Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:46:51-4:48:11

The best and worst eras for Royal Navy sailors

Withheld pay kept Elizabethan sailors available after the Armada, while inadequate food contributed to disastrous conditions.

Elizabethan NavyNaval PersonnelRoyal NavyShipboard Life
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

When were conditions for Royal Navy sailors best and worst?

Short answer

They are probably best today and among the worst under Elizabeth I, when delayed pay and inadequate food kept crews tied to the fleet at terrible human cost.

Notes

The Royal Navy of 2025 is judged probably the best of the periods considered. Elizabeth I's reign is the candidate for the worst. Withholding wages after the Armada campaign kept sailors with their ships in case the Spanish returned. The crown also failed to provide enough money for food. Disease spread among the retained crews and many died.