cleared. George Town (named after King George III )
24915-432: Was established, and when two East India Company ships appeared on the coast, Light took the opportunity of inviting the ships and crews to attend the declaration of the new colony of Prince of Wales Island on 11 August 1786, being the eve of the Prince of Wales 's birthday. The Sultan, however, was bound under the Southeast Asian mandala political model in fealty to the King of Siam. Light had exceeded his authority with
25080-399: Was first deputy governor and later governor of Tak , which gained him his name Phraya Tak , the governor of Tak. In 1765, when the Burmese attacked Ayutthaya , Phraya Taksin defended the capital, for which he was given the title Phraya Wachiraprakan of Kamphaeng Phet . However, he did not have a chance to govern Kamphaeng Phet because the country was in a dire situation. For more than
25245-409: Was given the epithet, "Phraya Phichai Dap Hak", which translates to "Phraya Phichai with the broken sword". In 1774, Taksin led an army to attack Chiang Mai for the second time. The city was taken. Lanna, which had been under Burmese rule for over 200 years, had fallen to the Siamese. In the same year, Hsinbyushin sent an army of 5,000 men to attack Siam. It was completely surrounded by the Thais at
25410-431: Was killed in the fighting, and Taksin won back Ayutthaya from the enemy within seven months of its destruction. King Taksin took important steps to show that he was a worthy successor to the throne. He ensured appropriate treatment to the remnants of the ex-royal family, arranged a grand cremation of the remains of the former ruler Ekkathat , and tackled the problem of establishing the capital. Taksin likely realized that
25575-426: Was later awarded the title of Maharaj (The Great). Taksin was born on 17 April 1734, in Ayutthaya . Taksin had Chinese Teochew , Tai -Chinese and Mon ancestry. His father, Yong Saetae ( Thai : หยง แซ่แต้ ; Chinese : 鄭鏞 Zhèng Yōng ), who worked as a tax-collector, was of ethnic Teochew descent from Chenghai District , Shantou , Guangdong , China . His mother, Nokiang ( Thai : นกเอี้ยง ),
25740-441: Was never adequately explained, as the royal compound and Ayutthaya proper was on an island. How Taksin and his followers fought their way out of the Burmese encirclement remains a mystery. He travelled first to Chonburi , a town on the Gulf of Thailand's eastern coast, and then to Rayong , where he raised a small army and his supporters began to address him as Prince Tak . He planned to attack and capture Chanthaburi , according to
25905-426: Was now in question. The Royal Navy clearance diving unit, the Fleet Diving Squadron, was reorganised and renamed the Diving and Threat Exploitation Group in 2022. The group consists of five squadrons: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. The Royal Navy has a separate unit with divers the special forces unit the Special Boat Service . The escort fleet comprises guided missile destroyers and frigates and
26070-486: Was of Mon -Tai descent (and was later appointed to establish the royal title of the Princess Mother Thephamat). Nokiang's mother was a Mon noblewoman who was a younger sister to Phraya Phetburi ( personal name : Roeang) and Phraya Ram Chaturon (personal name: Chuan). Phraya Phetburi (Roeang) was governor of Phetburi , then the Mon population center and royal naval base in King Boromakot 's reign. Phraya Ram Chaturon (Chuan) served as chief of Siam's Mon community during
26235-632: Was restored. The economy of the country gradually recovered. Taksin sent three diplomatic envoys to China in 1767. In the first year of his reign, Qing dynasty denied his envoys due to him not being an heir apparent from Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty and the two Princes, Chui and Sisang, were political Asylum seekers in Hà Tiên . Six years later, China recognized Taksin as the legitimate ruler of Siam in 1772. The record dating from 1777 states: "Important goods from Thailand are amber , gold , colored rocks , gold nuggets, gold dust, semi-precious stones, and hard lead." During this time King Taksin actively encouraged
26400-456: Was serious. As famine spread, looting and crimes were widespread. Corrupt officials were reportedly abundant. According to some sources, many oppressions and abuses made by officials were reported. King Taksin punished them harshly, torturing and executing high officials. Discontent among officials could be expected. Several historians have suggested that the tale of his 'insanity' may have been reconstructed as an excuse for his overthrow. However,
26565-497: Was sold to the Royal Australian Navy in 2011. In November 2006, the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band described the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels as "a major uplift in the Royal Navy's war fighting capability". In February 2023, a commercial vessel was also acquired to act as a Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Ship for the protection of critical seabed infrastructure and other tasks. She entered service as RFA Proteus . An additional vessel, RFA Stirling Castle ,
26730-406: Was the first Surveyor General of the Colony of South Australia ; William is famous for choosing the site of the colony's capital, Adelaide , and designing the layout of the streets and parks in the Adelaide city centre , North Adelaide and the Adelaide Park Lands . The other son, Francis Lanoon Light II, was born in Penang in 1791, married a Javanese woman, Charlotte Aboni, with whom he had
26895-406: Was thwarted by the defeat of their escort fleet in the extraordinary Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, fought in dangerous conditions. In 1762, the resumption of hostilities with Spain led to the British capture of Manila and of Havana , along with a Spanish fleet sheltering there. British naval supremacy could however be challenged still in this period by coalitions of other nations, as seen in
27060-418: Was to search for and destroy Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic, and to operate the nuclear deterrent submarine force. The navy received its first nuclear weapons with the introduction of the first of the Resolution -class submarines armed with the Polaris missile . Following the conclusion of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the Royal Navy began to experience
27225-431: Was well aware of the plight of his subjects, so in order to legitimize his claim for the kingdom, he made economic problems his priority. He paid high prices for rice from his own money to induce foreign traders to bring in adequate amounts of basic necessities to satisfy the need of the people. He then distributed rice and clothing to all his starving subjects. People who had been dispersed came back to their homes. Normalcy
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