Horatio Nelson | Timeline

Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. He was noted for his inspirational leadership, superb grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics, all of which resulted in a number of decisive naval victories, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was wounded several times in combat, losing one arm in the unsuccessful attempt to conquer Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the sight in one eye in Corsica. He was shot and killed during his final victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. (Intro from Wikipedia)

September 29, 1758 - Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk - Horatio Nelson is born
December 26, 1767 - Burnham Thorpe - Catherine Suckling, Horatio's mother, dies
January(?) 1(?), 1768 - Norwich - Horatio and brother William move to Norwich to study at King Edward VI's school and live with their father's relatives
January(?) 1(?), 1769 - North Walsham - Horatio and William go to Paston School in North Walsham, to study with Reverend John Price Jones
January 1(?), 1770 - North Walsham - Horatio starts showing his qualities during an extreme Winter, as he and his brother travel the 40 miles to North Walsham in a poney, risking his life
January 1, 1771 - London - 12-year old Horatio and father travel to London to ask his maternal uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, to accept him aboard a ship
March 15, 1771 - Medway, Kent - Nelson reports to the third-rate "HMS Raisonnable" as a midshipman under his maternal uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, who commanded the vessel =(START)
July 25, 1771 - Medway, Kent - Nelson departs to Jamaica and Tobago aboard the West Indiamen "Mary Ann", a merchant ship, to gain experience
July 7, 1772 - Plymouth - The "Mary Ann" returns to Plymouth
September 1(?), 1772 - River Thames - A more experienced Nelson briefly returns to "HMS Triumph"
June 4, 1773 - Deptford - 14-year old Nelson departs to the Arctic aboard the bomb vessel "HMS Carcass" Captained by Skeffington Lutwidge, as part of John Phipps's expedition
June 10, 1773 - Nore (Mouth of River Thames) - On the way to the Arctic
July 27, 1773 - 80°48' N Latitude - The expedition attains a new furthest north of 80°48' N, where the two ships are blocked by ice
August 3, 1773 - Seven Islands (sjuøyane), N Svalbard - Phipps reaches Svalbard
August 5, 1773 - W Svalbard Island - Some crewmembers land at Svalbard
August 22, 1773 - Off Svalbard - Unable to find any openings in the ice to the North, Phipps decides to return to Britain
September 7, 1773 - Shetland Islands - Phipps reaches the Shetland Islands
September 17, 1773 - Orfordness, Suffolk - The ships sail through a succession of gales, from Scotland to the Thames
September 24, 1773 - River Thames - Phipps returns to base
October 14, 1773 - River Thames - Nelson returns to "HMS Triumph"
November 19, 1773 - Spithead - 15-year old Nelson departs to India aboard Captain George Farmer's "HMS Seahorse"
December 5(?), 1773 - Funchal, Madeira Island - "HMS Seahorse" anchors at Funchal, after the crew drank 209 gallons of beer
December 11, 1773 - Funchal - After replenishing with water, wine and provisions at Funchal,"HMS Seahorse" sails for the Cape of Good Hope
January 13, 1774 - Line of the Equator - "HMS Seahorse" crosses the Line of the Equator
March 3, 1774 - Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa - The ships reach Table Bay, after surviving some punishing weather
March 23, 1774 - Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa - "HMS Seahorse" sails to India with provisions and a new mizzen mast
May 25, 1774 - Madras, India - "HMS Seahorse" arrives at the british outpost at Madras. The rest of the year is spent cruising off the coast and escorting merchantmen
February 19, 1775 - Off Anjengo, Southern Tip of India - First combat experience, as "HMS Seahorse" is attacked by 2 of Hyder Ali's ketches and drives them off after exchange of fire
March 16, 1775 - Bombay - "HMS Seahorse" reaches Bombay
March(?) 25(?), 1775 - Surat - Two detachments of troops and an artillery train are loaded aboard
April(?) 10(?), 1775 - Muscat, Oman - Probably unloading the troops and artillery
May 18(?), 1775 - Strait of Hormuz - Crossing the Strait of Hormuz
May 24, 1775 - Bushehr, Persia - "HMS Seahorse" anchors at Bushehr to clean, refit and provision
July 16, 1775 - Bushehr, Persia - "HMS Seahorse" sails to Muscat
July 30, 1775 - Muscat, Oman - "HMS Seahorse" arrives in Muscat
August 6, 1775 - Muscat, Oman - "HMS Seahorse" sails to Bombay
August 15, 1775 - Bombay - "HMS Seahorse" arrives in Bombay
September 1(?), 1775 - Madras, India - "HMS Seahorse" returns to Madras and rejoins "HMS Salisbury"
