The rank of general at sea (occasionally referred to as "general of the fleet"), was the highest position of command in the English Parliamentary Navy (later the Navy of the

Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

), and approximates to the current rank of

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

. Alongside others, the generals at sea were also appointed as Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy. The generals at sea were referred to both by the title of 'general' and by their former army ranks interchangeably. Today, the title 'admiral' is also commonly – if incorrectly – used.

The generals at sea

In February 1649, within a month of the execution of Charles I, the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

decided to put the office of Lord High Admiral into abeyance, and Colonel Robert Blake, Colonel Edward Popham and Colonel Richard Deane were appointed by Parliament as the first generals at sea and Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy. After Popham's death in 1651 he was succeeded in 1652 by General

George Monck George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (6 December 1608 3 January 1670) was an English military officer and politician who fought on both sides during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A prominent military figure under the Commonwealth, his support ...

. Deane was recalled to serve in the army in May 1651, before resuming his post as general at sea in 1652, but was killed at the start of the

Battle of the Gabbard The Battle of the Gabbard, was a naval battle fought from 2 to 3 June 1653 during the First Anglo-Dutch War. It took place near the Gabbard shoal off the coast of Suffolk, England, between fleets of the Commonwealth of England and the Dutch Repu ...

on 1 June 1653. Following the death of Deane, Blake and Monck continued to serve alone until 3 December 1653, when Parliament decided to increase the number of generals at sea to four, with a quorum of two, appointing Major-General John Desborow and Vice-Admiral

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...

(who had been recommended by Monck, and who was the first sailor, rather than the traditional soldier, to be promoted to that rank) to serve alongside Blake and Monck as generals at sea, with all four also serving as Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy along with Colonel Philip Jones, Colonel John Clerk, John Stone, Major William Burton, Vincent Gooking and Lieutenant-Colonel Kelsey. Penn's naval career was suspended after the failure to successfully execute the Western Design against Spanish colonies in the West Indies in 1655, which resulted in his temporary imprisonment in the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

. Although Penn was forced to resign his commission as a result of this, he must have been recalled by Cromwell later, as he was recorded by the Dutch Ambassador to England in March 1658 as being in charge of a fleet. During the unstable political times of Cromwell's final illness and after, he decided to leave the navy in order to play his part in the maintenance of law and order and successfully stood as Member of Parliament for Weymouth in 1660 (after failing in Bristol). However, his pre-eminence as a sailor was manifest in the fact that despite having been a leading naval officer under Cromwell, Penn was chosen by parliament to welcome King Charles II onto the ''Naseby'' to bring him back to England from his exile. At their meeting, off Scheveningen on 23 May, the King knighted him, and on the journey back the ship was renamed from ''Naseby'' to ''Charles''. Penn was subsequently appointed one of the commissioners for the navy and worked alongside

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...

in the Navy Board (and at one point was also his neighbour in Navy Board accommodation in Seething Lane). He was one of the most distinguished naval commanders of his era who had revolutionized naval tactics (writing a new naval code: ''Duties of a Commander at Sea, 1664, Instructions by Sir W. Penn''). His pre-eminence was testified to by Pepys, who acknowledged his naval skill and was jealous of him as a result. In January 1656, Edward Montagu was appointed general at sea. Blake continued to serve until his death at sea on 7 August 1657, and Montagu until 1665.

Gallery

File:BHC2559.jpg, Robert Blake File:Richard Deane.jpg, Richard Deane File:Edward Popham.jpg, Edward Popham File:George Monck 1st Duke of Albemarle Studio of Lely.jpg,

File:Lely, William Penn.jpg,

File:Lely, Edward Montagu.jpg, Edward Montagu

Rank insignia and personal flag

Included: Generals at Sea in command of the red squadron File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1649-1651).svg, Flag of the commonwealth flown at the main mast. File:English Red Ensign 1620.svg, Red ensign flown at the aft mast. Generals at Sea in command of the white squadron File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1649-1651).svg, Flag of the commonwealth flown at the main mast. File:English White Ensign 1620.svg, White ensign flown at the aft mast. Generals at Sea in command of the blue squadron File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1649-1651).svg, Flag of the commonwealth flown at the main mast. File:English Blue Ensign 1620.svg, Blue ensign flown at the aft mast.

References

{{Reflist Naval ranks Military ranks of the United Kingdom English Civil War