Robert Blake Biography

Birth of Robert Blake

Takes part in the defense of Bristol

Takes part in the defense of Lyme Regis

Takes & holds Taunton for 2 years for the Parliamentary forces

Blake helps defend Lyme Regis against a prolonged Royalist siege and preserves an important Parliamentarian foothold in the west.

Blake takes command at Taunton and prepares the town to withstand repeated Royalist attempts to recover it.

Blake maintains the Parliamentarian defence of Taunton despite blockade, bombardment and repeated Royalist pressure.

Appointed Commander of the Fleet

Appointed Commander of the Fleet

Parliament appoints Blake as one of the generals at sea to command Commonwealth naval operations.

Chases the Royalist fleet from Kinsale to Lisbon & Cartagena where it is destroyed

Captures the Scilly Isles

Appointed Member of Council of State

Lands with a Parliamentary invasion force & captures Jersey

Wins an exchange with the Dutch which closes the Channel to Dutch merchant shipping

Sinks 20 of the 110 ships sent by wTromp to break the English blockade of the Channel

Despatched by Cromwell to protect English shipping and assert Commonwealth naval power

Commands English naval power in the Mediterranean during mounting conflict with Spain

Destroys Barbary shipping at Porto Farina and demonstrates English naval power

Defeats the Spanish after the British capture of Jamaica

Destroys the Spanish West Indian Fleet in Santa Cruz

Death of Robert Blake, while was entering Plymouth Harbour