Thomas Teddiman
Encyclopedia
Thomas Teddeman was an English admiral
of the 17th century. His name was also written as Teddiman or Teddyman.
Neither the date of birth nor the early career of Thomas Teddeman is known; he was not a naval captain during the First Anglo-Dutch War
. He was the namesake of his father, who descended from a family of ship-owners in Dover
. His cousin was the naval captain Henry Teddeman.
Teddeman, first serving the English Commonwealth, commanded from 1659 till 1660 the Tredagh (after the English Restoration
renamed to HMS Resolution
) in the Mediterranean during the Anglo-Spanish War
. From 31 May till 10 June 1660 he chased six Spanish vessels he encountered off Algiers
. In May 1661 he became captain of HMS Fairfax
and in 1663 commanded HMS Kent on which he brought the English ambassador to Russia
, the Earl of Carlisle
, to Archangel
in July. In May 1664 Teddeman was made commander of HMS Revenge
and the same year promoted to captain of HMS Swiftsure
. In 1665, during the Second Anglo-Dutch War
, he distinguished himself as Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron in the Battle of Lowestoft
, with as flagship the new second rate HMS Royal Katherine, and was knighted on 30 June (Old Style).
In August 1665 Teddeman was sent on the Revenge to Bergen
to capture a Dutch treasure fleet with a flotilla of frigates but was defeated in the Battle of Vågen
by Commandeur
Pieter de Bitter
. Though this was a major disappointment to Charles II of England
, Teddeman's career did not suffer much and he fought, again on the Katherine, the next year as Vice-Admiral of the Blue in the Four Days Battle
and as Vice-Admiral of the White in the St James's Day Battle. In 1667 Teddeman had no command, the main vessels of the English fleet having been laid up. In 1668 he commanded on HMS Cambridge
, but was the subject of an investigation by English Parliament, trying to establish the causes of the lost war, by which he was much troubled. On 13 May he died from a fever caused by a thrush in the mouth.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the 17th century. His name was also written as Teddiman or Teddyman.
Neither the date of birth nor the early career of Thomas Teddeman is known; he was not a naval captain during the First Anglo-Dutch War
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo–Dutch War was the first of the four Anglo–Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but...
. He was the namesake of his father, who descended from a family of ship-owners in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
. His cousin was the naval captain Henry Teddeman.
Teddeman, first serving the English Commonwealth, commanded from 1659 till 1660 the Tredagh (after the English Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
renamed to HMS Resolution
HMS Resolution (1654)
The ship which became the first HMS Resolution was a 50-gun Third rate frigate built under the 1652 Programme for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Sir Phineas Pett at Ratcliffe, and launched in 1654 under the name Tredagh .After the...
) in the Mediterranean during the Anglo-Spanish War
Anglo-Spanish War (1654)
The Anglo-Spanish War was a conflict between the English Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell and Spain, between 1654 and 1660. It was caused by commercial rivalry. Each side attacked the other's commercial and colonial interests in various ways such as privateering and naval expeditions. In 1655, an...
. From 31 May till 10 June 1660 he chased six Spanish vessels he encountered off Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
. In May 1661 he became captain of HMS Fairfax
HMS Fairfax (1653)
HMS Fairfax was a 52-gun third rate frigate, built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by John Taylor at Chatham and launched in 1653. She retained her name after the Restoration in 1660.Fairfax was wrecked in 1682....
and in 1663 commanded HMS Kent on which he brought the English ambassador to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the Earl of Carlisle
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle was an English politician and military leader.The first in the Howard line of earls, he was the son and heir of Sir William Howard, of Naworth in Cumberland, by Mary, daughter of William, Lord Eure, and great-grandson of Lord William Howard, "Belted Will" , the...
, to Archangel
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
in July. In May 1664 Teddeman was made commander of HMS Revenge
HMS Revenge (1654)
Newbury was a 52-gun third rate frigate built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Limehouse, and launched in 1654. She was named for the Parliamentarian victories at the two battles of Newbury....
and the same year promoted to captain of HMS Swiftsure
HMS Swiftsure (1621)
HMS Swiftsure was a 42-gun great ship of the English Royal Navy, built by Andrew Burrell at Deptford and launched in 1621.She was rebuilt in 1654 at Woolwich by Christopher Pett as a 60-gun third rate ship of the line. She was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir William Berkeley at the Four Days'...
. In 1665, during the Second Anglo-Dutch War
Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo–Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo–Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes....
, he distinguished himself as Rear-Admiral of the Blue Squadron in the Battle of Lowestoft
Battle of Lowestoft
The naval Battle of Lowestoft took place on 13 June 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size commanded by James Stuart, Duke of York forty...
, with as flagship the new second rate HMS Royal Katherine, and was knighted on 30 June (Old Style).
In August 1665 Teddeman was sent on the Revenge to Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
to capture a Dutch treasure fleet with a flotilla of frigates but was defeated in the Battle of Vågen
Battle of Vågen
The Battle of Vågen was a naval battle between a Dutch merchant and treasure fleet and an English flotilla of warships in August 1665 as part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The battle took place in Vågen , the main port area of neutral Bergen, Norway...
by Commandeur
Commandeur
Commandeur is a title in French and Dutch , usually rendered in English as Commander, with different uses. The literal meaning is he who commands, parallel to Commandant. In most senses the German equivalent is Kommandeur....
Pieter de Bitter
Pieter de Bitter
Pieter de Bitter was a 17th century Dutch officer of the Dutch East India Company. On 12 August 1665 he won the Battle of Vågen against an English flotilla commanded by Thomas Teddiman....
. Though this was a major disappointment to Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, Teddeman's career did not suffer much and he fought, again on the Katherine, the next year as Vice-Admiral of the Blue in the Four Days Battle
Four Days Battle
The Four Days Battle was a naval battle of the Second Anglo–Dutch War. Fought from 1 June to 4 June 1666 in the Julian or Old Style calendar then used in England off the Flemish and English coast, it remains one of the longest naval engagements in history.In June 1665 the English had soundly...
and as Vice-Admiral of the White in the St James's Day Battle. In 1667 Teddeman had no command, the main vessels of the English fleet having been laid up. In 1668 he commanded on HMS Cambridge
HMS Cambridge (1666)
HMS Cambridge was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1666 at Deptford Dockyard.Cambridge was wrecked in 1694....
, but was the subject of an investigation by English Parliament, trying to establish the causes of the lost war, by which he was much troubled. On 13 May he died from a fever caused by a thrush in the mouth.