Robert Blake (admiral)

Robert Blake
Robert Blake, General at Sea, 1598–1657 (by Henry Perronet Briggs, painted 1829)
General at Sea, 1598–1657 Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, 1656 to 1657
In office 1656–1657
Preceded by	Thomas Kelsey
Succeeded by	Lord Winchilsea
Personal details
Born	(1598-09-27)27 September 1598 Bridgwater, England
Died	7 August 1657(1657-08-07) (aged 58)[1] Off Plymouth, English Channel
Resting place	Westminster Abbey (initially); St Margaret's (now)
Relations	Joseph Blake (nephew)
Nickname	"Father of the Royal Navy"
Military service
Allegiance	Commonwealth of England  The Protectorate
Branch/service	Royal Navy
Years of service	1649–1657
Rank	General at sea
Commands	Mediterranean Fleet
Battles/wars	English Civil War First Anglo-Dutch War Anglo-Spanish War

Robert Blake (27 September 1598 – 7 August 1657) was an English naval officer who served as general at sea and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1656 to 1657. Blake served under Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War and Anglo-Spanish War, and as the commanding Admiral of the State's Navy during the First Anglo-Dutch War. Blake is recognized as the "chief founder of England's naval supremacy", a dominance subsequently inherited by the British Royal Navy well into the early 20th century.^[2][3] Despite this, due to deliberate attempts to expunge the Parliamentarians from historical records following the Stuart Restoration, Blake's achievements tend to remain relatively unrecognized.^[1][4] Blake's successes, however, are considered to have "never been excelled, not even by Nelson" according to one biographer,^[5] while Blake is often compared with Nelson by others.^[6][7][8]