Michiel de Ruyter

Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (° March 24th 1607, † April 29th 1676) is the most famous admiral of the history Dutchwoman.

Ruyter fought during the three first Anglo-Dutch Guerres and gained several victories. Moreover, it was active in various conflicts on the the Baltic and against the pirates of the sea the Mediterranean, alternatively with the service of its country or private ship-owners.

Ruyter was born with Flessingue. He became sailor at the 11 years age in 1618. At the 22 years age, he was already captain of a trading vessel. In 1641, it fought the Spanish troops. Until 1651, where it decides to finish its career as captain-merchant, of pirate and hunter of whales, it went on many journeys to the Spitzberg, in the Baltic, with the Morocco and the the Antilles. In 1650, he is an easy man. At the 44 years age, after the death of its second wife who had given him a son, it concluded a third marriage. His new wife insists that it chooses the life with ground. But in 1652, during the beginning of the First war anglo-Dutchwoman (1652-1654), the General states of the United Provinces call upon Ruyter. It decides to be committed convoying the trading vessels which were to pass by the English Channel.

During the war, Ruyter proved its value under the orders of the admiral Maarten Tromp, gaining the battles of Plymouth. After the death of Tromp, with the Battle of Scheveningen, he refused the command of the fleet Dutchwoman. In 1659, it fought the Sweden, allied with the Denmark. One year before the Second War Anglo-Dutch does not start, it fights the English fleet with broad of the Guinea. At that time, a third of manpower of the fleet of the admiral Ruyter consisted of obliged French sailors of expatrier because the French fleet was almost non-existent.

During the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-1667), accepting the supreme command then, it carries out several battles: the four days battle in 1666 and the incursion on Medway in 1667 which carried out the Netherlanders close to London.

At the time of the Third War Anglo-Dutch, its victories against the fleet Anglo-French, however higher of number, the battles of Solebay (1672) and of Texel (1673) made it possible to avoid the invasion of the United Provinces by the English.

Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter finds death on August 22nd, 1676 against the French fleet with the Bataille of Agosta, close to Messine in Sicily.

According to Gerald Brandt, the first biographer of Ruyter, the stadthouder Guillaume III regarded it as its enemy. That can explain why the old admiral was in charge of a mission almost impossible. When the building admiral De Eendracht with the body of Ruyter passed in front of the French coast Louis XIV gave orders to pay homage to the fallen admiral. Ruyter was buried in the Nieuwe Kerk (“new church”) with Amsterdam. The General states made build a white marble monument in the place of the furnace bridge.

In the history of the marine of the Netherlands several vessels were called Admiraal de Ruyter . The year 2007 is the Michiel de Ruyterjaar ( Année Michiel de Ruyter ) with the Netherlands to celebrate the fourth centenary of its birth.

External bonds

Fund. 400 years Michiel de Ruyter
Portal Michiel de Ruyter
Civil servant Michiel de Ruyter site

Simple: Michiel de Ruyter

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