October 22, 1775 - Trincomalee, E of Ceylon - "HMS Seahorse" arrives in Trincomalee for wood, water and supplies
November 1(?), 1775 - Anjengo, Southern tip of India - Reprovisioning complete, "HMS Seahorse" sails to Anjengo
January(?) 1(?), 1776 - From Tellicherry to Goa - Nelson contracts Malaria and becomes seriously ill
March 14, 1776 - Bombay - Discharged from "HMS Seahorse" because of his illness
March 23, 1776 - Bombay - Nelson departs to England aboard "HMS Dolphin"
April 2, 1776 - Anjengo, Southern tip of India - "HMS Dolphin" puts into Anjengo roads
May 11, 1776 - Off South African coast - The coast of Africa is sighted
May 21, 1776 - Simon's Bay-False Bay, Cape of Good Hope - "HMS Dolphin" arrives at Simon's Bay
June 20, 1776 - Cape of Good Hope - After a short stay at Simon's Bay, "HMS Dolphin" crosses the Cape of Good Hope
August 30, 1776 - Spithead - Arrival in England, almost recuperated from his illness
September 24, 1776 - Woolwich - "HMS Dolphin" is taken to Woolwich. Nelson and the crew are paid off
September 26, 1776 - Woolwich(?) - Nelson receives an order from Sir James Douglas, the port admiral of Portsmouth. It appointed him acting lieutenant of the 64-gun "HMS Worcester"
December 3, 1776 - Portsmouth - Nelson departs to Gibraltar as an acting Lieutenant aboard "HMS Worcester", escorting a convoy
December 13(?), 1776 - Porto, Portugal - Shedding detachments
December(?) 20(?), 1776 - Lisbon - Shedding detachments
January(?) 5(?), 1777 - Cádiz - Shedding detachments
January 9, 1777 - Gibraltar - "HMS Worcester" anchors in the Bay of Gibraltar
February 15, 1777 - Off Cádiz - Starting the return leg of the voyage. The convoy is hit by strong north winds and squalls
April 2, 1777 - Spithead - Nelson returns to England with another convoy
April 9, 1777 - London - Nelson travels to London to take his lieutenant's examination. He passes
April 10, 1777 - London - Nelson receives his commission and an appointment to "HMS Lowestoffe", which was preparing to sail to Jamaica under Captain William Locker. His father arrives in London to congratulate him
May 16, 1777 - Spithead - Nelson departs to Jamaica aboard "HMS Lowestoffe"
May 30(?), 1777 - Madeira Island - Loading wine and other necessities at Madeira
July 3, 1777 - Carlisle Bay, Barbados - "HMS Lowestoffe" arrives in Barbados with an american schooner, captured on July 1st
July 19, 1777 - Port Royal, Jamaica - Arrival in Jamaica
September(?) 15(?), 1777 - Between Cape Maisi, Cuba, and Cape à Foux-Haiti - Charleston Sloop "Mary Angelic" is captured. Two days later, the "Burford" is also captured
September 30, 1777 - Port Royal - Back in Port Royal, with 2 captured american ships - Mary Angelic and Burford
November 20, 1777 - Windward Passage, off Cape Maisi - "HMS Lowestoffe" captures the american brig "Resolution"
November 24, 1777 - Port Royal - Back in Port Royal, with a captured american brig - Resolution
December 9, 1777 - Port Royal - "HMS Lowestoffe" sails for a next cruise
January 31, 1777 - Port Royal - Back in Port Royal, after an uneventful cruise
February 1(?), 1778 - Port Royal - Nelson is authorized to cruise independently with the "Little Lucy"
February 20(?), 1778 - Off West Caicos - Nelson captures the Boston sloop "Abigail"
March 25, 1778 - Bahama Straits - Nelson captures the american sloop "Swan"
April 19, 1778 - Port Royal - Nelson and the "Little Lucy" return to Port Royal
May 5, 1778 - Port Royal - "Little Lucy" and "HMS Lowestoffe" depart for a last cruise together
May 24, 1778 - West Caicos - A french frigate "Inconstant" and a schooner are captured
June 23, 1778 - Port Royal - "Little Lucy" and "HMS Lowestoffe" return to Port Royal
July 1, 1778 - Port Royal - Nelson is transfered to the flagship "HMS Bristol" and third lieutenant. Departs on 4th
July 14, 1778 - A letter from Nelson's father arrives in Jamaica, with news of Maurice Suckling's death
December 8, 1778 - Port Royal - The commander-in-chief of Jamaica, Sir Peter Parker, appoints Nelson as Master and Commander of the ex-american brig "HMS Badger"
January 1, 1779 - Port Royal - Nelson takes command of "HMS Badger"
January 25, 1779 - Port Royal - "HMS Badger" sails to Honduras
January 30, 1779 - Mouth of the Black River, Honduras - Arrival in Honduras
March 1(?), 1779 - Roatán Island, Gulf of Honduras - Nelson starts being troubled by defecting crewmembers
May 23, 1779 - Port Antonio, Jamaica - Nelson picks up a small convoy for Bluefields on the Mosquito Coast
September 1, 1779 - Port Royal - Nelson takes command of the 28-gun frigate "HMS Hinchinbrook", newly captured from the french
October 5, 1779 - Port Royal - "HMS Hinchinbrook" departs in company with other british ships to capture american prizes
December 1(?), 1779 - Port Royal - Nelson returns to Jamaica and begins to suffer from Malaria again

