From this distance, Britain's unrivalled national hero Horatio Nelson appears to embody the entire span of glittering age of naval dominance such is his pre-eminence in our cultural consciousness.And yet, definitive though his actions were, they spanned only a few years at the tail-end of the 1700s through to his victory - and celebrated death - at Trafalgar in 1805.
The golden era of Rule Britannia had begun back in 1688 when Protestant William of Orange came to the throne ready to war against the Catholics (and plunder their treasures).
It was to continue with the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. Nelson stood on the shoulders of giants and Jack Tars.
Nelson, Navy, Nation, a new setting for the enthralling and priceless collection of Nelson artefacts - including his bullet-holed uniform - pays due tribute to the headliner while reflecting on the all-encompassing pursuit of war, trade, industrial might and strategic ingenuity that these perpetual squabbles required.
Dr Quintin Colville, co-curator of the exhibition, who, along with Dr James Davey, has spent four years bringing the permanent exhibition together. He said the aim was to provide a meaningful setting for Nelson's adventures.
He said: "We very strongly wanted to be a gallery that placed Nelson within a much broader context that allows us to tell a wider story and that allowed us to take in a greater category of people.
"We also felt really strongly that this approach doesn't diminish or demean Nelson. You find out more about him if you find out what went before and what came after."
So that means, among the 250 objects, there are grand artworks of epic battles, and miniature sketches of sailors at work; fearsome artillery and surgeon's tools; interactive re-runs of key naval battles; personal letters; and the knick-knacks that reflect domestic life on board a ship of the line.
As for the eponymous sailor himself, his life is sunk, almost irretrievably, in legend. Was he that good or an empty celebrity created by public appetite?
Dr Colville said: "He was exceptional. There are lots of components to that - the physical bravery, strategic brilliance, professional understanding and the ability to communicate to his officers and crews. As a naval leader, he is the whole package.
"He deserves his status but what happens is that his naval status and his cultural status collide and that's what sends him through the roof.
"The British wanted a hero, they wanted someone to represent this struggle which he also helps to end - and that is why they buy Nelson pipes, teapots and curtain ties."
From Oct 21, National Maritime Museum, FREE, rmg.co.uk.
The Fall Of Nelson, Battle of Trafalgar, October 21 1805 by Denis Dighton c1825
Pictures: National Maritime Museum
