It is widely accepted that the Stuart kings, Charles II and James II, had an interest in the navy and the sea. Nonetheless, the major naval developments during their reigns--developments that effectively turned the Royal Navy into a permanent, professional fighting force--have traditionally been attributed to Samuel Pepys.
Kings of the Sea presents a provocative new theory: that the creation of the proper "Royal Navy" was, in fact, due principally to the Stuart brothers. J. David Davies demonstrates that Charles's Stuart predecessors were more directly involved in naval matters than has usually been allowed and proves that Charles's and James's command of ship design and other technical matters went well beyond the bounds of dilettante enthusiasm.
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