Robert Blake

Blake was appointed General at Sea by the Commonwealth government, becoming one of the first commanders of the newly formed English navy. This appointment marked the beginning of his naval career and the professionalization of English naval forces.

Blake blockaded the Portuguese port of Lisbon to force Portugal to cease supporting Royalist privateers. The blockade successfully pressured Portugal into recognizing the Commonwealth government and expelling Royalist ships.

Blake commanded the English fleet in a three-day battle against the Dutch under Maarten Tromp. The English victory secured control of the English Channel and demonstrated the effectiveness of the Commonwealth navy.

Blake, along with other admirals, helped codify the Fighting Instructions, a set of tactical doctrines for the English navy. These instructions standardized fleet maneuvers and emphasized line-of-battle tactics, influencing naval warfare for centuries.

Blake led a daring attack on the Spanish treasure fleet anchored at Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Despite heavy shore batteries, he destroyed the Spanish fleet and captured or sank 16 ships, a major blow to Spanish naval power.