page_title: Michiel de Ruyter
section_title: Legacy
hierarchical_section_title: Michiel de Ruyter / Legacy
caption_attribution_description: Denkmal für Michiel de Ruyter in Vlissingen
context_page_description: Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter was a Dutch admiral. Widely celebrated and regarded as one of the most skilled admirals in history, De Ruyter is arguably most famous for his achievements with the Dutch Navy during the Anglo-Dutch Wars. He fought the English and French forces and scored several critical victories, with the Raid on the Medway being the most famous among them.
  Often dubbed a Dutch folk hero, De Ruyter is one of a few select officers in the history of the Dutch navy to hold the title of the lieutenant admiral. Reportedly beloved by his subordinates and seamen, De Ruyter was commonly nicknamed bestevaêr during his service, a nickname that is sometimes still used to refer to him in Dutch media.
context_section_description: De Ruyter was highly respected by his sailors and soldiers, who used the term of endearment bestevaêr ("grandfather") for him, both because of his disregard for hierarchy, as he was himself of humble origin, and his refusal to turn away from risky and bold undertakings, despite his usually cautious nature.
  He is honoured by a statue in his birthplace, Vlissingen, which stands looking over the sea. Multiple towns in the Netherlands have a street named after him. Respect also extended far beyond the borders of the republic. The town of Debrecen erected a statue of him for his role in persuading the Spanish viceroy of Naples to free 26 Protestant Hungarian ministers from slavery in the Spanish galleys during his service in Sicily.
  Six Royal Netherlands Navy ships have been named HNLMS De Ruyter; seven are named after his flagship, HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën. De Ruyter was involved in the founding of the Netherlands Marine Corps, established on 10 December 1665. The intended new base for the marine corps, which was to be built in De Ruyter's birthplace of Vlissingen, completed by 2020 and to be named "Michiel de Ruyter Kazerne" was cancelled over financial concerns and fears that many marines would leave the service rather than transfer to Zeeland.
  In 1954, the Netherlands issued two postage stamps to honor Admiral deRuyter.
  A biopic about his life, called Michiel de Ruyter, was released in 2015.
  DeRuyter is a village located in the Town of DeRuyter in Madison County, New York, United States. The village and town are named after Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, a famous admiral in the Dutch navy.
caption: De Ruyter statue in Vlissingen
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