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 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