Dutchmen Jan Jansz Struijs in Venetian service 1656

The Dutch sailor Jan Jansz Struijs arrived in February 1656 at Livorno; from here he travelled towards Venice and became sails for a monthly ƒ 18 on the ship Den Vergulden Haan, master Dirk Janszoon de Haan. The ship was hired by Venice to serve against the Turkish. Just before leaving the harbour Pieter replaced his father as master. The Den Vergulden Haan left Venice 10 April 1656, companied by the St. Joris. The last ship was commanded by Curt Adelaar (Curt Siversen). Adelaar served in Dutch, later Venetian service and finally became admiral of the Danish navy. Ten days after departure they arrived at the island Sante. Between Milo and Argentero the ship hit a cliff and wrecked due to a severe storm. 19 Men reached the land. The Den Vergulden Haan had some woman on board. Three of the four captains’ wives drowned. The survivors were rescued by the St. Joris and brought to Candia. Form here Struijs and others departed 3 May with a tartane to join the fleet. 12 May the find they found the fleet off Troye. Struijs was added as sails to the Kleine Princes. The British ship Midleton arriving with oars and other stores for the Venetian fleet was attacked by 22 beautiful galleys of the Bey. The ship got fire and the crew jumped into sea but was taken prisoner and became slaves. The Midleton was lost. Struijs was later told by Turkish prisoners that at this ‘battle in the Dardanelles’ 500 Turkish died and a lot more were wounded. When Struijs went on land for fresh water he was taken prisoner by the Turkish. Finally he escaped en was taken on board of the Abrahams Offerande. 24 June Struijs was investigated by the general what happened when he was taken prisoner. Struijs told him that he heard that the Turkish intended to attack that day and expected to win. The Venetian fleet, joined by Dutch and Maltese ships, counted 28 warships, 24 galleys and 7 galleass and was commanded by General Lorenzo Marcello, while the Turkish counted 97 well armed vessels. 27 June the came screaming with the wind forwards but suddenly the wind turned and the Venetian fleet attacked. Many Turkish jumped into sea, included Christians from the galleys. The latter were saved by the Venetians. Marcello was killed in the attack and the nobleman Lazaro Mocenigo lost an eye when hip ship Sultane was beached and burnt. The Dutch ships David en Goliath and Wapen van Nassau exploded when their powder chamber was hit, taken with them 5 galleys. 27 Dutchmen were killed. The next day the battle continued and the powerful Turkish ship the Capitano was forced to surrender. The Venetian fleet lost 400 men but captured 29 galleys. Just 14 Turkish ships came back while thousands Turkish were killed. At Samos Struijs went on land for fresh water and was again taken prisoner. Finally his master paid the ransom. With a leaking ship they arrived at Venice. When he was paid off, Struijs immediately went again into Venetian service. He was present at the battle on 27 July when general Mocenigo and admiral Bembo were killed when their ship burnt and exploded. The ship, on which Struijs served, De Prinses, was in a very worse condition. She was exchanged by the captain for an other ship. When they reached Venice, Struijs left the Venetian service.

Sources
-D.J. Douwes. De horizon verlegd. Reisjournalen uit de tijd van de zeilvaart. De Boer Maritiem, 1979.
-Calendar of State Papers Relating to English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 30, 1655-1656.