John Benbow

This article is about the naval officer. For his son, a castaway and author of an account about Madagascar, see John Benbow (explorer). For the British politician, see John Benbow (MP).
"Admiral Benbow" redirects here. For the fictional inn, see Treasure Island.

John Benbow
Benbow in 1701, by Sir Godfrey Kneller.
He holds a simple officer's hanger.[1]
Nickname(s)"Brave Benbow", "A Brother Tar"[2]
Born(1653-03-10)10 March 1653
Shrewsbury, England
Died4 November 1702(1702-11-04) (aged 49)
Port Royal, Jamaica
Allegiance Kingdom of England
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1678–1702
RankVice-admiral of the White
CommandsHMS York
HMS Bonaventure
HMS Britannia
HMS Sovereign
HMS Norwich
HMS Northumberland
HMS Charles Galley
HMS Suffolk
HMS Duke
HMS Gloucester
HMS Breda
Jamaica Station
Battles / warsBattle of Beachy Head
Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue
Action of August 1702
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Vice-Admiral John Benbow (10 March 1653 – 4 November 1702) was an English Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorious Revolution, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.

Benbow fought against the French Navy during the Nine Years' War, serving on and later commanding several English warships and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during his military accomplishments, which included fighting against Barbary pirates such as the Salé Rovers, besieging Saint-Malo and seeing action in the West Indies against the French during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Benbow's fame and success earned him a promotion to the rank of vice-admiral. He subsequently fought at the action of August 1702, in which a number of his captains refused to support him in attacking the French.[3][4] Benbow instigated the court-martial and subsequent imprisonment or execution of a number of the captains involved, though he did not live to see these results, dying of wounds sustained in battle. These events contributed to his notoriety, and led to several references to him in popular culture.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Vice-Admiral John Benbow, 1653–1702". Maritime Art Greenwich. Greenwich Maritime Museum. 20 August 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2004. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  2. ^ Death of Admiral Benbow. The Brother Tars Song. Published by printed by J. Fowler. 1780.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference matthew oxford was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Biography: John Benbow". The National Museum. The Royal Navy. 2004. Archived from the original on 14 November 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Encyclopædia Britannica Online was invoked but never defined (see the help page).