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George Carew (admiral)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Carew was an English soldier, admiral and adventurer during the reign of King Henry VIII
who died in the sinking of the Royal Navy
flagship Mary Rose
at the Battle of the Solent
during an attempted French invasion during the Italian War of 1542–1546. Scion of a controversial and dramatic family, Carew had a wild youth and explored widely, being arrested several times of associating with rebellious vassals of the king. Carew successfully tamed this nature in his later years, during which he became a trusted advisor and military officer in the King's service.
The exact date of George Carew's birth is unknown, but it is thought to have occurred between 1497 and 1504, the son of landowner Sir William Carew. Carew was initially raised at Mohun's Ottery near Luppitt
in Devon
, before George and his brother Peter Carew
were sent to be educated in the household of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
. There they learned from adventurous relatives like their uncle Gawen Carew and kinsman Nicholas Carew
, the latter of whom was later arrested and executed for treason.
, seeking service with Louise of Savoy
, the French Regent. This attempt came to nothing, and was pardoned by King Henry in November of the same year, the King also overlooking youthful indiscretions with the followers of Elizabeth Barton
and encouraging responsible behaviour in the young man. Carew became interested in politics in the early 1530s and briefly sat as a Member of Parliament
as a knight from the shire of Devon and then later became the High Sheriff of Devon
, during which period he was officially knighted. Carew was also married for the first time during the 1530s, to Thomasine, daughter of Sir Lewis Pollard.
In 1537, Carew was given his first sea commission, serving in the English Channel
under Sir John Dudley during operations against pirates. The following year he inherited his father's estates and returned to Devon to take up a position as a Justice of the Peace
. In 1539 however, Carew's wife died and he again entered the King's service, taking over the strategically vital fort of Rysbank in the Calais Pale. The fort's previous commander, Carew's kinsman Nicholas Carew
had paid with his life for machinations against the King. George Carew was disgusted with poor state of readiness and repair he found the fort to be in and set about repairing it whilst becoming involved in the politics of Calais under the Deputy of Calais Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle
.
. Carew was with the deputation which met Anne of Cleves
in December 1539 and the following year he was briefly arrested and questioned in relation to a plan to hand Rysbank over to the French, a plot in which Lisle was implicated but Carew apparently was not. In the late autumn of 1540, Carew remarried, to Mary Norris of Berkshire, daughter of Sir Henry Norreys
, and the couple settled at Polslo Priory near Exeter
. Carew had taken his position seriously, and was rewarded with a second term as sheriff in 1542 and the job of Steward of Exeter's possessions, a role carrying an annual salary of £30. Two years later he was made lieutenant of Gentlemen Pensioners and was awarded the huge salary of £365 a year.
Apparently bored with Rysbank and political life, in the summer of 1543, Carew applied to join the army of Sir John Wallop
in Flanders
as a lieutenant general of horse. Although Carew was an accomplished jouster, he was tactically inexperienced and learned the military arts through his position on Wallop's army council. Along with his brother Peter, Carew saw action in skirmishes outside the French held towns of Thérouanne
and Landrecis during Wallop's campaigns against the towns. At Landrecis, Carew twice came close to disaster, almost being killed by a sniper's bullet during the summer and in November actually being captured after pursuing a fleeing band of French cavalry too far and finding himself isolated. He was soon freed however by the express request of King Henry VIII and returned to the English army. In 1544, Carew brought 20 soldiers to join Wallop's campaign against Boulogne
and he was also given a subordinate naval command under Dudley in the English Channel.
in Portsmouth
. There Carew was appointed Vice-Admiral in charge of the fleet in Portsmouth and presented with a golden whistle as a symbol of his office. The French fleet landed on the Isle of Wight
the same day and shortly afterwards sailed for Portsmouth. The French force greatly outnumbered the English, mustering 175 ships including 25 great galleys. Carew, commanding the flagship of the British carrack
fleet, the huge Mary Rose
sailed to meet them and as he did so, disaster struck.
It will never be known exactly why the Mary Rose sank in the entrance to Portsmouth harbour on 19 July 1545, but it is thought that Carew's despairing last words, called to his uncle Gawen aboard the Matthew Gonson that he "he had a sort of knaves he could not rule", indicate command and discipline problems. Carew too had only taken command of the ship that day and his authority was far from assured. He would also have been completely unaware of the dangerous combination of winds and tides which makes the Solent
a particularly dangerous body of water. Modern studies have also indicated that the 700-ton warship was dangerously overloaded, with nearly 500 men aboard, including many fully armed and armoured soldiers.
