Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter (1607–1676) was a Dutch naval commander, born at Vlissingen in Zeeland. He went to sea at eleven and became a merchant master at thirty, fought Spain in 1641, traded until the 1652 Anglo-Dutch War, and rose to vice admiral.
Made commander of the Dutch fleet in 1665, he won the Four Days' Battle in 1666 and in 1667 led the Raid on the Medway, burning English ships and towing off Royal Charles. In 1672–1673 he foiled an Anglo-French invasion at Solebay, Schooneveld and Texel. Mortally wounded at Augusta off Sicily, he died at Syracuse in 1676.