Charles Knowles

"And now, the Goliath will be known as the ship that cannot die! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

- Captain Knowles

Captain Charles Knowles was the Captain of the Goliath, an a minor villain in the anime series Last Exile.

Charles's ship, The Goliath, took part in the Battle of Minagith, when he ordered it to flee the attack by Guild ships before the fighting even began, in an act of self preservation.

Some weeks later, his ship docked at Walker Palace Casino for supplies and time out, when they begin insulting and belittling junior members of the crew of the Silvana, and further anger the Silvana crew members by cheating on the games and when former Claimh Solais musketeer Mullin Shetland attempts to convince Knowles to hire him, Knowles insults Shetland's former commander and friend General Mad Thane, accusing him (and Mullin) of cowardice, due to the fact that they also fled at Minagith (though out of desparation, during the fighting, unlike Knowles).

When Shetland speaks out against Knowles, a fight quickly ensues between his crew members, Shetland, and Lavie Head (who aids Shetland). When Shetland is restrained, Knowles attempts to impale him through the chest with his sword, but a mechanic from the Silvana shoots his shord in half as he shoots it.

The situation develops into an all-out bar brawl between members of The Goliath and members of The Silvana, which concludes with Knowles challenging Alex Rowe (the Captain of The Silvana) to a "Duel of Ships" (without realising which ship his foe captains, likely believing him to be the captain of a regular Disith ship of the kind he usually destroys in battle).

Upon seeing that the ship is the infamous Silvana, Knowles orders his gunners to cheat in the duel by firing too early, but the blasts barely scratch the surface of The Silvana's armour. In retaliation, the Rowe orders The Silvana to blast The Goliath with their long-range cannons, which easily blast the ship out of the sky, cusing many explosions in its engines, leading to it's crashing to the ground, which kills both Knowles and his entire crew.

This causes Knowles's father Henry Knowles to attempt to assassinate Rowe in an act of vengeance.