RUYTER, flIchAEE ADRIAANSZOON VAN, Dutch admiral, was b. at Vlissingen in 1607, of poor parents, who sent him to sea as a cabin-boy when only 11 years old. He became a warrant officer, and in 1635 roso to be a capt. in the Dutch navy. After serving several years in the Indian seas, he was, in 1645, made rear-admiral. He engaged and sunk a piratic Algerine squadron off Sallee in 1647. In 1652, when war broke out between the States and England, then under the protectorate, he was placed in command of a squadron, and ordered to convoy a large number of merchant-ships. He was met by the English fleet under sir G. Ayscough off Plymouth, and an engage ment took place. Neither of the fleets gained any decisive advantage; but Ruyter suc ceeded in saving his convoy. 111.1653, when a fight of 3 days took place between the English and Dutch fleets off Portland, Ruyter commanded a division under Van Tromp. The English, under Blake, finally obtained a great victory, taking and destroying 11 Dutch men-of-war and 30 merchantmen. The States-General, in 1659, sent him to assist Denmark against Sweden. He defeated the Swedish fleet,'and obtained a title of nobil ity and a pension from the king of Denmark. In 1664 he fell upon the English factories at Cape Verde, and attempted to seize the island of Barbadoes. As other depredations of the Dutch upon English merchants, as well in the East Indies as on the high seas.
were complained of, war was declared against the Dutch. In June, 1666, Ruyter and Van Tromp, with 90 sail, engaged the English fleet under prince Rupert and the duke of Albemarle. Both sides fought with such obstinacy that the battle lasted four days, and ended without any decisive result. In July the conflict was renewed, when the English gained a complete victory, destroying above 20 of Ruyter's men-of-war. In 1667 he destroyed the shipping at Sheerness, sailed up the Medway as far as Chatham, burned several English men-of-war, and effected more toward the conclusion of peace at Breda (1667) than any diplomatist. • In 1671 he commanded the Dutch fleet and fought several battles with the combined English and French fleets, but without decis ive results. In 1675 he was sent to the Mediterranean. Ile fought, off the coast of Sicily, a desperate battle with the French fleet, under the celebrated admiral Duquesne. Victory declared itself on the side of the French; but Ruytcr made good his retreat into the harbor of Syracuse. He had his legs shattered in the engagement, and died of his wounds, April, 1676. Europe did justice to his bravery; and Louis XIV. said he could not help regretting the loss of a great man. although an enemy. His death was deeply mourned by his countrymen, and a splendid monument was erected to his Amsterdam.