
05/07/2025
HMS Victory: The Ship that changed the Course of the Battle
HMS Victory was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson and played a decisive role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. As the lead ship in Nelson’s bold and unconventional attack, Victory broke through the Franco-Spanish line, delivering devastating broadsides that crippled enemy vessels, including the French flagship Bucentaure.
From her decks, Nelson directed the British fleet with remarkable precision, even as he was fatally wounded by a sniper. His leadership and the firepower of HMS Victory helped secure a resounding British victory, destroying Napoleon’s plans to invade Britain and ensuring Royal Navy dominance for over a century. Victory’s actions at Trafalgar not only changed the outcome of the battle but also reshaped the strategic balance of power in Europe.
Today, HMS Victory is preserved in Portsmouth, a symbol of British naval heritage and the ship that truly changed the course of battle