Early Life
Rooke was born at St Lawrence, near Canterbury in 1650. Entering the navy as a volunteer in 1672, he served in the Dutch Wars and became post captain in 1673.
He became Rear Admiral in 1690, and fought at the Battle of Beachy Head.
In May 1692 he served under Russell at the Battle of Barfleur, and he greatly distinguished himself in a night attack on the French fleet at La Hogue, when he succeeded in burning twelve of their ships. He was knighted shortly afterwards.
In 1693 he commanded the Smyrna convoy, which was scattered and partly taken by the French Admiral Tourville near Lagos Bay.
In 1696 he was appointed Admiral of the Fleet. Until the peace of Rijswijk (1697), he continued to serve in the Channel and Mediterranean. He commanded the Anglo-Dutch Squadron that attacked Copenhagen in conjunction with the Swedish fleet under Admiral General Hans Wachtmeister in 1700, which facilitated the landing of King Charles XII of Sweden and his army in Denmark in the opening phase of the Great Northern War.
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