Admiral Sir Charles Knowles | |
|---|---|
 Sir Charles Knowles, c. 1748 | |
| Born | c.1704 |
| Died | 9 December 1777 (aged 72–73) Bulstrode Street, London |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain  Russian Empire |
| Service |  Royal Navy  Imperial Russian Navy |
| Years of service | 1718–1774 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | HMS Diamond HMS Success HMS Lichfield HMS Weymouth HMS Suffolk Commander-in-Chief, Barbadoes and Leeward Islands Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) | Mary |
| Relations | Charles Knowles (son) Edward Knowles (son) |
Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet (c. 1704 – 9 December 1777) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy, seeing service during the War of Jenkins' Ear, the wider War of the Austrian Succession, and the Seven Years' War. He also briefly served under the Imperial Russian Navy during the Russo-Turkish War. He rose to the rank of Admiral in a long and varied career, crowned with both success, and at times, controversy.
He was highly educated, and particularly skilled in building and destroying fortifications. His career was mainly centred on the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea, where he commanded ships and squadrons in actions against both Spanish and French ships and settlements. Despite an active naval career in which he reached the rank of Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, Knowles found time to continue his studies. He translated foreign scientific studies, and developed his own inventions. His career at sea was blighted, however, by several failures. This may have been the catalyst for his move to the Russian Empire during the later part of his life to oversee the development of the Russian fleet. He is noted as the catalyst for the Knowles Riot in British America.