23-year old Nelson, in 1781
with San Juan behind

February 1(?), 1780 - Port Royal - "HMS Hinchinbrook" departs to capture the Spanish colonies in Central America, as an escort for Major-General John Dalling's invasion force
August 1(?), 1780 - Discharged. Returns to England aboard "HMS Lion"
November 25, 1780 - Spithead - Arrival in England, aboard "HMS Lion"
August 15, 1781 - Woolwich - Appointed to the frigate "HMS Albermale"
October 23, 1781 - Portsmouth(?) - Nelson receives orders to collect an inbound convoy of the Russia Company at Elsinore, Denmark, and escort them back to Britain
October 31, 1781 - Woolwich - Nelson departs with "HMS Albermale" as a convoy escort to the Baltic
November 4, 1781 - Elsinore, Denmark - "Albermale", "Enterprise" and "Argo" arrive in Elsinore
November 8, 1781 - Elsinore - Nelson, on the "Albermale" sails to Britain in company of "Argo", "Enterprise" and "Sampson", escorting 280 ships
December 22, 1781 - Portsmouth - Nelson returns to Portsmouth after managing to organize the convoy, escorting it into british waters and surviving severe storms near home port
April 7, 1782 - Portsmouth - Nelson departs to escort a convoy from Cork, Ireland, to Québec, Canada
May 27, 1782 - Québec - Nelson arrives with the convoy. Departs on a cruise to hunt american privateers
August 14, 1782 - Off Boston - Nelson narrowly escapes from a far superior french force under Louis-Philippe de Vaudreuil
September 18, 1782 - Québec - Nelson arrives at Quebec. Then departs as part of an escort for a convoy to New York
November 15(?), 1782 - New York - Nelson arrives in New York and reports to Admiral Samuel Hood, commander of the New York Station
March 8, 1783 - Turks Islands - Nelson lands a force of 167 seamen and marines, under a supporting bombardment
June 30(?), 1783 - Britain - Nelson returns to Britain
October(?) 1(?), 1783 - Saint-Omer, France - Nelson visits France and stays with acquaintances, briefly attempting to learn french
January 1(?), 1784 - Britain - Nelson returns to Britain
June(?) 1(?), 1784 - Off Antigua - Nelson receives command of the frigate "HMS Boreas" with the assignment to enforce the Navigation Acts in the vicinity of Antigua
March 11, 1787 - Island of Nevis - Nelson marries Frances Nisbet, a young widow from a Nevis plantation family
July 1, 1787 - Britain - Nelson returns to Britain
January(?) 1(?), 1788 - Burnham Thorpe - In peacetime, Nelson and Frances Nisbet settle at his childhood home
January 31, 1793 - Chatham - Nelson is recalled to the Admiralty and given the command of the 64-gun "HMS Agamemnon"
May 1(?), 1793 - Nore (Mouth of River Thames) - Nelson departs to the Mediterranean as part of a division under the command of Vice-Admiral William Hotham, joined later in the month by the rest of Lord Hood's fleet.
June 1(?), 1793 - Gibraltar - The fleet reaches Gibraltar, but makes way to Toulon to establish naval superiority in the Mediterranean
July 1(?), 1793 - Off Toulon - The fleet anchors off the port of Toulon
September 5(?), 1793 - Naples - After carrying dispatches to Sardinia requesting reinforcements, "HMS Agamemnon" arrives in Naples. There Nelson meets Ferdinand IV, King of Naples, aswell as William Hamilton, the british ambassador
October 5, 1793 - Toulon - Nelson returns to Toulon, at the same time that a large french army occupies the hills surrounding it and bombard the city
October 24, 1793 - Cagliari, Sardinia - Nelson arrives in Cagliari, after pursuing and damaging the french 40-gun ship "Melpomene"
October 26, 1793 - Cagliari - After repairs, Nelson sails to Tunis with a squadron under Commodore Robert Linzee

