Eight vessels of the British 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...

 have been named HMS Minerva, after the goddess Minerva

Minerva

Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...

 of Roman mythology

Roman mythology

Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...

.
was a 32-gun fifth rate launched in 1759, captured by the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 in 1778, recaptured in 1781 and renamed HMS Recovery. She was sold in 1784. was a 38-gun fifth rate launched in 1780, converted to troopship Pallas

HMS Pallas

Seven ships of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy have been called HMS Pallas. There are several figures called Pallas in Greek Mythology.* The first Pallas was a 36 gun fifth rate launched at Deptford in 1757 and run aground in 1783....

 in 1798, and broken up 1803. was a 29-gun storeship purchased in 1781 and sold 1783. was a 32-gun fifth rate launched in 1805 and broken up 1815. was a 46-gun fifth rate launched in 1820, sent to harbour service 1861, and sold 1895. was an Eclipse-class

Eclipse class cruiser

The Eclipse-class cruisers of the Royal Navy were protected cruisers constructed in the mid-1890s.-Design and history:They were enlarged versions of the preceding Astraea class. Between 1903 and 1905, all of the ships in the class except for Eclipse had their mixed and guns removed and replaced...

 protected cruiser

Cruiser

A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...

 launched in 1895 and sold in 1920. was the monitor M33 converted to a coastal minelayer and renamed in 1925, renamed as a boom defence workshop C23(M), and as hulk C23 in 1946, and later known as RMAS Minerva. was a Leander-class

Leander class frigate

The Leander class, or Type 12I frigates, comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973...

 frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

 launched in 1964 and sold for scrap in 1993.

See also

• Minerva (disambiguation)
  Minerva (disambiguation)
  Minerva is the Roman goddess of crafts and wisdom, but the name may also refer to:-People:* Josephine Blatt aka Minerva , strongwoman* Minerva Urecal , American film and television actress...
  
  
• Minerve
  Minerve
  Minerve was a French submarine, one of nine of the Daphné class. The relatively small submarine was an experimental missile-carrying submarine with a diesel engine...
  
   (disambiguation)
• HMS Minerve
  HMS Minerve
  Three ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Minerve, a French form of Minerva, a goddess in Roman mythology:*HMS Minerve was a 38-gun fifth rate captured from the French in 1795. She was recaptured by them in 1803 and renamed Canonniere, but was recaptured by the British in 1810 and...
  
  
• French ship Minerve
  French ship Minerve
  Fifteen ships of the French Navy have born the name Minerve, in honour of goddess Minerva:* Minerve, a 26-gun frigate, lead ship of her class * Minerve, a 32-gun frigate...