Joost Banckert (1599 - 1647)
Banckert was a man who regularly sailed for the Admiralty of Zeeland. He started out as a regular sailor, but managed to work himself up to the post of Vice-Admiral. He was active against the privateers from Duinkerken. Later he became Vice-Admiral in the service of the Dutch West Indies Company (WIC). Several times he transported colonists to
the colonies of the Dutch Republic in the Caribbean area. He also went privateering there in the service of the WIC. Banckert sailed several times with Piet Heyn. In 1628 he was part of the fleet that was commanded of Admiral Jacob Willekens and Vice-Admiral Piet
Heyn.
This fleet attacked the Portuguese City Bahia in South America. In 1628 Banckert was also part of the fleet that captured the Spanish Silver Fleet. At this point he acquired the nicknames "Scourge of the Maranen" and "Terror of the Portuguese". He was present
when the colony Pernambuco (= Recife) was taken from the Portuguese in 1630. In 1639 he served under Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp at the battle near Duins (= Downs) against the privateers from Duinkerken. In 1646 he sailed with supplies to the colony Pernambuco that was under pressure from the Portuguese in the area. He became ill and on his return voyage in 1647 he died at sea before on his return to the Dutch Republic.
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For this text I drew heavily on:
- Roos, Doeke
- Zeeuwen en de Westindische compagnie (1621 - 1674) / door Doeke Roos, 1992