May 28, 1794 - Off Toulon - Admiral Hotham is driven off to the east in heavy gales

June 4, 1794 - Off Toulon - The continuous bad weather allows an opportunity for Rear-Admiral Pierre Martin to break out from Toulon

June 10, 1794 - Off Toulon - Nelson receives orders to sail back to Bastia to embark troops and carry them to Martello Bay

June 12, 1794 - Bastia, Corsica - Letter to Sir Gilbert Elliot
June 19, 1794 - Calvi - British forces land at Calvi
July 12, 1794 - Calvi - Nelson is hit in the eye by debris after a french shot. He is taken out of the position, bandaged and then returns to action. However, he lost sight in his right eye
August 10, 1794 - Calvi - Lieutenant-General Charles Stuart, supported by Nelson, captures Calvi
March 14, 1795 - Off Genoa - Battle of Genoa - British-Napolitan victory
July 4, 1795 - St.Fiorenzo - "HMS Agamemnon" departs with a small force of frigates and sloops, bound to Genoa
July 6, 1795 - St.Fiorenzo - Nelson is forced to retreat to St.Fiorenzo after running into a french fleet of ships-of-the-line
July 15, 1795 - Genoa - Nelson arrives in Genoa
July 21, 1795 - Genoa - Nelson meets with the Austrian Commander, Joseph Nikolaus, Baron De Vins
August 26, 1795 - Alassio - Nelson attacks Alassio
September 12, 1795 - Genoa - Nelson asks Baron De Vins for 8,000 soldiers and artillery to attack San Remo, but the Baron is not convinced
November 30, 1795 - Corsica - Nelson returns to Corsica, angry and depressed at the british failure and questioning his future in the navy
January 19, 1796 - San Fiorenzo - Sir John Jervis, the new commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet, appoints Nelson to exercise independent command over the ships blockading the french coast as a Commodore
January 22, 1796 - San Fiorenzo - Nelson departs to Genoa
February 23, 1796 - Livorno - Sir John Jarvis joins Nelson in Livorno
May 31, 1796 - Off Arma di Taggia and Bussana (French-Italian border) - Nelson in "HMS Agamemnon", captures a seven-vessel french convoy
June 11, 1796 - Livorno - "HMS Agamemnon" is sent to England for repairs, with Sir John Jarvis. Nelson is appointed to the 74-gun "HMS Captain" and hoist the commodore flag in the Mediterranean
June 24, 1796 - Genoa - Nelson, in Genoa, is informed that the city is under imminent attack
June 27, 1796 - Genoa - The british convoy leaves Genoa under french fire, after taking aboard all british citizens
July 8, 1796 - Porto-Ferrajo, Island of Elba - Nelson oversees the occupation of Elba
September 15, 1796 - Bastia, Corsica - Nelson is authorized to occupy the genoese Island of Capraia, which he accomplishes
October 14, 1796 - Bastia - Nelson returns to Corsica to ecacuate his countrymen from the island
October 20, 1796 - Bastia - The british forces sail to San Fiorenzo
December 1, 1796 - Gibraltar - Nelson reaches Gibraltar aboard the frigate "HMS Minerve"
December 19, 1796 - Off Murcia, Spain - Nelson captures a spanish frigate but is forced to abandon her as a superior spanish force appears
December 27, 1796 - Porto-Ferrajo, Island of Elba - "HMS Minerve" escapes, although seriously damaged in her rigging and sails
February 9, 1797 - Gibraltar - Nelson arrives in Gibraltar. Culverhouse, Hardy and the seamen in the prize crew from the spanish frigate return to Nelson's ship after a prisoners exchange
February 11, 1797 - Gibraltar - Nelson departs from Gibraltar and passes through the spanish fleet unseen thanks to heavy fog
