Blanco Criado enlisted as a midshipman at Ferrol in 1777, embarking in May 1779 on board the St Vincent as part of the squadron Antonio González de Arce led to the English Channel.
[1] Poor health led him to transfer to the army and he was appointed teniente del rey[note 2] of Ciudad Rodrigo in 1804.
[1] At the start of the war, Blanco Criado was promoted to Infantry brigadier and appointed governor of Ciudad Rodrigo.
[2] The following October, the Duke del Parque sent him to Badajoz and he was appointed governor of Olivenza in December 1809, post he held until March 1810, when he stepped down due to deficient situation of that place.
[1] He was then sent back to Ciudad Rodrigo, again as teniente del rey, serving under the new commander of the garrison, Field marshal Andrés Pérez de Herrasti during the siege.