Regardless of the cause, the Mary Rose heeled over and sank within sight of the French, shortly after battle had been joined. Of the 500 aboard less than 25 survived and Carew was not among them. His body was never recovered. Despite the disaster, the French fleet failed to effectively engage the English and turned to perform minor raids elsewhere on the coast, returning to France in August. Carew's widow was given a job in the King's household as a lady in waiting to Henry's daughters Mary and Elizabeth and later married Sir Arthur Champernowne
, dying in 1570. When the Mary Rose was raised nearly 450 years later, pewter plates stamped with "G.C.", Carew's initials, were among the artefacts recovered.
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
who died in the sinking of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
flagship Mary Rose
Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
at the Battle of the Solent
Battle of the Solent
The naval Battle of the Solent took place on 18 and 19 July 1545 during the Italian Wars, fought between the fleets of Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England, in the Solent channel off the south coast of England between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight...
during an attempted French invasion during the Italian War of 1542–1546. Scion of a controversial and dramatic family, Carew had a wild youth and explored widely, being arrested several times of associating with rebellious vassals of the king. Carew successfully tamed this nature in his later years, during which he became a trusted advisor and military officer in the King's service.
The exact date of George Carew's birth is unknown, but it is thought to have occurred between 1497 and 1504, the son of landowner Sir William Carew. Carew was initially raised at Mohun's Ottery near Luppitt
Luppitt
Luppitt is a village and civil parish in East Devon situated about due north of Honiton....
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, before George and his brother Peter Carew
Peter Carew
Sir Peter Carew was an English adventurer, who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England and took part in the Tudor conquest of Ireland.He is to be distinguished from another Sir Peter Carew Sir Peter Carew (1514? – 27 November 1575) was an English adventurer, who served during the...
were sent to be educated in the household of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG, PC was the eldest son of William Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon and Catherine of York, and grandson of King Edward IV of England.He was an older brother of Margaret Courtenay...
. There they learned from adventurous relatives like their uncle Gawen Carew and kinsman Nicholas Carew
Nicholas Carew
Nicholas Carew may refer to:* Sir Nicholas Carew, Baron Carew of Moulsford , courtier and soldier during reign of Edward I of England...
, the latter of whom was later arrested and executed for treason.
Disreputable youth
Carew initially applied to train in the law, but swiftly became bored and in 1526 was in BloisBlois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, seeking service with Louise of Savoy
Louise of Savoy
Louise of Savoy was a French noble, Duchess regnant of Auvergne and Bourbon, Duchess of Nemours, the mother of King Francis I of France...
, the French Regent. This attempt came to nothing, and was pardoned by King Henry in November of the same year, the King also overlooking youthful indiscretions with the followers of Elizabeth Barton
Elizabeth Barton
Sr. Elizabeth Barton was an English Catholic nun...
and encouraging responsible behaviour in the young man. Carew became interested in politics in the early 1530s and briefly sat as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
as a knight from the shire of Devon and then later became the High Sheriff of Devon
High Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he holds his office over the duration of a year. He has judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court...
, during which period he was officially knighted. Carew was also married for the first time during the 1530s, to Thomasine, daughter of Sir Lewis Pollard.
In 1537, Carew was given his first sea commission, serving in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
under Sir John Dudley during operations against pirates. The following year he inherited his father's estates and returned to Devon to take up a position as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. In 1539 however, Carew's wife died and he again entered the King's service, taking over the strategically vital fort of Rysbank in the Calais Pale. The fort's previous commander, Carew's kinsman Nicholas Carew
Nicholas Carew
Nicholas Carew may refer to:* Sir Nicholas Carew, Baron Carew of Moulsford , courtier and soldier during reign of Edward I of England...
had paid with his life for machinations against the King. George Carew was disgusted with poor state of readiness and repair he found the fort to be in and set about repairing it whilst becoming involved in the politics of Calais under the Deputy of Calais Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle
Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle
Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG was an illegitimate son of King Edward IV of England, and an important figure at the court of Henry VIII...
.
Government service
Carew took pains during this period to distance himself from the Roman Catholic upbringing he had with the Maquess of Exeter and openly supported Protestant groups who had fled to Calais after persecution elsewhere in Europe. His stance on this issue brought admiration from several contemporaries, including John FoxeJohn Foxe
John Foxe was an English historian and martyrologist, the author of what is popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, , an account of Christian martyrs throughout Western history but emphasizing the sufferings of English Protestants and proto-Protestants from the fourteenth century through the...