February 13, 1797 - Near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal - Nelson joins the british fleet
February 14, 1797 - Near Cape St. Vincent - Captain of "HMS Captain" at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent - British victory
February 20, 1797 - Nelson is promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue
July 3, 1797 - Cádiz - British attack on Cádiz. Land forces commanded by Nelson
July 8, 1797 - Cádiz - New attack to Cádiz fails due to strong winds
July 14, 1797 - Nelson sails for the Canaries in his flagship "HMS Theseus"
July 17, 1797 - Tenerife, Canary Islands - Nelson arrives to the vicinity of Tenerife
July 22, 1797 - Tenerife - Nelson assaults Tenerife
July 24, 1797 - Tenerife - Nelson is wounded in the arm by grapeshot. His arm is amputated after being carried to "HMS Theseus"
July 28, 1797 - Off Tenerife - Nelson sails to meet Jervis's fleet off Cádiz
August 16, 1797 - Off Cádiz - Nelson rejoins Jervis's fleet
September 1, 1797 - Spithead - Nelson arrives in England aboard "HMS Seahorse"
October 1(?), 1797 - London - Moves to London to seek medical attention concerning his amputated arm
March 28, 1798 - Nelson departs to join Jervis, now Earl St.Vincent, off Cádiz
May 2, 1798 - Lisbon, Portugal - Nelson departs the Tagus River in his flagship "HMS Vanguard"
May 9, 1798 - Gibraltar - Nelson collects more ships to his squadron before proceeding to Toulon
May 17, 1798 - Îles d'Hyères, off Toulon - Nelson takes up position off Toulon
May 20, 1798 - 75 miles South of Toulon - The squadron is dispersed and blown southwards by a strong gale
May 21, 1798 - San Pietro Island, SW Sardinia - After the gale, "HMS Vanguard" starts being repaired
May 27, 1798 - San Pietro Island - With "HMS Vanguard" repaired, Nelson sails for Toulon
June 3, 1798 - San Pietro Island - Nelson's squadron is spotted and the information passed to Napoleon
June 7, 1798 - Nelson's squadron is joined by another 10 ships-of-the-line under Thomas Troubridge
June 10, 1798 - Corsican Coast - Nelson is delayed by a calm
June 12, 1798 - Island of Elba - The british fleet anchors at Elba
June 14, 1798 - Island of Giannutri, SE of Elba - Nelson speaks with a tunisian ship, which passes inaccurate information that the french had been seen off Trapani-Sicily, and could be anchored at Syracuse
June 17, 1798 - Pontine Islands, Off Naples - Nelson anchors at the Pontine Islands off Naples and sends Troubridge ashore to appeal to the British ambassador, Sir William Hamilton, for information and for assistance of the Neapolitan Navy in scouting for the french
June 20, 1798 - Strait of Messina - Nelson passes the Strait of Messina, believing the french objective to be Sicily. There he is informed that the french were at Malta
June 22, 1798 - East of Malta - The british fleet passes near the french fleet during a night of heavy mist without discovering them
June 28, 1798 - Alexandria, Egypt - Nelson arrives in Alexandria first and finds no sign of the french fleet
June 29, 1798 - Alexandria - Without signs of the french, Nelson sets sail to the Northeast, towards Corfu
July 4, 1798 - Anatolia, Turkey - Nelson reaches Anatolia and turns westward against the wind, sailing for Sicily again
July 19, 1798 - Syracuse, Sicily - Nelson anchors at Syracuse
July 25, 1798 - Syracuse - Nelson sets sails towards Alexandria again, with fresh informations about the french whereabouts

