In the 17th century it was quite common for other countries to buy or hire ships in the Netherlands for naval service. Venice, which was regular in war with the Ottoman Empire hired on several, occasions Dutch and British warships. In march 1645 wrote the Dutch ambassador, J. van Sonnevelt, at Venice that the Serenissima hired five Dutch ships already lying in Italian harbours, for a monthly rental price of 4600 guilders or 2300 ducats included a crew of 50 men. And there was a possibility to hire also four British ships. The Dutch States General wasn’t really pleased with those developments afraid of damaging the relations with the same Ottoman Empire. The Turkish sultan protested a year later against Dutch ships serving in Venetian service.
In winter 1646 the Dutch States General decided that the owners of the twelve ships, which departed for the Mediterranean, for Venetian service, had to pay the directors of the Levantse Handel the so-called lastgelden. The mentioned ships were: Gallion Cornaro, master Symon Pieterss Blaeuw, ‘t Wapen van Genua, master Adriaen Dirckss Houttuijn, Den Vergulden Arent, master Cornelis Pieters Kercke, t Gerechte Salomons, master Meijndert Vechterss, the Gallion Contarini, master Meijndert Pieterss, the Jupiter, master Claes Carstens, De Haen, master Dirck Janss, Abrahams Offerhande/Offrande, master Claes Reijers, De Swaen, master Meijndert Schellinger, De Grote Liefde, master Andries Sybrantss, De Fortuyn, master Meijndert Janss van Keern and the Den Engel, master Claes Dirckss Crab.
Although I didn’t manage to find the contracts yet, all of most of the ships were presumably originally of the Zuiderzeeports in the Noorderkwartier. In 1649 there were still Dutch ships in Venetian service like the Sacrificio d’Abraham (Abrahams Offerhande) and Jupiter. 12 May 1649 the Jupiter and the Mercante Diletto (presumably the British Merchant Delight) even captured a Turkish warship near Smyrna in a seabattle with the Turkish fleet. During the first Anglo Dutch war the Dutch navy hired some of the vessels. In 1654-1655 and in alter years Venice hired again Dutch ships, for instance the Arma di Nassau serving in 1655. One of the merchant masters, Adriaen Dirckss Houttuijn, later served in Dutch naval service, killed in a battle with the British navy in June 1666.
Sources
-Archive Levantse Handel 1614-1828 inv. 272 (National Archive at The Hague)
-Archive States General inv.’s. 3205, 5539 and 6905 (National Archive at The Hague)
-Peter Swart, ‘Adriaan Dirksz Houttuijn’ in : De Ruyter. Themanummer Levend Verleden. Helderse Historische Vereniging, 2007.
-R.C. Anderson. Naval Wars in the Levant.
-Calendar State Papers Relating to English Affairs in the Archives of Venice. For instance the British James, captain William Rand was hired 28 February 1646 as a transport to carry biscuit, troops or another load to Candea.
In winter 1646 the Dutch States General decided that the owners of the twelve ships, which departed for the Mediterranean, for Venetian service, had to pay the directors of the Levantse Handel the so-called lastgelden. The mentioned ships were: Gallion Cornaro, master Symon Pieterss Blaeuw, ‘t Wapen van Genua, master Adriaen Dirckss Houttuijn, Den Vergulden Arent, master Cornelis Pieters Kercke, t Gerechte Salomons, master Meijndert Vechterss, the Gallion Contarini, master Meijndert Pieterss, the Jupiter, master Claes Carstens, De Haen, master Dirck Janss, Abrahams Offerhande/Offrande, master Claes Reijers, De Swaen, master Meijndert Schellinger, De Grote Liefde, master Andries Sybrantss, De Fortuyn, master Meijndert Janss van Keern and the Den Engel, master Claes Dirckss Crab.
Although I didn’t manage to find the contracts yet, all of most of the ships were presumably originally of the Zuiderzeeports in the Noorderkwartier. In 1649 there were still Dutch ships in Venetian service like the Sacrificio d’Abraham (Abrahams Offerhande) and Jupiter. 12 May 1649 the Jupiter and the Mercante Diletto (presumably the British Merchant Delight) even captured a Turkish warship near Smyrna in a seabattle with the Turkish fleet. During the first Anglo Dutch war the Dutch navy hired some of the vessels. In 1654-1655 and in alter years Venice hired again Dutch ships, for instance the Arma di Nassau serving in 1655. One of the merchant masters, Adriaen Dirckss Houttuijn, later served in Dutch naval service, killed in a battle with the British navy in June 1666.
Sources
-Archive Levantse Handel 1614-1828 inv. 272 (National Archive at The Hague)
-Archive States General inv.’s. 3205, 5539 and 6905 (National Archive at The Hague)
-Peter Swart, ‘Adriaan Dirksz Houttuijn’ in : De Ruyter. Themanummer Levend Verleden. Helderse Historische Vereniging, 2007.
-R.C. Anderson. Naval Wars in the Levant.
-Calendar State Papers Relating to English Affairs in the Archives of Venice. For instance the British James, captain William Rand was hired 28 February 1646 as a transport to carry biscuit, troops or another load to Candea.
