Saturday, June 18, 2005

Dutch Captain: Ellert Thomaszoon

In the second expedition to Spain in 1626, Ellert Thomaszoon commanded the ship Wapen van Amsterdam. His lieutenant was Arent Janszoon van Delften. Ellert Thomaszoon served the Admiralty of Amsterdam.

In 1616, he commanded the ship Valck, a vessel of 200 lasts. In April 1626, he commanded the Amsterdam, which is probably the ship called Wapen van Amsterdam on the second expedition to Spain, as it was a vessel of 180 lasts. We know a good deal about the Amsterdam, as Ellert Thomaszoon commanded the Amsterdam in 1628 and 1629. Since the ship appeared in the Staet van Oorlog te Water for those years, we know that the ship carried 26 guns, comprised of 4-18pdr, 6-12pdr, 4-8pdr, 12-5pdr, and 8-steenstukken. He crew was always listed as 90 sailors.

In 1626, Ellert Thomaszoon was already 60 years old. In 1610, he was owner of a privateer. In 1614, he cruised in the Channel under the command of Moy Lambert against the corsairs. In November of that year, he had the lions share in the conquest of a ship. He also took part in Moy Lambert's expeditions to the Mediterranean Sea (1616-1617 and 1618-1619) against the Barbary Pirates. He also took part in Haultain's expedition of 1620-16212. In 1625, he was a convoyer and was part of the cruising squadron in the North Sea under Commandeur Willem Melcknap and served in the blockade on the Flemish coast. He captured a Dunkirk privateer and refused to put the crew overboard. As a result, he did not receive a reward from the States General. Beginning in 1626, he defeated the Dunkirk privateer ship, the "Gewelt van Duynkercken", but Johan Evertsen boarded the ship, as well. So who actually captured the ship and should receive the booty? They reached an agreement and Ellert Thoamszoon received a gold chain of 400 guilders from the Admiralty of Amsterdam. In June 1626, Ellert Thomaszoon captured a Dunkirk boat (hekboot). After the second expedition to Spain, he worked again as a convoyer. In spite of his age, he still served in the country's fleet in 1633.

This is based on the account in what Mr. Carl Stapel sent me in the document entitled "Tweede Nederlandse Engelse vloot in 12 november 1652 tot 10 juli 1627 naar Spanje". The last paragraph is from my translation of the biography in that document. I have also drawn upon information from the two Staets van Oorlog te Water for the years 1628 and 1629.

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