English ship Marmaduke (1652)

The Marmaduke was an English ship launched in 1652. She was built during the Commonwealth period, likely for either the Commonwealth Navy or under contract for them. The ship served primarily as a warship, participating in naval engagements of the mid-17th century.

Information on the Marmaduke is somewhat scattered, and specific details about her design, dimensions, armament, and career highlights can be difficult to ascertain definitively without consulting primary historical sources. However, records indicate her involvement in the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-1654), a conflict driven by trade rivalry and naval dominance between England and the Dutch Republic. Ships named Marmaduke also appear in subsequent periods, suggesting the name was reused for other vessels in the English, and later British, navy. This makes it essential to differentiate between different ships sharing the same name when researching historical accounts. The Marmaduke of 1652 would have played a role in the tactical formations and naval strategies typical of that era, relying on broadside cannon fire and boarding actions to engage enemy vessels. Details about her eventual fate, such as whether she was lost at sea, decommissioned, or captured, require further investigation of naval archives and historical records.