Sandwich, Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich (1625-1672)

English admiral and general at sea. He joined the Parliamentary army in 1643, and distinguished himself at the battle of Naseby and in other actions. He held high office under the Commonwealth, but in 1660 went over to Charles II, and on the Restoration he was raised to the peerage and appointed admiral. He defeated the Dutch fleet off Lowestoft in 1665, and went as ambassador to Spain the following year to conclude peace. In the Third Dutch War in 1672, he was second in command of the English fleet under the Duke of York. He was blown up on his flagship in the naval action of Solebay. Samuel Pepys was his protégé.