Michiel de Ruyter
The Dutch naval hero who raided the Medway and thwarted invasions.
Ferdinand Bol · via Wikipedia: Michiel de Ruyter · Public domain
Michiel de Ruyter was born on 24 March 1607 in Vlissingen, the son of a seaman who became a beer porter.[1] He worked at a ropewalk and was sent to sea as a boatswain's apprentice at age 11.[2]
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Michiel Adriaenszoon
- Nickname
- Bestevaêr
- Born
- 24 March 1607
- Birthplace
- Vlissingen, Dutch Republic
- Died
- 29 April 1676
- Place of death
- Syracuse, Sicily, Spanish Empire (now Italy)
- Burial place
- Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam and Syracuse in Sicily (the entrails)
- Allegiance
- Dutch Republic
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
De Ruyter fought as a cannoneer during the relief of Bergen-op-Zoom in 1622.[3] He rejoined the merchant fleet that same year and became a merchant ship's master at age thirty.[3] He spoke tolerable French and fluent English despite little formal education.[3] He married Maayke Velders on 16 March 1631, but she died later that year after childbirth.[1]
In 1637, de Ruyter became captain of a private ship hunting Dunkirk raiders.[4] He served as a junior flag-officer during the First Anglo-Dutch War, commanding a Zeelandic squadron.[5] De Ruyter won the Four Days' Battle in June 1666 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.[6] He became lieutenant-admiral of Rotterdam on 11 August 1665.[2]
The new rank of lieutenant-admiral general was created for him in February 1673.[7] De Ruyter returned to Europe after the failed assault on Fort Royal, Martinique, in July 1674, deciding against further attacks due to the loss of surprise and spreading disease.[8]
What the cited sources add
The name "De Ruyter" was probably a nickname from the Dutch verb meaning "to raid"[2] According to Bruijn, an anonymous English biographer wrote that de Ruyter worked as a factor for the Lampsins brothers' merchant house in Dublin from 1623 to 1631.[4]
References
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Prud'homme van Reine 1996, p. 19 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fox 2018, p. 133 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bruijn 2011, p. 11; Fox 2018, p. 133 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bruijn 2011, p. 11 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fox 2018, p. 133; Prud'homme van Reine 1996, p. 19 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fox 2018, p. 133; Fox 2018, p. 133 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bruijn 1989, p. 123 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Michiel de Ruyter" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Jenkins 1973, p. 49 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Michiel de Ruyter (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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