First Generation  

1. Admiral Michiel de RUYTER [121355] was born on 24 Mar 1607 in Vissingen Dutch Republic and died on 29 Apr 1676 in Syracuse Sicily at age 69.

General Notes: In a Document received from Phillip Jacob in May 2021, he stated that,
Michiel de Ruyter was the renowned Dutch Admiral, who commanded the Dutch Fleet in the Reign of Charles II. He had repeated Battles with the English and in June 1667, he took the Dutch Fleet up the Thames , destroying Fortifications , burning Ships etc. He was born 24th March 1607 and died 1676.

The ThoughtCo WebSite says of Admiral de Ruyter, regarding his early Life,
Ruyter was the son of Vlissingen beer porter Adriaen Michielszoon and his wife Aagje Jansdochter. Growing up in a port town, de Ruyter appears to have first gone to sea at age 11. Four years later, he entered the Dutch army and fought against the Spaniards during the relief of Bergen-op-Zoom. Returning to business, he worked in the Dublin office of the Vlissingen-based Lampsins Brothers from 1623 to 1631. He married Maayke Velders when he returned home, but the union proved brief as she died in childbirth in late 1631.

In the wake of his wife's death, de Ruyter became first mate of a whaling fleet that operated around Jan Mayen Island. After three seasons on the whale fishery, he married Neeltje Engels, the daughter of a wealthy burgher. Their union produced three children who survived to adulthood. Recognized as a gifted sailor, de Ruyter was given command of a ship in 1637 and was charged with hunting raiders operating from Dunkirk. Successfully fulfilling this duty, he was commissioned by the Zeeland Admiralty and given command of the warship Haze, with orders to aid in supporting the Portuguese in their rebellion against Spain.

Michiel married Mayyke VELDERS [121356] on 31 Dec 1631. Mayyke died on 31 Dec 1631.

The child from this marriage was:

   2 F    i. Unknown de RUYTER [121357] died in Jan 1632. (Infant Death)

Michiel next married Neeltje ENGELS [121358] in 1636. Neeltje died in 1650.

The child from this marriage was:

+ 3 F    i. de RUYTER [121354] .

de RUYTER married Leibert Van HATTEM [121353].