George Sartorius
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Sir George Rose Sartorius GCB
(1790 – 13 April 1885) was a Royal Navy
officer who also commanded the navy of Dom Pedro
in the Portuguese Civil Wars
.
in 1812, he was appointed to the 20-gun HMS Slaney in 1814. He was serving on her in the Bay of Biscay
when Napoleon Bonaparte
surrendered.
In 1832 he was engaged to command the small fleet of the Ex-Emperor of Brazil
, Dom Pedro, Duke of Braganza
, in the attempt to defeat his brother Dom Miguel, who had usurped the throne of Portugal, and to install Pedro's daughter as the rightful queen, Dona Maria II. Sartorius conveyed Pedro's expeditionary force from the Azores
and safely effected their landing at Mindelo
, from where they were able to occupy Oporto. But he subsequently lost Pedro's confidence and was succeeded in his command in 1833 by Captain Charles Napier.
Sartorius resumed an exceptionally distinguished career in the Royal Navy, commanding the ship of the line
HMS Malabar
in the Mediterranean from 1841 to 1844. He was promoted to Rear Admiral
in 1849 and was commander-in-chief at Queenstown
from 1855 to 1856. In 1856 he was promoted to Vice Admiral
and in 1861 he became an Admiral
. He was one of the earliest advocates of ram ships. In 1869 he crowned his career by promotion to Admiral of the Fleet.
He was appointed KCB in 1865 and GCB
in 1880. Owing to his services to the Portuguese crown he was made Visconde de Piedade in 1832 and later became first Visconde de Mindelho and Conde de Penhafirma.
He lived at Old Swan House in Chelsea in London.
.
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Sir George Rose Sartorius GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1790 – 13 April 1885) was a 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...
officer who also commanded the navy of Dom Pedro
Dom Pedro
Dom Pedro is the traditional Portuguese appellation of several kings of Portugal:* Peter I of Portugal* Peter II of Portugal* Peter III of Portugal* Pedro IV of Portugal* Pedro V of Portugal...
in the Portuguese Civil Wars
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
.
Naval career
Born the son of an officer in the East India Company, he entered the British Royal Navy in 1801. Promoted to CommanderCommander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1812, he was appointed to the 20-gun HMS Slaney in 1814. He was serving on her in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
when Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
surrendered.
In 1832 he was engaged to command the small fleet of the Ex-Emperor of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Dom Pedro, Duke of Braganza
Duke of Braganza
The title Duke of Braganza in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Since the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal in 1640, the male heir of the Portuguese Crown was known as the Duke of Braganza and Prince of Brazil until 1822, or...
, in the attempt to defeat his brother Dom Miguel, who had usurped the throne of Portugal, and to install Pedro's daughter as the rightful queen, Dona Maria II. Sartorius conveyed Pedro's expeditionary force from the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
and safely effected their landing at Mindelo
Mindelo
For the parish in Portugal, see Mindelo, PortugalMindelo , is a port city in the northern part of the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. Mindelo is also the seat of the parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz, and this island's municipality...
, from where they were able to occupy Oporto. But he subsequently lost Pedro's confidence and was succeeded in his command in 1833 by Captain Charles Napier.
Sartorius resumed an exceptionally distinguished career in the Royal Navy, commanding the ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
HMS Malabar
HMS Malabar (1818)
HMS Malabar was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 December 1818 at Bombay Dockyard. She was hulked in October 1848, eventually becoming a coal hulk, and renamed Myrtle in October 1883. The hulk was sold out of the navy in July 1905....
in the Mediterranean from 1841 to 1844. He was promoted to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in 1849 and was commander-in-chief at Queenstown
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
from 1855 to 1856. In 1856 he was promoted to Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
and in 1861 he became an Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
. He was one of the earliest advocates of ram ships. In 1869 he crowned his career by promotion to Admiral of the Fleet.
He was appointed KCB in 1865 and GCB
Knight Grand Cross
Knight Grand Cross is the most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are obsolete. The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' or 'Dame' before his or her name...
in 1880. Owing to his services to the Portuguese crown he was made Visconde de Piedade in 1832 and later became first Visconde de Mindelho and Conde de Penhafirma.
He lived at Old Swan House in Chelsea in London.
Family
In 1839 he married Sophia Lamb; they had three sons, two of whom had the distinction of winning the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.