Hendrick Lonck
Encyclopedia
Adm. Hendrick Corneliszoon Lonck (or Loncque and Loncq) (born 1568, Roosendaal - 10 October 1634, Amsterdam
), a Dutch naval hero, was the first Dutch
sea captain to reach the New World.
, of Brabant
origin. His parents were Cornelis Pieterszoon Lonck and Dichna Heinrich. He was a full cousin of the Zeeland
Vice Admiral Cornelis Symons Son Loncque. In 1604, he married Grietgen Lenaerts in Antwerp.
In 1623 and 1624, Lonck participated in the expedition of Admiral Willem de Zoete against the Barbary Coast
pirates. Having made admiral by 1628, Lonck, in the service of the Dutch West Indies Company, joined Admiral Piet Hein
in the Battle in the Bay of Matanzas
, a naval battle during the Eighty Years' War in which a Dutch squadron was able to defeat and capture a Spanish treasure fleet
.
Lonck replaced Hein in 1629 as captain-general. In 1630, he commanded a Dutch colonizing expedition of 52 ships, 15 sloops, and 3,780 sailors that captured the historic city of Olinda
, Brazil on 14 February, followed by the capture of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco
after a feeble resistance by Matias de Albuquerque
, its Portuguese Governor. It was to be his last voyage, returning to the Netherlands on 20 July 1630.
He died in Amsterdam
and was buried on 10 October 1634 in the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
), a Dutch naval hero, was the first Dutch
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...
sea captain to reach the New World.
Early years
He was born in Roosendaal in the southern NetherlandsNetherlands
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...
, of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
origin. His parents were Cornelis Pieterszoon Lonck and Dichna Heinrich. He was a full cousin of the Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
Vice Admiral Cornelis Symons Son Loncque. In 1604, he married Grietgen Lenaerts in Antwerp.
Career
In 1606, Lonck captained the Witte Leeuw (White Lion), a 320-ton merchant ship armed for war, and approached the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Near Tadoussac, he boarded two of Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons' ships, pillaging them for cannons, furs, mounts, and munitions.In 1623 and 1624, Lonck participated in the expedition of Admiral Willem de Zoete against the Barbary Coast
Barbary Coast
The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans from the 16th until the 19th century to refer to much of the collective land of the Berber people. Today, the terms Maghreb and "Tamazgha" correspond roughly to "Barbary"...
pirates. Having made admiral by 1628, Lonck, in the service of the Dutch West Indies Company, joined Admiral Piet Hein
Piet Pieterszoon Hein
Pieter Pietersen Heyn was a Dutch naval officer and folk hero during the Eighty Years' War between the United Provinces and Spain.-Early life:...
in the Battle in the Bay of Matanzas
Battle in the Bay of Matanzas
The Battle in the Bay of Matanzas was a naval battle during the Eighty Years' War in which a Dutch squadron was able to defeat and capture a Spanish treasure fleet....
, a naval battle during the Eighty Years' War in which a Dutch squadron was able to defeat and capture a Spanish treasure fleet
Spanish treasure fleet
The Spanish treasure fleets was a convoy system adopted by the Spanish Empire from 1566 to 1790...
.
Lonck replaced Hein in 1629 as captain-general. In 1630, he commanded a Dutch colonizing expedition of 52 ships, 15 sloops, and 3,780 sailors that captured the historic city of Olinda
Olinda
Olinda is a historic city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, just north of Recife and south of Paulista...
, Brazil on 14 February, followed by the capture of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
after a feeble resistance by Matias de Albuquerque
Matias de Albuquerque
Matias de Albuquerque , the first and only Count of Alegrete, was a Portuguese colonial administrator and soldier...
, its Portuguese Governor. It was to be his last voyage, returning to the Netherlands on 20 July 1630.
He died in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and was buried on 10 October 1634 in the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam.