Witte Cornelis de With

Witte Cornelis de With was born in Den Briel in 1599. His father was an influential official in Dordrecht. Little is known about his youth, but at 16 he joined the Dutch East India Company as a ship’s boy. 

He sailed the world and quickly rose through the navy’s ranks. Together with Admiral Piet Heyn, he fought in the Battle of Matanzas Bay against the Spanish. After the battle, the Spanish ships were either captured or sunk. In 1648, he sailed to Brazil to defend the Dutch colony from Portuguese attacks. 

On his return in 1650, his fleet was poorly supplied and he was found guilty of dereliction of duty. The sentence could have been death, but he received a fine instead, thanks to his military record.

His final voyage came in 1658 when he supported Denmark in the war against Sweden. His ship was boarded and he died in battle. Eyewitnesses say he fought to the very end. After his death, he became a symbol of Dutch pride, though not without modern controversy.