La Real (1571)

My latest 1/350 model by master modeler Julián Fernández de Sevilla Campos of ModelJShip is the Spanish Royal Galley La Real.  She served as the flagship of Don John of Austria at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

La Real was built in Barcelona at the Royal Shipyard. I saw the replica of la Real on a visit to Barcelona in June 2014 and a Blog entry earlier on this Blog shows some photographs of the full-size replica. 

La Real was very large for a Lanterna or command ship and was in fact the largest galley of its time. The galley was 200 ft long and 20 ft wide, had two masts, and weighed 237 tons empty. It was equipped with three heavy and six light artillery pieces. La Real was rowed by a total of 290 rowers. 

She carried 400 sailors and soldiers at Lepanto. 

The soldiers were positioned thus:

50 men were posted on the upper deck of the forecastle,

50 on the midships ramp

50 each along the sides at the bow

50 each on the skiff and oven platforms

50 on the firing steps along the sides near the stern

50 on the stern platform behind the battle flag. 

To help move and maneuvre the huge ship, it was pushed from the rear during the battle by two other galleys.

The galley was very ornate with Renaissance paintings by the artist Juan de Mal-Lara. You will see miniature versions of his paintings on the poop deck of this model.

Julián used the hull of a resin galley by Old Glory. The rest of the ship is scratch built using parts and figures by Langton Miniatures. I believe this is Julián's most beautiful and complex conversion so far.

Naseby Fight: 370th Anniversary

On my latest trip to England, my brother Clive and I spent several days at Naseby, participating in and viewing the 370th Anniversary of the battle of Naseby, June 14th, 1645.

We arrived in Naseby on the evening of June12th and stayed at an excellent Bed & Breakfast in the centre of Naseby, the Old Post House. 

I am a member of the Naseby Battlefield Project. The organisation's mission is to preserve the heritage of Naseby. The 370th Anniversary celebrations were organised by the Naseby Battlefield Project and the Sealed Knot. Although Clive and I are not re-enactors, I did volunteer myself, Clive and my nephew Peter for duty on the first day of the event on June 13th. The three of us had a great time, despite the steady rain that fell through much of the day. I warmly recommend the Project to anyone who loves history, the English Civil War and the preservation of such important historic sites as Naseby. Please consider joining the Project.

I would like to start a United States chapter of the Naseby Battlefield Project. If anyone is interested, please contact me.

The Royalist army marched to Naseby from their bivouacs at and around Market Harborough. These photos were taken at dusk on the first day of the celebrations, not dawn as they should have been. 

The Old Grammar School, Market Harborough

St Dionysius Church, Market Harborough

After the re-enactment and dinner in Market Harborough, Clive and I took a reflective and rather solemn look at the historic battlefield at dusk. Although the farmland is much changed since the Enclosure of the old great fields, much still remains. Dust Hill, Broadmoor and Mill Hill are clearly visible.

The map provided by the UK Battlefields Resource Centre is very useful.

Here are some images taken from various points around the battlefield.

The re-enactment started with a skirmish between a Royalist picket in Naseby village and the advancing New Model Army which quickly chased off the Royalists.

Please excuse the time-stamped images, clearly my mistake. Lord Arthur Hazelrigg, the President of the Naseby Battlefield Project, personally greeted the volunteers in the morning and gave us our assignments. My team took traffic patrol in the morning and parking duty in the afternoon.

The afternoon events began with a re-enactment of the the fight between Okey's Dragoons and the Royalist Right Wing cavalry along Sulby Hedges.

The main battle was re-fought during the afternoon by the members of the Sealed Knot.

After the final defeat of Rupert's Bluecoats, which was movingly performed by the Sealed Knot, the two armies formed up and saluted each other, The Royalist regiments then marched past the victorious New Model Army, which then itself marched off the field.