Andrew Wood of Largo

Last updated

Andrew Wood of Largo
Sir Andrew with two ships 'The yellow Carvel' and 'The Flower' beat four of the English.jpg
Sir Andrew with two ships 'The yellow Carvel' and 'The Flower' beat four of the English
Born Scotland
Died1515
Scotland
AllegianceFlag of Scotland.svg  Kingdom of Scotland
Service/branchScottish Red Ensign.svg  Royal Scots Navy
Years of service1488-1515
Rank Captain

Sir Andrew Wood of Largo (died 1515) was a Scottish sea captain. Beginning as a merchant in Leith, he was involved in national naval actions and rose to become Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was knighted c. 1495. He may have transported James III across the Firth of Forth to escape the rebels in 1488.

Contents

He superintended the rebuilding of Dunbar Castle in 1497.

One of Andrew's sons, John Wood was assassinated in 1570. Andrew Wood is the subject of the historical novel The Admiral by Nigel Tranter.

A model of the Yellow Carvel in the National Museum of Scotland A model of the Yellow Carvel.jpg
A model of the Yellow Carvel in the National Museum of Scotland

Wood began his naval career as a privateer under James III (reigned 1460–1488), and flourished under James IV (reigned 1488–1513). By 1489 he owned the Flower and the Yellow Carvel, both fighting ships, which fought and captured five English ships offshore near Dunbar. In response, the English launched a larger expedition the following year under Stephen Bull, which attacked Wood's ships in the Firth of Forth. The fight lasted two days (stopping only at night) and was watched by crowds in Edinburgh. Wood eventually triumphed, despite being outnumbered in ships and guns, and the English ships were captured. [1] James IV knighted Wood following this battle, and allowed him to impress some of the captured English sailors, who later were put to work build the castle at Largo. [2]

Wood's victory against Bull Sir Andrew Wood's Victory.jpg
Wood's victory against Bull

Sir Andrew was the first Captain of James IV's carrack, the Great Michael, which when constructed was the largest ship in Christendom.

Notes

  1. Sadler, p. 411
  2. Tranter, p. 119

Related Research Articles

James IV of Scotland King of Scotland

James IV was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 to his death. He assumed the throne following the death of his father King James III at the Battle of Sauchieburn, a rebellion in which the younger James played an indirect role. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended in a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden. He was the last monarch from Great Britain to be killed in battle.

Firth of Forth Estuary or firth of Scotlands River Forth

The Firth of Forth is the estuary (firth) of several Scottish rivers including the River Forth. It meets the North Sea with Fife on the north coast and Lothian on the south.

Robert II of Scotland King of Scotland from 1371 to 1390

Robert II was King of Scotland from 1371 to his death in 1390. He was the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of the Scottish king Robert the Bruce by his first wife Isabella of Mar.

Robert III of Scotland King of Scotland

Robert III, born John Stewart, was King of Scotland from 1390 to his death. He was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne aged around 53 years. He was the eldest son of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure and was legitimised with the marriage of his parents in 1347.

James III of Scotland King of Scotland (1460 to 1488)

James III was King of Scotland from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family. It was through his marriage to Margaret of Denmark that the Orkney and Shetland islands became Scottish.

Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle is a 15th-century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth.

Royal Scots Navy

The Royal Scots Navy was the navy of the Kingdom of Scotland from its origins in the Middle Ages until its merger with the Kingdom of England's Royal Navy per the Acts of Union 1707. There are mentions in Medieval records of fleets commanded by Scottish kings in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. King Robert I, developed naval power to counter the English in the Wars of Independence (1296–1328), and after the establishment of Scottish independence continued to build up naval capacity. In the late fourteenth century naval warfare with England was conducted largely by hired Scots, Flemish and French merchantmen and privateers. King James I, took a greater interest in naval power establishing a shipbuilding yard at Leith and probably created the office of Lord High Admiral.

Great Michael Carrack or great ship of the Royal Scottish Navy

Michael, popularly known as Great Michael, was a carrack or great ship of the Royal Scottish Navy. She was the largest ship built by King James IV of Scotland as part of his policy of building a strong Scottish navy.

James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas

Sir James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar was an influential and powerful magnate in the Kingdom of Scotland.

Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln

Edward Fiennes, or Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln KG was an English landowner, peer, and Lord High Admiral. He rendered valuable service to four of the Tudor monarchs.

Inchgarvie

Inchgarvie or Inch Garvie is a small, uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth. Its name comes from Innis Garbhach which is Scottish Gaelic for "rough island". On the rocks around the island sit four caissons that make up the foundations of the Forth Bridge.

William Wynter Welsh admiral under Queen Elizabeth I of England

Admiral Sir William Wynter was an admiral and principal officer of the Council of the Marine under Queen Elizabeth I of England and served the crown during the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604).

Fast Castle

Fast Castle is the ruined remains of a coastal fortress in Berwickshire, south-east Scotland, in the Scottish Borders. It lies 4 miles (6.4 km) north west of the village of Coldingham, and just outside the St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve, run by the National Trust for Scotland. The site is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Upper Largo

Upper Largo or Kirkton of Largo is a village in the parish of Largo, near the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. It rests on the southern slopes of Largo Law and half a mile north of Largo Bay and the rather larger village of Lower Largo. It is the home of Largo Cricket Club.

The Scottish author Nigel Tranter wrote many novels based on historical events and figures.

Clan Wood

Clan Wood is a Lowland Scottish clan from North Esk, Largo Bay and Angus in Scotland.

Robert II of Scotland has been depicted in historical novels. They include:

Edward Woodville, Lord Scales

Sir Edward WoodvilleKG was a member of the Woodville family during the Wars of the Roses. He survived the reign of Richard III in which several of his relatives were executed in a power struggle after the death of Edward IV. Exiled with Henry Tudor, he participated in Henry's capture of the throne. He was then appointed Lord of the Isle of Wight, the last person to be given that title.

Largo, Fife Human settlement in Scotland

Largo is a parish in Fife, Scotland containing the villages of Upper Largo or Kirkton of Largo, Lower Largo and Lundin Links. It is bounded on the west by the parish of Scoonie, on the north by Ceres and on the east by the parishes of Newburn and Kilconquhar. It has a coastline of 2¾ miles along Largo bay. Inland it extends 3-4 ½ miles north from the south coast of Fife. Area 7,378 acres.

History of the Royal Navy (before 1707)

The official history of the Royal Navy began with the establishment of the Navy Royal by Henry VIII in 1546. The modern incarnation of the institution re-emerged as the national naval force of the Kingdom of England in 1660, following the Restoration of King Charles II to the throne. However, for more than a thousand years before that there had been English naval forces varying in type and organization. In 1707 it became the naval force of the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Union between England and Scotland which merged the English navy with the much smaller Royal Scots Navy, although the two had begun operating together from the time of the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

References