RUYTER, MICHIELADIRAANSZ DE

(1607–1676)

Naval officer. De Ruyter served as vice admiral on several occasions, including an expedition against the North African Barbary pirates; during the Nordic War; in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, with a sea battle in 1666 and action against Chatham in 1667; and during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, participating in the battles of Solebay (1672) and Kijkduin (1673). He fell in a battle against the French near Sicily. De Ruyter, along with Piet Hein, was one of the most popular sea heroes in Dutch history. He is buried in the New Church in Amsterdam.