Detailed view for the Book: Admiral, The

Title:

Admiral, The
 

Authors:

Genres:

Historical

Editions:

# Date Publisher Binding Cover
1 2001-00-00 Coronet Books  

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Blurb: 
As a boy Andrew Wood's greatest ambition was to be a merchant-trader like his father. He was also determined to avenge his father, slain by the English privateers off the coast of the Isle of May.
Andrew's chance came when he joined his kinsman, Henry Lindsay, in a trading venture with the Baltic states. During the voyage they were attacked, and Andrew's great courage during this and subsequent skirmishes led to his national renown as a pirate-slayer, and brought him to the attention of King James III.

At the king's invitation, Wood built up a number of captured vessels to form the nucleus of a national fleet. Such was his success that James eventually promoted him to become Baron of Largo and Lord High Admiral of Scotland.

Admiral Wood's bold defence of Scottish waters was to incur the wrath of King Henry VII of England. Wood was now in great danger.

But, never able to resist a challenge, he still found time to undertake a hazardous voyage to Iceland in search of walrus tusks and build up a highly lucrative ivory trading business.

In his own inimitable style, Nigel Tranter tells the incredible story of how this humble laird from Largoshire became Scotland's most famous sailor and one of the king's most valued officers-of-state: a skilled negotiator who greatly aided his nation's cause at a time of international unrest.