Battle of the Nile, 1798

August 1, 1798 - Aboukir Bay, Egypt - Nelson finds the french fleet anchored at Aboukir Bay - The BATTLE of the NILE starts. The british manouver to take advantage of the french position. Nelson is wounded in his blind eye again by a langrage shot
August 2, 1798 - Aboukir Bay - The battle of the Nile ends in a historic british victory - 13 ships destroyed or captured, about 3,900 french casualties. Nelson decides to stay at Aboukir Bay to take care of his wound
August 19, 1798 - Aboukir Bay - After burning some prizes, and sending several of his ships with news and dispatches, Nelson departs to Naples with 3 ships
September 22, 1798 - Bay of Naples - "HMS Vanguard" arrives in Naples and is greeted with over 500 small vessels organised by the royal family and led by a barge carrying Sir William and Lady Emma Hamilton. Nelson enjoys the hospitality of King Ferdinand and Queen Maria Carolina
September 28, 1798 - Naples - Nelson authorizes Captain Alexander Ball to negotiate the surrender of the nearby island of Gozo
December 23, 1798 - Naples - Nelson hastily organizes the evacuation of the Royal Family, several nobles and the british nationals, including the Hamiltons. They depart from Naples under heavy gales
December 26, 1798 - Palermo - Nelson, the Royal Family and the rest of the refugees reach the safety of Palermo
February 14, 1799 - Palermo(?) - Nelson is promoted to Rear Admiral of the Red
August 13, 1799 - Palermo(?) - King Ferdinand of Naples gives Nelson the newly created Dukedom of Bronté, in Sicily, in perpetual property, enclosing the Maniace Castle, the accompanying Abbey, and the land and the city of Bronte, this as a reward for his support of the monarchy
February 1(?), 1800 - Palermo(?) - Nelson returns to the Sea
February 18, 1800 - Off the northern shore of Malta - Battle of the Malta Convoy - Nelson captures the french 74-gun ship "Généreux"
July 11, 1800 - Livorno - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers depart for Vienna
July 13, 1800 - Florence - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers arrive in Florence
July 24, 1800 - Ancona - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers arrive in Ancona
August 9, 1800 - Trieste - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers arrive in Trieste
August 22, 1800 - Vienna - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers arrive in Vienna
September 26, 1800 - Vienna - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers quit Vienna
September 29, 1800 - Prague - Nelson celebrates his 42nd birthday while at Prague, when a grand "fête" was given by the Archduke Charles
October(?) 1(?), 1800 - Dresden - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers arrive in Dresden
October(?) 15(?), 1800 - Magdeburg - Nelson, the Hamiltons and several other British travellers pass through Madgeburg on their way to England
November 3(?), 1800 - Hamburg - Nelson boards a packet ship to Great Yarmouth
November 6, 1800 - Great Yarmouth - Nelson arrives in Great Yarmouth aboard a packet ship, and it being the first time he had landed in England since the Battle of the Nile, he was received with enthusiastic admiration. The instant he stepped on shore "the populace assembled in crowds to greet the gallant Hero of the Nile.."
November 20, 1800 - London - Lord Nelson takes his seat in the House of Lords
January 1, 1801 - London - Promoted to Vice Admiral of the Blue
January 17, 1801 - Plymouth - Nelson hoists his flag in the "St.Josef" - appointed to be second-in-command of the Channel Fleet under Lord St Vincent
January 21, 1801 - Exeter - Lord Nelson arrives at Exeter on his way to Tor Abbey, to meet Lord St.Vincent. He is received with every mark of honor, and the Mayor and Corporation grants the him the Freedom of the City
January 29, 1801 - Emma Hamilton gives birth to Nelson's daughter, Horatia
February 20, 1801 - Torbay - Nelson hoists his flag on board the "St.George"
March 12, 1801 - Yarmouth - Nelson joins admiral Sir Hyde Parker Fleet and sail for the danish coast
March 19, 1801 - Skagen - northern tip of Denmark - The British fleet reach Skagen, where they meet a British diplomat, Nicholas Vansittart, who tells them that the Danes had rejected an ultimatum
March 30, 1801 - Between Denmark and Sweden - The British force passes through the narrows between Denmark and Sweden, sailing close to the Swedish coast to put themselves as far from the Danish guns as possible; fortunately for the British, the Swedish batteries remain silent - Nelson shifts his Flag from the St.George to the Elephant, in order to carry on operations in a lighter ship
April 2, 1801 - Copenhagen Roads - Battle of Copenhagen - British strategic victory against the fiercest adversary of Nelson's career
April 3, 1801 - Copenhagen - Nelson lands in Copenhagen to open negotiations - an armistice is secured
April 8, 1801 - Copenhagen Roads - Nelson returns to the fleet with a formal agreement
April 12, 1801 - Copenhagen Roads - Parker and Nelson sail to Karlskrona
April 19, 1801 - Karlskrona, Sweden - Parker and Nelson reach Karlskrona only to see the entire squadron safely at anchor in the skerries
May 5, 1801 - Copenhagen Roads - Parker is recalled to Britain for "lack of vigour" and ordered to hand his command to Nelson
May 12, 1801 - Reval (Tallinn) - Nelson arrives in Reval to find that the ice had melted and the russian fleet had departed to Kronstadt
May 17, 1801 - Reval (Tallinn) - Nelson withraws from Reval after finding out that negotiations for ending the Armed Neutrality has started
May 19, 1801 - Off Götland - Nelson is created Viscount Nelson of the Nile and of Burnham Thorpe
May 24, 1801 - Off Rostock - Procuring fresh provisions for the fleet
June 4, 1801 - Køge Bay, Denmark - The Fleet returns to Køge Bay to complete their water, which could not be done at Rostock
June 9, 1801 - Off Bornholm - Nelson's last cruise aboard the "St.George"
June 14, 1801 - Off Bornholm - Nelson receives the sanction of the Admiralty for his return to England, and the instructions of King George III that he invested Rear-Admiral Graves with the Order of the Bath. Nelson performs the ceremony on the quarter-deck of the ship
June 19, 1801 - Køge Bay, Denmark - Nelson sails to England aboard the Kite Brig
July 1, 1801 - Yarmouth - Nelson returns to England
July 27, 1801 - Sheerness - Lord Nelson assumes command of the Frigate "L'Unité"
July 30, 1801 - Deal, The Downs - "L'Unité" moves to the Downs
August 4, 1801 - Nelson is created Baron Nelson of the Nile and of Hilborough

