Notes on ‘The Blazing Worlds.

After the restoration, Charles II encouraged new research and development. This was probably a result of his time spent in exile on the Continent.  He was able to see the advances being made in France and clearly he had time away from Royal duties to experiment himself.

Submarines.

Although the idea of ‘underwater vehicles’ was explored by Leonardo Da Vinci over 100 years earlier, the idea was not taken too seriously.

There is documentary evidence that such a device was successfully demonstrated to the King on the Thames in London .

Fire-Ships

Fire-ships were vessels past their useful life and thus expendable. They were  used during Greek and Roman times and maybe before. They were likely to be  propelled by slaves who would have been sacrificed as a result.

However the tactical use of fire-ships was  was not considered in Western Europe in the 17th century.

The use of this tactic against enemy ships was also demonstrated in front of the Royal Court on the Thames.

With the important position of her husband and her appointment as Maid of Honour to the Queen it is most likely she attended these events.