Admiral of the West

The Admiral of the West also known as Admiral of the Western Sea's or Admiral of the Western Fleet was a former English Navy appointment. The post holder was chiefly responsible for the command of the English navy's fleet based at Portsmouth which operated in the English Channel, Irish Sea and Atlantic from 1294 to 1412.

History
The origins of the office of Admiral of the West dates back to 1294 with appointment of Sir William, Baron de Leybourne, originally styled Admiral of the West and Irish Sea; he also jointly held the tile of Admiral of the South until 1306, when the previous post was left vacant until 1325 when it resumed very briefly. In 1326 the post of Admiral of the South and his command duties were merged with that of Admiral of West. The office was styled by different names from its establishment, such as Admiral of the West and Irish Sea and Admiral on the Western Station (1294-1306), Admiral of the Western Squadron and Admiral West, of the mouth of the Thames (1306-1406) with the exception of the periods for the creation of the offices of the Admiral of the North and West from 18 July 1360 to 16 January 1361) and office of Admiral of all the Fleets about England from 16 January 1361 to 28 April 1362, there were no further official appointments made the office resumed again until the creation of the office of the Admiral of England from April 1385 to 18 March 1388 when once more appointments ceased. The post was revived in 1388 that lasted through until the creation of the office of Lord Admiral of England in 1406, this command along with Admiral of the North was regarded as one of the most senior post's in the English Navy from the end of the 13th century until the beginning of the 15th century. The command was unified along with the Admiralty of the West into a centralized command under the Lord High Admiral of England in 1412.

Admirals of the West
Includes:
 * Admiral of the West and Irish Sea


 * Admiral Sir William de Leybourne, 1294 - 1306
 * Admiral of the West


 * Admiral Gervase Alard, 1306 - 1314
 * Admiral William Cranis, 1314 - 1316
 * Admiral Sir Robert Leyburn & Nicholas Crioill, 1316-1318, (jointly)
 * Admiral John Athey, 1318 - 1322
 * Admiral Sir Robert de Leyburn	1322 - 1323
 * Admiral Robert Battail alias Battall, 1323 - 1324
 * Admiral Robert Bendon, 1324 - 1325
 * AdmiralSir John de Felton, 1325
 * Admiral Nicholas Crioill, 1325-1327
 * Note: In 1326 the office of Admiral of the Southern Fleet is amalgamated with this command.


 * Admiral Wares de Valoines, 1327-16 July 1327
 * Admiral William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, 16 July 1327 – 2 January 1334
 * Admiral William de Mantes, 2 January 1334 – 11 August 1337
 * Admiral Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh, 11 August 1337 – 22 July 1338
 * Admiral Peter Dardus alias Bard, 22 July 1338 – 18 February 1339
 * Admiral Robert Truffel and Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 18 February 1339 – 12 January 1341, (jointly)
 * Admiral William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, 12 January 1341 – 20 December 1342
 * Admiral Robert Beaupell, 20 December 1342 – 1343
 * Admiral Sir John de Montgomery, 1343-8 May 1344
 * Admiral Sir Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham, 8 May 1344 – 23 February 1345
 * Admiral Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 23 February 1345 – 23 February 1347
 * Admiral Sir John de Montgomery, 23 February 1347 – 14 March 1348
 * Admiral Sir Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham, 14 February 1348 – 1350
 * Admiral Sir John de Beauchamp, 1350 – 8 March 1352
 * Admiral Henry, Duke of Lancaster, 8 March 1352 – 1354
 * Admiral Sir Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick, 1354- 5 March 1355
 * Admiral Sir John de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp de Warwick, 5 March 1355 – 1 March 1356, (brother of Earl of Warwick)
 * Admiral Sir Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, 1 March 1356 – 18 July 1360
 * No appointments see Admiral of all the Fleets, 16 January 1361 – 28 April 1362
 * No Appointments see Admiral of the North and West, 17 July 1364 - 28 April 1369


 * Admiral Sir Robert Ashton, 28 April 1362 – 3 May 1370
 * Admiral Sir Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, 3 May 1370 - 6 October 1372
 * Admiral Sir Philip Courtenay, 7 October 1372 – 16 July 1376, (the Kings cousin)
 * Admiral William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 16 July 1376 – 24 November 1376
 * Admiral Robert Hales, 24 November 1376 – 24 November 1377, (prior of Saint John of Jerusalem in England)
 * No appointments see Admiral of the North and West, 24 November 1377 - 5 December 1377.


 * Admiral Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel, 5 December 1377 – 1 September 1378
 * Admiral Sir Hugh Calveley, 1 September 1378 – 8 March 1380
 * Admiral Sir Philip Courtenay, 8 March 1380 – 1381, (the Kings cousin)
 * Admiral Walter de Hauley, 1381 – 23 May 1381
 * Admiral Sir John Roches, 23 May 1381 – 10 November 1383
 * Admiral Edward de Courtenay, Earl of Devon, 10 November 1383 – 29 January 1384
 * Admiral John Radington, 29 January 1384 – 22 February 1385, (prior of Saint John of Jerusalem in England)
 * Admiral Sir Thomas Trivett, 22 February 1385 – April 1385
 * No appointments see Admiral of England, April 1385 – 18 March 1388


 * Admiral John Holand, Earl of Huntingdon, 18 March 1388 – 29 January 1391
 * No appointments see Admiral of the North and West, 29 January 1391 – 21 April 1400


 * Admiral Sir Thomas Reniston, 21 April 1400 – 5 November 1403
 * Admiral Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley,5 November 1403 – 20 February 1404
 * See Admiral of the North and South 	20 February 1404 – 28 April 1405
 * Admiral Richard Cliderhow, 28 April 1405 – 23 December 1406
 * Note: The office although vacant was amalgamated within a single office of the Lord High Admiral of England in 1412.