. Carew was with the deputation which met Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
in December 1539 and the following year he was briefly arrested and questioned in relation to a plan to hand Rysbank over to the French, a plot in which Lisle was implicated but Carew apparently was not. In the late autumn of 1540, Carew remarried, to Mary Norris of Berkshire, daughter of Sir Henry Norreys
Sir Henry Norreys
Sir Henry Norris was a groom of the stool in the privy chamber of King Henry VIII. While a close servant of the King he also supported the faction in court led by Queen Anne Boleyn, and when Anne fell out of favour he was among those accused of adultery with her. He was found guilty of treason and...
, and the couple settled at Polslo Priory near Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. Carew had taken his position seriously, and was rewarded with a second term as sheriff in 1542 and the job of Steward of Exeter's possessions, a role carrying an annual salary of £30. Two years later he was made lieutenant of Gentlemen Pensioners and was awarded the huge salary of £365 a year.
Apparently bored with Rysbank and political life, in the summer of 1543, Carew applied to join the army of Sir John Wallop
John Wallop
Sir John Wallop was an English soldier and diplomatist who belonged to an old Hampshire family from the town of Farleigh Wallop....
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
as a lieutenant general of horse. Although Carew was an accomplished jouster, he was tactically inexperienced and learned the military arts through his position on Wallop's army council. Along with his brother Peter, Carew saw action in skirmishes outside the French held towns of Thérouanne
Thérouanne
Thérouanne is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Thérouanne is located 10 miles southwest of Saint-Omer, on the D157 and D341 road junction.-Population:-History:...
and Landrecis during Wallop's campaigns against the towns. At Landrecis, Carew twice came close to disaster, almost being killed by a sniper's bullet during the summer and in November actually being captured after pursuing a fleeing band of French cavalry too far and finding himself isolated. He was soon freed however by the express request of King Henry VIII and returned to the English army. In 1544, Carew brought 20 soldiers to join Wallop's campaign against Boulogne
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
and he was also given a subordinate naval command under Dudley in the English Channel.
Loss of the Mary Rose
In July 1545, with a French invasion expected, Carew was called to King Henry VIII's council of war aboard his flagship Great HarryGreat Harry
Henry Grace à Dieu , also known as Great Harry, was an English carrack or "great ship" of the 16th century. Contemporary with Mary Rose, Henry Grace à Dieu was even larger. She had a large forecastle four decks high, and a stern castle two decks high...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. There Carew was appointed Vice-Admiral in charge of the fleet in Portsmouth and presented with a golden whistle as a symbol of his office. The French fleet landed on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
the same day and shortly afterwards sailed for Portsmouth. The French force greatly outnumbered the English, mustering 175 ships including 25 great galleys. Carew, commanding the flagship of the British carrack
Carrack
A carrack or nau was a three- or four-masted sailing ship developed in 15th century Western Europe for use in the Atlantic Ocean. It had a high rounded stern with large aftcastle, forecastle and bowsprit at the stem. It was first used by the Portuguese , and later by the Spanish, to explore and...
fleet, the huge Mary Rose
Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
sailed to meet them and as he did so, disaster struck.
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
a particularly dangerous body of water. Modern studies have also indicated that the 700-ton warship was dangerously overloaded, with nearly 500 men aboard, including many fully armed and armoured soldiers.
Regardless of the cause, the Mary Rose heeled over and sank within sight of the French, shortly after battle had been joined. Of the 500 aboard less than 25 survived and Carew was not among them. His body was never recovered. Despite the disaster, the French fleet failed to effectively engage the English and turned to perform minor raids elsewhere on the coast, returning to France in August. Carew's widow was given a job in the King's household as a lady in waiting to Henry's daughters Mary and Elizabeth and later married Sir Arthur Champernowne
Arthur Champernowne
Sir Arthur Champernowne was a Vice-Admiral of the West who lived at Dartington Hall in Devon, England.-Biography:Champernowne was the second son of Sir Philip Champernowne of Modbury, Devon, whose family had lived in Devon since arriving from Cambernon in Normandy in the eleventh century as part...
, dying in 1570. When the Mary Rose was raised nearly 450 years later, pewter plates stamped with "G.C.", Carew's initials, were among the artefacts recovered.