Robert Blake's authority at sea

Robert Blake served at sea from 1649 until his death off Plymouth in 1657. In those eight years he held several commands and fought in the English Civil War, the First Anglo-Dutch War, campaigns against the Barbary pirates, and the Anglo-Spanish War of 1654 to 1660. Sailors regarded him highly, and his reputation later became a standard against which Horatio Nelson was measured. One interpretation suggests that, had Blake outlived Cromwell, his popularity might have created a precedent for the senior admiral to take control of the state instead of George Monck. His standing with crews helps explain the English fleet's loyalty when he became exposed at Kentish Knock.