Michiel de Ruyter

We are standing in front of the former home of Michiel de Ruyter, now located on Prins Hendrikkade, a place steeped in history, tied to one of the Netherlands’ greatest naval heroes.

Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter was born in 1607 in Vlissingen. He rose from humble sailor to lieutenant admiral general of the Dutch navy. He led dozens of sea battles during wars against England, France, and Spain. He was feared and respected across Europe. His most famous feat is perhaps the 1667 Raid on the Medway, where he sailed up the River Thames and delivered a devastating blow to the English fleet. In the Dutch Republic, he was a hero, a symbol of strength and patriotism at sea.

But in the Disaster Year of 1672, public sentiment turned.

The Republic was attacked from all sides by France, England, and two German states. Panic gripped the country. Domestically, tensions rose, and Johan and Cornelis de Witt, long the most powerful politicians, were brutally lynched in The Hague by an angry mob.

De Ruyter, a known ally of the De Witt brothers, became a target of suspicion among the Orangists, supporters of Prince William III. On September 6, 1672, a hostile crowd gathered in front of his home in Amsterdam. De Ruyter was away at sea. Inside were his wife Anna van Gelder, their daughter, and niece. The crowd shouted, threw stones, and called her a “traitor’s wife.”

It was neighbor Wessel Smit, a merchant and officer in the city militia, who intervened. He summoned the guards, and with help from the ‘Wild Irish’ company, the crowd was dispersed. The family was left unharmed.

De Ruyter only heard of the incident later. He returned not embittered, but steadfast in duty, loyal to the Republic until the end.