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Piet Hein

Type Figure Region Dutch Republic Time 1577–1629 Also known as Piet Hein、Pieter Pieterszoon Hein

Dutch Republic admiral and privateer commander of the West India Company fleet;…

Timeline

  1. 1577–1607Delft · NetherlandsBorn in Delft, he went to sea as a youth, gaining sailing experience on the Spanish and American routes. Around 1607 he was detained by the Spanish, later released and returned to Holland, turning to maritime activities against Spain.
  2. 1607–1621Rotterdam · NetherlandsAfter 1607 he served as a privateering captain attacking Spanish shipping in the Caribbean and off Brazil; after the West India Company was founded in 1621 he was appointed fleet commander, taking part in raids and blockade operations against Spanish colonies.
  3. 1621–1628Matanzas Bay · CubaFrom 1621 to 1628 he led West India Company fleets on expeditions to the Caribbean. On 8 September 1628 he ambushed and captured the Spanish silver fleet in Matanzas Bay, Cuba, seizing enormous quantities of silver and cargo that greatly enriched the Republic's treasury and shook the court in Madrid.
  4. 1629Goeree · South HollandIn June 1629 he was ordered to intercept Spanish privateers from Dunkirk; engaging them near Goeree he was struck by a musket ball and killed, aged only fifty-one. The whole Netherlands mourned, and his Matanzas victory became a maritime legend of the Republic.

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