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TIMELINE

1773

Thomas Paine Kydd is born 20 June, in Guildford, Surrey, son of Walter and Fanny Kydd

1789

The Storming of the Bastille, 14 July

1793

Louis XVI executed, 21 January

France declares war on England; Kydd, a wig-maker by trade, is press-ganged into the 98-gun ship of the line Duke William

Kydd

The Reign of Terror begins, 5 September

Artemis

1794

Transferred aboard the crack frigate Artemis, Kydd is now a true Jack Tar who comes to love the sea-going life

1795

The Netherlands is invaded by France,19 January, and becomes the Batavian Republic

Seaflower

In the Caribbean, Kydd continues to grow as a prime seaman

1797

Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February

Mutiny at the Nore, 17 April

Kydd is promoted to acting lieutenant at Battle of Camperdown, 11 October

Mutiny

1798

Kydd passes exam for lieutenancy; now he must become a gentleman

Quarterdeck

From the Halifax station, Kydd and his ship are summoned to join Nelson on an urgent mission

The Battle of the Nile, 1 August

Tenacious

Britain takes Minorca as a naval base from Spain, 16 November

1799

Siege of Acre, March-May

1801

Prime Minister Pitt resigns, 16 February

Battle of Copenhagen, 2 April

Kydd is made commander of brig-sloop Teazer but his jubilation is cut short when peace is declared and he finds himself unemployed

1802

Temporary peace at Treaty of Amiens, 25 March

Command

1803

War resumes 18 May, with Britain declaring war on the French

Unexpectedly, Kydd finds himself back in command of his beloved Teazer

The Admiral’s Daughter

Kydd is dismissed his ship in the Channel Islands station

1804

Napoleon’s invasion plans are to the fore

May, Pitt becomes Prime Minister again

1804

Napoleon is crowned Emperor, 2 December

Invasion

1805

Kydd is made post-captain of L’Aurore

The Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October

Victory

1806

The race to empire begins in South Africa. British forces take Cape Town, 12 January

A bold attack on Buenos Aires is successful, 2 July

Conquest

Effective end of The Fourth Coalition, 14 October

Betrayal

In the Caribbean, the French threat takes a new and menacing form

Caribbee

1807

Napoleon tightens his Continental Blockade and moves on the Levant to break out of Europe

Pasha

Balked of empire by Trafalgar, Bonaparte strikes east and crushes proud Prussia

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