Admiral of Flanders (1383–1483) and Admiral of the Netherlands (1485–1573) was a title in the medieval

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

for the commander of the war fleet. The title of ''admiral'' (from the Arab ''emir-al-bahr''), for naval commanders of ships which protected commercial convoys against piracy, already existed temporary in the different parts of the Low Countries before, but was first made permanent in Flanders by

Louis II of Flanders Louis II ( nl, Lodewijk van Male; french: Louis II de Flandre) (25 October 1330, Male – 30 January 1384, Lille), also known as Louis of Male, a member of the House of Dampierre, was Count of Flanders, Nevers and Rethel from 1346 as well as ...

in 1383. When the Burgundians gained control of the Low Countries, they also created a permanent position of admiral for the rest of the Burgundian Netherlands in 1446. After the failed Flemish revolt against Maximilian of Austria (1482–1485), both positions were united and Philip of Cleves was appointed as first ''Admiral of the Netherlands''. With the start of the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) (Historiography of the Eighty Years' War#Name and periodisation, c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and t ...

in 1568 and the defeat and imprisonment of the last Admiral Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard in the Battle on the Zuiderzee against the rebels, the position was abolished.

Sources

* (1976-1978): ''Maritieme geschiedenis der Nederlanden'', De Boer Maritiem, Bussum * (1998): ''Zeemacht en onmacht, Maritieme politiek in de Nederlanden, 1488 -1558'', De Bataafsche Leeuw, Amsterdam, {{ISBN, 9067074659 Maritime history Military history of the North Sea History of Flanders Military history of the Netherlands 1440s establishments in the Burgundian Netherlands Habsburg Netherlands