Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam

Jacob, Banner Lord of Wassenaer, Lord Obdam, Hensbroek, Spanbroek, Opmeer, Zuidwijk and Kernhem (1610 ? 13 June 1665) was a Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral, and supreme commander of the confederate Dutch navy. The name Obdam was then also spelled as Opdam and the British contemporaneous sources most often refer to him as Admiral Opdam, as he bought only in 1657 the Estate Wassenaar from family and therefore was first known to them as Lord Obdam. Modern Dutch sources sometimes less correctly insert a second "van" between "Wassenaer" and "Obdam" or use the modern spelling "Wassenaar".

Northern Wars

In 1655 Charles X of Sweden started a series of aggressive campaigns (part of the Northern Wars) intending to make Sweden the dominant power in the Baltic. The Dutch saw this as threat to their vital interests. Although they are today better known for their exploitation of the East Indies, in fact their Baltic trade was more profitable in absolute terms. Also the Republic was critically dependent on Scandinavian wood to build ships and Polish grain to feed its large urban population.

Related Topics:
1655 - Charles X of Sweden - Northern Wars - Sweden - Baltic - East Indies

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When Charles conquered Poland, the Dutch supported the subsequent rebellion and sent Van Wassenaer with a fleet to relieve Danzig in 1656. In 1657 Van Wassenaer blockaded Lisbon and captured fifteen ships of a Portuguese sugar fleet, but in 1658 had to return to the Baltic as the situation there had grown even more critical. After the failure of his Polish campaign Charles had turned his attention on Denmark and had invaded Jutland from Germany. He then made peace with Frederick III of Denmark but treacherously broke it a few weeks later in an attempt to take Copenhagen by assault. This failed and he laid siege to the Danish capital, the last part of his kingdom still under Frederick's control.

Related Topics:
Poland - Danzig - 1656 - 1657 - 1658 - Denmark - Jutland - Frederick III of Denmark - Copenhagen

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After much deliberation the States-General decided to send the entire active Dutch fleet and a mercenary army to relieve the Danes. On 8 november 1658 the Dutch defeated the heavier Swedish ships in the Battle of the Sound. Despite this success Van Wassenaer was much criticised. While Witte de With was killed while attacking with the Dutch van, Van Wassenaer commanding the centre in the Dutch flagship Eendragt had remained utterly passive merely beating off Swedish attacks ? apparently true to his doctrine. Indeed he had had an attack of gout and basically had left command to his flag captain Egbert Bartholomeuszoon Kortenaer, who would become the real hero of the battle. Van Wassenaer's political enemies immediately suggested that the Admiral wasn't suffering from gout but from a lack of nerve and that he had simply panicked. When the Dutch sent a new squadron and army to liberate the Danish Isles in 1659 it was commanded by Vice-Admiral De Ruyter.

Related Topics:
8 november - 1658 - Battle of the Sound - Eendragt - Gout - Egbert Bartholomeuszoon Kortenaer - Danish Isles - 1659

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