Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet

Who was Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet?

Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the War of Jenkins' Ear, the wider War of the Austrian Succession, and the Seven Years War. He also briefly served with 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 around the West Indies, where he commanded ships and squadrons in actions against both Spanish and French ships and settlements. Despite an active naval career that saw him rise to be Rear-Admiral of Great Britain, Knowles found time to devote to his studies, working on translations of foreign scientific studies, and developing his own inventions. His career at sea was blighted however by several failures, which may have been a cause of his move to Russia during the later part of his life to oversee the development of the Russian fleet.