More information : Sources conflict over this vessel. Source (1) claims that the REGENT was lost in action with the French off the Isle of
Wight, whereas source (2) and on-line information claims she was lost in the Battle of St. Mathieu off the French port of Brest. She may have been lost near the Ile de Ouessant / Ushant, which could have led to the confusion. All sources consistently give the date of loss as the 10th of August 1512. (3)
Source (1) claims she was the first two decker in the Royal Navy, and was originally named GRACE DIEU. She was renamed in 1489.
Source (2) lists REGENT as a carrack built in 1487, a sister ship to the SOVEREIGN. It also states that the GRACE DIEU in service at this time had been built at Hull in 1449, then rebuilt in 1473, and was a different vessel to the REGENT.
'The REGENT of 1488 had a mainmast whose core was a stick 114ft high and 10ft 6ins in circumference at the base, with four filling pieces each 72ft long.
Even in Henry VII's reign, when big ships like the REGENT and SOVEREIGN mounted hundreds of 'serpentines' and other small guns in their upperworks, the longbow remained the dominant weapon.
When Howard returned to Brest on 10 August, he found that the French had at length assembled a fleet - or rather, two ill co-ordinated fleets, French and Breton. The French admiral chose to withdraw, but the Breton flagship the CORDELIÈRE remained to fight. After some exchange of gunfire, the REGENT came alongside and they fought hand to hand until the Breton caught fire; before the REGENT could cast off both ships were destroyed with enormous loss of life.
Henry VIII inherited from his father a small fleet dominated by the two big carracks REGENT and SOVEREIGN. Though they carried a numerous armament, most of the guns were small and, as far as we know, none of them were mounted below the waist.' (2)
Built: Chatham
Year Built: 1487 or 1488
Armament: 100 mounted guns and various smaller pieces in her topworks.
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual Date of Loss.
Dimensions Source: 1
Voyage Details Source: 1
Additional references: IWMSMR Loss Report Record |