Charles, second Lord Howard of Effingham, and Lord High Admiral of
England, was son of the first lord and grandson of Thomas, second Duke
of Norfolk.
He was born 1536, and after much service was appointed, in 1585, Lord
High Admiral of England, and was chief in command against the Spanish
Armada, in 1588.
As he was a staunch Roman Catholic, history will forever honor the
tremendous efforts made by him to frustrate the landing of this powerful
combination of land and sea forces, fitted out as it were under the
auspices of the Pope of Rome, and his loyalty to his Queen and country.
In 1596, he commanded the fleet while the Earl of Essex commanded the
land forces in the expedition against Cadiz. For this meritorious
service he was created Earl of Nottingham. In 1599, in anticipation of
another invasion by the King of Spain, he was given the sole command of
the army and navy, with the title of Lieutenant-General of all England.
He commanded the troop that subdued the Essex rebellion, and under James
I. was employed in several distinguished capacities, and died December
14, 1624, aged eighty-eight, having some years before resigned the
office of Lord High Admiral, in the behalf of the favorite Villiers,
Earl of Buckingham, receiving in exchange a pension of £1,000, and the
acquittal of a debt of £1,800 due the Crown.