English ship Rainbow (1586)

The flagship of Admiral Medina Sidonia (aka Cadiz) the San Martin is attacked off the coast of Dover from port side by the English Rainbow and from starboard by the Dutch Gouden Leeuw, Dover, August 8, 1588
History
England
Name	Rainbow
Launched	1586
Fate	Sunk as a breakwater, 1680
Notes	Participated in: Singeing the King of Spain's Beard Spanish Armada
General characteristics as built
Class and type	Galleon
Tons burthen	480
Length	100 ft (30 m) (keel)
Beam	32 ft (9.8 m)
Depth of hold	12 ft (3.7 m)
Complement	250
Armament	26 guns, comprising (1603) 6 demi-cannon, 12 culverins, 7 demi-culverins and 1 saker.
General characteristics after 1617 rebuild[1]
Class and type	40-gun great ship
Tons burthen	731
Length	112 ft (34 m) (keel)
Beam	36 ft 3 in (11.05 m)
Depth of hold	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Sail plan	Full-rigged ship
Armament	40 guns of various weights of shot

Rainbow^{[Note 1]} was a galleon of the English Tudor navy, built at Deptford Dockyard by Peter Pett (the first of that name in this extensive family), and launched in 1586. Commanded by Lord Henry Seymour, a younger son of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset by his second wife Anne Stanhope, she fought against the Spanish during the Singeing the King of Spain's Beard and the Spanish Armada, including the Battle of Gravelines in 1588.

In 1617 Rainbow was rebuilt at Deptford as a great ship (now described as a "second rate"), mounting 34 major and 6 smaller guns.^[1] She was again reconstructed in 1628–29 at Chatham, although the work was classed as a "repair" rather than as an official rebuilding. By 1660 her armament had increased to 56 guns.^[1]

She took an active role in all three Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century, participating in most of the battles of those wars, and was sunk as a breakwater at Sheerness in 1680.^[1]

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