Page 17 - History of War - Issue 18-15

FRONTLINE: HEROES OF THE AGE OF SAIL

The corvus bridge YISUN-SIN(1545-98)
in action at Mylae
YEARSACTIVE:1577-98
FORCE:KOREANNAVY
COUNTRY:KOREA

Undefeated in 23 battles with
the Japanese, often against
high odds, Yi Sun-Sin had no
formal training in naval strategy
but became the greatest Asian
commanderoftheageofsail.In
1591,asKorea’sJoseondynasty
braced for a Japanese invasion,
Yi, an experienced soldier, was
given a naval command.
The Japanese admiral Toyotomi
Hideyoshi fielded a massive navy
of1,700ships,buttheKorean
sailors knew the coastal tides and
shallows, and Yi had the ‘turtle’
ship, which had protective spikes
on its deck and a dragon-headed
bow whose mouth launched
cannon or flames.
In1597,Yiwonhisgreatest
GAIUSDUILIUS(3RDCENTURYBCE) the Carthaginians captured Asina, leaving Duilius victoryatMyeongnyang.His
YEARSACTIVE:260-258BCE as the commander of the struggle for power in the 13 ships were Seoul’s last
line of defence against 133
Mediterranean. 130 Carthaginian and 100 Roman
FORCE:ROMANNAVY ships met at Mylae, off the northern coast of Japanese ships. Yi lured them
COUNTRY:ROMANEMPIRE Sicily. The Carthaginians expected to trounce the into the Myeongnyang Strait,
whosecurrentsbecameaforce
inexperienced Roman fl eet, but Duilius had devised a
Strategistandtacticalinnovator,GaiusDuiliuswon secret weapon: the corvus, a boarding ramp. multiplier for the defenders, and
Rome’s first naval victory and began Rome’s conquest Deploying the corvus, the Romans quickly seized an obstacle for the attackers. He
of the Mediterranean. Like Themistocles, Duilius was 30 Carthaginian ships. As the Carthaginians destroyed a third of the Japanese
born a commoner but rose to power. In 260 BCE, manoeuvred desperately away, the Romans managed force during the battle.
when Rome and Carthage began the First Punic War, to take another 20. Afterwards, the Carthaginian
Yi Sun-Sin, the undefeated
he was elected consul. leadership crucifi ed their defeated admiral, Hannibal
genius of Korea’s naval defence
Scipio Asina, a patrician, commanded the Gisco. Duilius received the honour of Rome’s fi rst against Japanese invasion
Roman fleet; Duilius commanded the army. But naval triumph.
SIRFRANCISDRAKE(C.1544-96) MICHIELDERUYTER(1607-76)
YEARSACTIVE:C.1567-96 YEARSACTIVE:1637-76
FORCE:ENGLISHNAVY FORCE:DIRECTORS’SHIPS
COUNTRY:ENGLAND COUNTRY:DUTCHREPUBLIC

Explorer, privateer, warrior, launched a six-ship raiding Thesonofabeerporter,MichieldeRuyter Alamy
slaverandvice-admiralof expedition along the coast of served as a musketeer in the Dutch republic’s
ElizabethI’snavy,in1580 South America. war of independence from Spain then entered Images:
Francis Drake became He lost ships to storms themerchantmarineasatraderandwhaler.
thefirstcommanderto and sailors to disease; Inthe1640s,hetookpartinsuccessfulsea
circumnavigate the globe only his flagship, Golden campaigns against the Spanish, and in 1652,
andreturnalive.In1572, Hind, rounded Cape Horn when Holland went to war with Cromwell’s
he raided the Isthmus of andenteredthePacific. English republic, de Ruyter served as a
Panama,stealingPeruvian Raiding ports and treasure squadron commander in Holland’s privately
silver and gold that was ships, Drake claimed ‘New funded navy of directors’ ships.
awaiting shipment to Spain. Albion’(SanFrancisco)for After defending Dutch shipping in the
In1577,licensedtoraid England, then crossed the Baltic, Mediterranean and Atlantic, de
Spanish ships and ports, he Pacific.Heand59surviving Ruyter commanded the Dutch fleet in the
crewmen reached Plymouth Second Anglo-Dutch War from 1665-67.
Sir Francis in September 1580, loaded
Drake in with treasure. Knighted, he In1667,heambushedtheEnglishfleet
1581 led another transatlantic in its dock at Chatham, destroying the
raid in 1585-86 and was English flagship Royal Charles and
second-in-command of the humiliating the Royal Navy. In the
fleet that faced the Spanish Third Anglo-Dutch War from 1672 to
Armada. In 1596, stricken 1674,deRuytersavedHollandfrom Michiel de Ruyter,
bydysenteryoffthecoast EnglishandFrenchinvasion.Hedied the Dutch merchant
ofPanama,heinsistedon after being struck in the right leg by who became the
dying in his armour. aFrenchcannonballattheBattleof 17th century’s most
Augusta, off Sicily. feared sailor

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