Michiel de Ruyter

Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (24 March 1607 - 29 April 1676) is the most famous admiral in Dutch history. De Ruyter fought the English in the first three Anglo-Dutch Wars and scored several major victories.

First Anglo-Dutch War

During the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652–1654), De Ruyter was asked to join the expanding fleet as a subcommander; after initially refusing and stating he wasn't qualified enough for such a job, De Ruyter proved his worth under Admiral Maarten Tromp, winning the Battle of Plymouth. When the war ended after Tromp had been killed at the Battle of Scheveningen, De Ruyter declined an emphatic offer from Johan de Witt, who would later become a personal friend, for supreme command declaring himself 'unfit' for such a responsible job and also fearing bypassing the seniority principle would result in much jealousy from Witte de With and Johan Evertsen. Later Colonel Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam became the new Dutch supreme commander of the confederate fleet. De Ruyter - after wisely refusing to become Obdam's 'assistant '- remained in the service of the Dutch navy however and later accepted an offer from the admiralty of Amsterdam to become their Vice-Admiral on the 2nd of March 1654. He relocated with his family to the same city in 1655.

Related Topics:
First Anglo-Dutch War - 1652 - 1654 - Maarten Tromp - Battle of Plymouth - Battle of Scheveningen - Johan de Witt - Witte de With - Johan Evertsen - Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam - Amsterdam - 1655

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