HMS Temeraire (1798)

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HMS Temeraire was a 98-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1798 at Chatham, which fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. She was named after the French 74-gun ship taken at the Battle of Lagos (1759), following the British custom of naming new ships after old prizes.

At Trafalgar under the command of Eliab Harvey, she was next astern to Victory, Temeraire was badly damaged as she fought to relieve Nelson's flagship. During the battle, Temeraire helped force the surrender of the French ship Redoutable and captured the French ship Fougueux.

She became famous as the subject of two paintings by J. M. W. Turner, one showing her at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, the other showing her being towed to the breaker's yard in 1838.

Temeraire served as a prison ship from 1812–1815 and as a receiving ship until 1836 when she was briefly recommissioned. She was broken up in 1838, and some of her timbers were used to build a communion table and two bishop's chairs in St. Mary's Church, Rotherhithe.

See HMS Temeraire for other ships of this name in the Royal Navy.