Plymouth owes its importance to its geography - it commands the mouth of the English Channel and has two ready-made harbours. Its potential as a naval base was recognised by King Edward I in the 13th century, when he assembled a fleet of 325 ships, the country's first national navy, which was to deliver a crushing blow to France at Poitiers. Indeed Plymouth's history has been greatly influenced by the sea and those who sail upon it. From old Jack Hawkins, who invented the 'triangular trade' to Africa and the Caribbean, and Francis Drake who circumnavigated the world.
