Admiral of the Fleet Horatio Hornblower, 1st Baron Hornblower, GCB, is the fictional protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester, and later the subject of films and television programs. Ernest Hemingway is quoted as saying, "I recommend Forester to everyone literate I know." and Winston Churchill stated, "I find Hornblower admirable."

The original Hornblower tales began with the appearance of a junior Royal Navy Captain on independent duty on a secret mission to Central America, though later stories would fill out his earlier years, starting with an unpromising beginning as a seasick midshipman. As the Napoleonic Wars progress, he gains promotion steadily, despite his initial poverty and lack of influential friends, as a result of his skill and daring. Eventually, after surviving many adventures in a wide variety of locales, he rises to the pinnacle of his profession.