October 30, 1801 - London - Nelson speaks in support of the Addington government in the House of Lords
July 1(?), 1803 - Off Toulon - Nelson arrives off Toulon to enforce the blockade
April 23, 1804 - Promoted to Vice Admiral of the White
July 30(?), 1805 - Gibraltar - Nelson returns to Gibraltar, and travels from there to England, dismayed at his failure to bring the french to battle and expecting to be censured
August 30(?), 1805 - Merton - Visiting Emma at Merton
September 2, 1805 - Merton - Captain Henry Blackwood arrives at Merton, bringing news that the French and Spanish fleets had combined and were currently at anchor in Cádiz
September 12, 1805 - London - Meeting with Lord Castlereagh, the Secretary for War and the Colonies - Nelson meets Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, in a waiting room
September 14, 1805 - Portsmouth - Nelson arrives in Portsmouth and has breakfast with George Canning, the Treasurer of the Navy
September 27, 1805 - Off Cádiz - "HMS Victory" joins the british fleet off Cádiz
October 20, 1805 - Between Cape Trafalgar and Cape Spartel - Nelson maneuvers his 27 ships to hunt the franco-spanish fleet

Battle of Trafalgar, 1805

October 21, 1805 - Cape Trafalgar, Spain - Battle of Trafalgar - Historic British Victory - Lord Nelson is shot by a marksman and carried down, covering his face with a handkerchief to avoid causing panic amongst the crew. Taken to the surgeon, Nelson was sure he would die, and until he expired 3 hours later, he had time to know the result of the battle, give instructions to Hardy and asking him to take care of Lady Hamilton, but also to thank God that he had done his duty for his country =(END)

François Pyrard de Laval | Timeline

François Pyrard de Laval (ca. 1578 - ca. 1623) was a french navigator who is remembered for a personal written account of his adventures in the Maldives Islands from 1602 to 1607, which was part of a ten-year sojourn (1601-1611) in South Asia, et al. He was a native of Laval, and was a cousin to theologian Pierre Pyrard (1581-1667). (Intro from Wikipedia)

Main picture: There is no picture or portrait of François Pyrard de Laval. For illustration purposes, we used an image of François Ravaillac, the murderer of King Henry IV in 1610 

