78 Michiel de Ruyter as seen on TV

On my first night in Vlissingen my local friend Martina and I settled in front of the TV to watch ‘The Admiral’ on Netflix. The film tells the story of Michiel as head of the fleet during the wars with England. It is set in the period after he was a trader, had his own ship the ‘Salamander’ and travelled with it to Morocco and the Caribbean. It starts in the year he was asked by the council of the Dutch Republic to join the admiralty. Apart from his prowess in battle and his genius as a naval tactician we are shown the political reality of the times. The Republic was rich and doing well in international trade. The other sea powers were jealous and attacked the young country: in particular England and later France. Inside the Republic a civil war threatened. The Seven Provinces were ruled by the party of traders and ad hoc politicians called the ‘Staatsgezinden’ or State Supporters. Their leader was Johan de Witt who was supported by his brother Cornelis. They were opposed by the faction around the Prince of Orange. The princely pretender was Prince Willem III the later King William of England or King Billy. Willem III was gay and Lord Bentinck was his lover as seen on the film. Michiel de Ruyter came from a region that was staunchly Orange, but was also a great friend and admirer of the bros De Witt. Apart from some misplaced, modern American style and lengthy speeches about ‘freedom’ the movie explains a very complicated and for an Anglo-Saxon public totally incomprehensible moment in history succinctly effective. Well done! The sketch is of the Great or Saint Jacob’s Church the most important landmark in the coastal town and very important in the life of De Ruyter.