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Privateers and Pirates


AA1 Mathijs Quars
Dutch privateer in the service of the Dutch West Indies Company. In August 1656 he managed to capture a rich Portuguese ship, called the Brazil Frigate. The prize was very large and included 200 slaves, rich people from Portugal and 22000 pounds of elephant-teeth. Quars sailed with the Brazil Frigate to the Dutch colony Essequebo where the slaves were transported off the ship.

A7: Philip Ras
Dutch privateer who managed to capture several English vessels with his ship Heat during the "First English War" (1652-1654, between the Dutch Republic and Great-Britain). During the first period he was captain of the ship Heat, but during 1654 and 1655 he was captain of the privateer Tholen.

A7a: Jan Erasmus Reining
Dutch Freebooter and privateer in the latter half of the Seventeenth century. He was part of the fleet, under the command of Jacob Binckes, that defended the island of Tobago in February 1677 from an attack by the French privateer Jean d'Estree. The battle remained undecided, but d'Estree tried again with a fleet in December of the same year. This time he was succesful and managed to capture it. Again Reining was part of the Dutch fleet that defended the island. The commander of the fleet, Jacob Binckes was killed in this battle. Reining managed to escape and sailed to Curaçao.

A0: Salomon Reynders
18th century Dutch privateer who was born in Bergen (Norway). He died in 1724 at the Cape of Good Hope.

A0b: Rippert Rippertsen
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. In August 1600 he sailed as part of a fleet of 12 vessels that attacked the Dutch fishing-fleet near the coast of Scotland. After having captured several fishing-boats and sinking several others they sailed on. On August 19 the fleet again attacked several fishing-boats. Three of these were sunk. By mid-September several ships had left the privateer fleet and the total number of ships was seven. Whether captain Rippertsen was still part of this fleet is unknown.

A8a: James Riskinner
Or Reiskimmer. English privateer who began as a lieutenant on board the ship Warwick when she was part of a fleet sailing under the command of Nathaniel Butler from May to September 1639. During the voyage the commander of the Warwick, Nicholas Roope died soon after the fleet left Providence Island following which James Riskinner was made Captain. The privateering expedition was not very succesfull, because Riskinner was unfamiliar with the Caribbean and because they had not much luck in finding Spanish ships. After returning Nathaniel Butler to Island of Providence in September 1639 Riskinner continued privateering. In 1640 Riskinner returned back to England with the ship Warwick. The ship carried a rich prize which included silver, gold, diamonds, pearls and jewels. According to his report he had managed to capture 4 Spanish ships during his voyage.

BA: Isaac Rochussen

BAa: Rock Brasiliano

Aga: Jasper Rombouts
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. In August 1600 he sailed as part of a fleet of 12 vessels that attacked the Dutch fishing-fleet near the coast of Scotland. After having captured several fishing-boats and sinking several others they sailed on. On August 19 the fleet again attacked several fishing-boats. Three of these were sunk. By mid-September several ships had left the privateer fleet and the total number of ships was seven. On 14 September the fleet was attacked by a Dutch fleet under the command of Captain Arie Corneliszoon Cruyck. Several privateers were chased away, but Jacob Collaart and his ship were captured in sight of the port Duinkerken. The ship of Jasper Rombouts was run aground on a beach near Duinkerken.

Agb: Mahieu Romboutsen (.... - 1629)
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. Was killed in a fight with Dutch vessels when he tried to sail from Duinkerken passed the blockade of Dutch ships in full daylight.

Agb: Mathieu Romboutsen
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. He was part of a squadron of three privateers sailing in 1636. Romboutsen was the Vice-Admiral of the privateers. The Admiral, Jacob Collaart, was also part of the squadron that was attacked on 29 February 1636 by the Dutch squadron under the command of Jan Evertsen. The ships Collaart and Romboutsen were both captured after a 5 hour battle. The third ship escaped and sailed into an English harbour.

BB: Adriaen de Rook
Frysian privateer in the last quarter of the eighteenth century. He received a Letter of Marque from Willem V on 14 November 1777 against the corsairs of the barbary coast.

A8a: William Rous
He started as a lieutenant in the military forces of Island of Providence and later became the commander of Fort Henry. He became a privateer in 1636 when he received a letter of marque of the of the Providence Island Company. He left Providence Island as captain of the ship Blessing and was accompanied by a pinnace. In that same year he was captured and imprisoned by the Spaniards at Cartagena. Later he was transported to San Lucar in Spain. He was freed due to the intervention of the ambassador of England.
In 1642 he left England again as the commander in charge of ±900 men on board a fleet under the command of the privateer William Jackson. The fleet sailed from 1642 to 1645 in the West Indies. During the voyage the island Jamaica was attacked and conquered.

A0b: Passchier de Rudder
Privateer from the city of Nieuwpoort. In 1690 he managed to capture a pink of 160 tuns with a cargoe of coal.

AA1 William Rudyerd
Muster master General of the Island of Providence colony from 1630 - 1634. In 1634 he returned to England on account of the death of a servant, following a beating by Rudyerd. He was cleared of the charges against him, and he returned to the West Indies as a privateer in command of a fleet. He sailed with a commission of the Providence Island Company from 1637 - 1641.

BC: Nicolaes Ruychaver
Dutch privateer in the 16th century. Received a Letter of Marque on 10 June 1570 issued by Willem van Oranje during the first few years of the Eighty-year War with Spain. He received another Letter of Marque on 15 November 1570.

BD: Anthonis Rijcx
Privateer active in the years 1585 - 1601 from Duinkerken. He had a letter of Marque from the Spaniards and used a fly-boat.


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