January(?) 1(?), 1578 - Laval, France - François Pyrard is born
May 18, 1601 - Saint-Malo - Pyrard sets sail to the Indies aboard the  "Corbin" =(START)
May 21, 1601 - Pyrard sights 9 dutch ships. An incident follows, when during the exchange of salutes, a druken dutch cannonner puts a hole in the French sail
June 3, 1601 - Off Canary Islands - The Canary Islands are sighted
June 12, 1601 - Cape Verde Islands - Pyrard passes through the Cape Verde Islands. Leaves the area on 13th
July 14, 1601 - Off the Coast of Guinea - Pyrard passes off the Coast of Guinea and sees Van Spilbergen's two ships
August 24, 1601 - Line of the Equator - Pyrard crosses the line of the Equator
August 30, 1601 - Annobon Island - Pyrard anchors in Annobón. Despite the portuguese killing one crewmember and asking for ransom for 5 others, the french manage to stay and take provisions
October 16, 1601 - Annobon Island - Pyrard departs from Annobón
December 27, 1601 - Cape of Good Hope - Pyrard rounds the Cape of Good Hope
January 10(?), 1602 - "In front of Madagascar" - Violent storm that lasts 4 days. The 2 ships loose sight of each other
February 18, 1602 - Saint-Augustin Bay, SW Madagascar - The "Corbin" and the "Croissant" find each other. 41 dead due to disease and storms
May 15, 1602 - Saint-Augustin Bay, SW Madagascar - After long repairs and taking care of the sick, Pyrard departs Madagascar
May 23, 1602 - Comoros Islands - Pyrard anchors in the Comoros Islands, "so that the sick take healthier air"
June 7, 1602 - Comoros Islands - With favorable wind, Pyrard sets sail again
July 1, 1602 - Off the Maldives - The "Croissant" looses its lifeboat
July 2, 1602 - Off the Maldives - Reports of rocks (reefs) around the Maldives islands. Sets course eastward to Île-Rodrigues (near Mauritius)
July 3, 1602 - Baa Atoll, Maldives - The "Corbin" runs aground on a reef and sinks during the night, due to the captain's lack of experience and the fact that the whole crew was drunk. The "Croissant" sails to Sumatra
July 5(?), 1602 - Malé - Pyrard is arrested and taken to Malé before the local King
February 5, 1607 - Malé - Pyrard makes a promess to visit Santiago de Compostela, if he ever sees christian land again
February 7, 1607 - Malé - 2 days after his promisse, Malé is attacked by Bengal pirates. The king is killed and Pyrard taken by the pirates
March 5, 1607 - Chartican, Bengal (Chittagong?) - Arrival in Bengal
June 1(?), 1607 - Calicut - Pyrard arrives in Calicut
February 1(?), 1608 - Calicut - Two jesuits advice Pyrard to seek the portuguese in Cochin
March 1(?), 1608 - Cochin - Arrival in Cochin by force after being seized by the portuguese
June 1(?), 1608 - Goa - Transfered to Goa thanks to the efforts of a jesuit priest. Serves the portuguese in the next two years
January 30, 1610 - Cochin - Pyrard leaves India aboard the "Nossa Senhora de Jesus", in a portuguese galleon fleet
February 8, 1610 - between Cochin and Diego Garcia - The fleet spots a dutch flotilla
March 15, 1610 - Rodrigues Island, E of Mauritius - The galleons are forced to stop at Rodrigues Island(*) due to heavy storms. (*) Discovered in 1538 by the portuguese Diogo Rodrigues.
April 8, 1610 - Cape of Good Hope - The Cape of Good Hope is sighted as it becomes bitterly cold, with much snow and frost
April 9, 1610 - Off Cape of Good Hope - The ships needed just 6 hours more to cross the Cape, however, they are unbelievably unlucky and are caught by a strong gale and thrown away from it.  Riots aboard
May 30, 1610 - Off Cape of Good Hope - During almost 2 months, the crew decides to face the sea and the contrary winds with their shattered ships instead of facing a certain death in a shipwreck in the violent coast of Natal, trying to return to India
May 31, 1610 - Cape of Good Hope - After so many storms and the ships in awful state, a favouring wind rises and they cross the Cape. The crew rejoices and sings a mass with a "Te Deum"
June 5, 1610 - W of South Africa - A resolution is taken to sail for St.Helena Island first for refreshment and refitting the ships. With the risk of meeting the dutch at that island, it is decided to remount the heavy iron cannons that were put below during the storms
June 25, 1610 - Santa Helena Island - The ship stops at St. Helena Island, finding a letter in the chapel left by the other 3 ships
July 14, 1610 - Santa Helena Island - After 10 days refitting the carrack, which almost sunk in an accident at weighing anchor, the portuguese and Pyrard sets sail to Salvador, Brazil, a shorter voyage than to Portugal.
August 8, 1610 - Coast of Bahia, Brazil - The carrack arrives in the coast of Brazil, at the entrance of the "Bay of Todos os Santos" near Salvador
August 11, 1610 - Salvador, Brazil - The portuguese carrack arrives in Salvador, Brazil
October 7, 1610 - Salvador, Brazil - After Pyrard meets and befriends two naturalized portuguese flemish brothers, he departs to Europe on their Dunkirk ship
November 3, 1610 - Pernambuco, Brazil - Pyrard doubles the Cape of St. Augustine, in great peril, because of shallows and reefs, and reach the city of Pernambuco
December 5, 1610 - Line of the Equator - Pyrard crosses the line of the Equator
January 5, 1611 - Azores Islands - Pyrard sights three islands of the Azores Archipelago - Corvo, Flores and Terceira. The crew starts feeling the cold again
January 15, 1611 - Berlengas Islands, Coast of Portugal - The Coast of Portugal is sighted. Due to contrary winds, Pyrard doesn't sail to Lisbon as planned
January 20, 1611 - Baiona, Galicia, Spain - Pyrard reaches Galicia after almost sinking
February(?) 1(?), 1611 - Santiago de Compostela - Paying his promise in Santiago de Compostela
February 13, 1611 - A Coruña - Pyrard departs to France in a small boat
February 15, 1611 - La Rochelle - 36 hours later, Pyrard arrives in La Rochelle
February 16, 1611 - Laval - Pyrard returns to Laval
December 24, 1611 - Paris - Pyrard was in Paris at this time. Publication of "The Voyage of François Pyrard of Laval to the East Indies, the Maldives, the Moluccas, and Brazil"
January(?) 1(?), 1623 - Paris - François Pyrard dies, aged 45 =(END)