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Eendracht (1655 ship)
Encyclopedia
The Eendracht or Eendragt ("Concord" - more precisely translated as "Unity") was the usual flagship
of the confederate navy of the United Provinces
(a precursor state of the Netherlands
) between 1655 and 1665. Eendragt was the more common spelling in the 17th century; Eendracht is the modern Dutch standard spelling.
Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp
had for many years insisted on the construction of a new flagship to replace the Brederode
, which was too lightly armed with only 56 guns. For reasons of cost and impracticality (Dutch home waters being very shallow) this was refused until the events of the First Anglo-Dutch War
made it painfully clear that much heavier ships were needed. The Admiralty of de Maze
based in Rotterdam
(one of the five autonomous Dutch admiralties) therefore in 1652 laid the keel of a larger ship. In February 1653 it was decided that the cost was to be shared confederately by the seven provinces of the Netherlands. The project was on instigation of Cornelis de Witt
moved to the wharf of Goossen Schacks van der Arent in Dordrecht
under the supervision of shipwright Jan Salomonszoon van den Tempel who also had designed Brederode and the earlier flagship Aemilia
.
Due to conflicts about cost, size and materials, Eendracht was only finished in January 1655 when the First Anglo-Dutch War had already ended and Tromp was dead. At first it was intended to name the then-58-gun ship Prins Willem after the infant son of the late stadtholder
William II of Orange, but Johan de Witt
, Grand Pensionary
with the States of Holland
, decided to rename the project after the main ideal of his domestic policy: the concord between all provinces and citizens, also expressed in the official motto
of the Republic: Concordia res parvae crescunt, "Small things grow through concord". When he happened to be absent for a month the orangist faction changed the name back, but the States hurriedly reverted this when De Witt after his return merely expressed his amazement. Eendracht became the flagship of Tromp's successor Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam
. She fought successfully in the Northern Wars
, defeating the Swedish fleet in the Battle of the Sound
on 8 November 1658.
In the Battle of Lowestoft
on 13 June 1665, the first battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
, Eendracht, then armed with 73 guns, duelled the much heavier 80-gun English flagship Royal Charles
. The Dutch chain shot killed a number of courtiers standing next to Lord High Admiral
James Stuart
on the English ship, but in the early afternoon Eendracht was hit in the powder room
and exploded, killing Van Obdam. There were only five survivors out of the crew of 409.
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the confederate navy of the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
(a precursor state of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) between 1655 and 1665. Eendragt was the more common spelling in the 17th century; Eendracht is the modern Dutch standard spelling.
Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp
Maarten Tromp
Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp was an officer and later admiral in the Dutch navy. His first name is also spelled as Maerten.-Early life:...
had for many years insisted on the construction of a new flagship to replace the Brederode
Dutch ship Brederode
Brederode was a ship of the line of the navy of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and the flagship of the Dutch fleet in the First Anglo-Dutch War. Throughout her career, she carried from 53-59 guns...
, which was too lightly armed with only 56 guns. For reasons of cost and impracticality (Dutch home waters being very shallow) this was refused until the events of the First Anglo-Dutch War
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo–Dutch War was the first of the four Anglo–Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but...
made it painfully clear that much heavier ships were needed. The Admiralty of de Maze
Admiralty of Rotterdam
The Admiralty of Rotterdam, also called the Admiralty of de Maze, was one of the five Admiralties in the Dutch Republic.-History:It was set up in 1574 during the Dutch Revolt, when William I of Orange's supporters decided to pool their naval resources at Rotterdam...
based in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
(one of the five autonomous Dutch admiralties) therefore in 1652 laid the keel of a larger ship. In February 1653 it was decided that the cost was to be shared confederately by the seven provinces of the Netherlands. The project was on instigation of Cornelis de Witt
Cornelis de Witt
Cornelis de Witt was a Dutch politician.-Biography:Cornelis de Witt was a member of the old Dutch patrician family De Witt. He was born on 15 June 1623 in Dordrecht, Holland, Dutch Republic...
moved to the wharf of Goossen Schacks van der Arent in Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
under the supervision of shipwright Jan Salomonszoon van den Tempel who also had designed Brederode and the earlier flagship Aemilia
Dutch ship Aemilia (1632)
The Aemilia was the flagship of Admiral Maarten Tromp during part of the Eighty Years' War. It was a Dutch 57-gun ship of the line. Built by Jan Salomonszoon van den Tempel for the Admiralty of Rotterdam in 1632, the ship was the largest Dutch warship built up to that time.At the Battle of the...
.
Due to conflicts about cost, size and materials, Eendracht was only finished in January 1655 when the First Anglo-Dutch War had already ended and Tromp was dead. At first it was intended to name the then-58-gun ship Prins Willem after the infant son of the late stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
William II of Orange, but Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt, heer van Zuid- en Noord-Linschoten, Snelrewaard, Hekendorp and IJsselveere was a key figure in Dutch politics in the mid 17th century, when its flourishing sea trade in a period of globalization made the United Provinces a leading European power during the Dutch Golden Age...
, Grand Pensionary
Grand Pensionary
The Grand Pensionary was the most important Dutch official during the time of the United Provinces. In theory he was only a civil servant of the Estates of the dominant province among the Seven United Provinces: the county of Holland...
with the States of Holland
States of Holland
The States of Holland and West Frisia were the representation of the two Estates to the court of the Count of Holland...
, decided to rename the project after the main ideal of his domestic policy: the concord between all provinces and citizens, also expressed in the official motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of the Republic: Concordia res parvae crescunt, "Small things grow through concord". When he happened to be absent for a month the orangist faction changed the name back, but the States hurriedly reverted this when De Witt after his return merely expressed his amazement. Eendracht became the flagship of Tromp's successor Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam
Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam
Jacob, Banner Lord of Wassenaer, Lord Obdam, Hensbroek, Spanbroek, Opmeer, Zuidwijk and Kernhem was a Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral, and supreme commander of the confederate Dutch navy. The name Obdam was then also spelled as Opdam...
. She fought successfully in the Northern Wars
Northern Wars
Northern Wars is a term used for a series of wars fought in northern and northeastern Europe in the 16th and 17th century. An internationally agreed nomenclature for these wars has not yet been devised...
, defeating the Swedish fleet in the Battle of the Sound
Battle of the Sound
The naval Battle of the Sound took place on 8 November 1658 during the Second Northern War, near the Sound or Oresund, just north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Sweden had defeated Denmark and an army under Charles X of Sweden had Copenhagen itself under siege...
on 8 November 1658.
In the Battle of Lowestoft
Battle of Lowestoft
The naval Battle of Lowestoft took place on 13 June 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.A fleet of more than a hundred ships of the United Provinces commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam attacked an English fleet of equal size commanded by James Stuart, Duke of York forty...
on 13 June 1665, the first battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo–Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo–Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes....
, Eendracht, then armed with 73 guns, duelled the much heavier 80-gun English flagship Royal Charles
HMS Royal Charles (1655)
Royal Charles was an 80-gun first-rate three-decker ship of the line of the English Navy. She was originally called the Naseby, built by Peter Pett, and launched at Woolwich dockyard in 1655, for the navy of the Commonwealth of England, and named in honour of Oliver Cromwell's decisive 1645...
. The Dutch chain shot killed a number of courtiers standing next to Lord High Admiral
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
James Stuart
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
on the English ship, but in the early afternoon Eendracht was hit in the powder room
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
and exploded, killing Van Obdam. There were only five survivors out of the crew of 409.