During the 17th century, Great Britain transformed from a minor state on the periphery of Europe into a global economic power whose interests were safeguarded and advanced by the world's largest navy. The character of this navy was shaped by a bloody civil war, three fiercely contested conflicts with the Dutch, and the first of many wars against France. This period saw an evolution ranging from the surviving galleonswhich had once defeated the Spanish Armadaand massive vessels of state such as the *Prince Royal* and *Sovereign of the Seas*, through the lightly built frigates of the Commonwealth era, to warships clearly recognizable as ships of the line. These profound changes in warship design and deployment can be traced in detail for the first time in this comprehensive reference work; it documents the history of every shipwhether built, acquired, or capturedthat served in the navy during this era. Like the companion volumes covering the periods 17141792 and 17931817, the book is organized by "rates," classifications, and ship classes; it provides key technical data and construction details, followed by a concise summary of the service history of each individual ship within its class. Thanks to its unparalleled wealth of information, this work is of immense value to both naval historians and enthusiasts fascinated by the navy of the age of sail.
