HMS Medea

Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Medea, or HMS Medee, after the Medea of Greek mythology, whilst another was planned:

• HMS Medea was a 26-gun sixth-rate, originally the French Medee. She was captured by HMS Dreadnaught in 1744 and was sold in 1745. She subsequently operated as the privateer Boscawen.
• HMS Medea was a 28-gun sixth-rate launched in 1778 and sold in 1795.
• HMS Medee was a 36-gun fifth rate captured from the French in 1800. She was used as a prison ship from 1802 and was sold in 1805.
• HMS Medea was to have been a 32-gun fifth-rate of 658 tons. She was ordered from Woolwich Dockyard in 1800 but was later cancelled.
• HMS Medea was a paddle sloop launched in 1833 and sold in 1867.
• HMS Medea was a Marathon-class second class cruiser launched in 1888 and sold in 1914.
• HMS Medea was a Medea-class destroyer, originally to be the Greek Kriti. She was purchased on the ways in 1914, launched in 1915, and sold for breaking up in 1921.
• HMS Medea was an M15-class monitor, launched in 1915 as HMS M22. She was renamed HMS Medea in 1925 and was sold in 1930.

See also

• HMS Meda