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Sunday 4 September 2011

Dutch ships serving in the navy of Pope in 1658

It may be not common known that Dutch ships served with the navy of the Pope in the Mediterranean in the Cretan War against the Ottoman navy. Of course it were not regular Dutch warships but merchant ships, presumably so called ‘Straatvaarders’.

R.C. Anderson mentioned the ships in his Naval wars in the Levant p. 163 when a squadron of 10 warships and 2 transports chartered on behalf of the Papal navy joined at Cerigo the Venetian navy commanded by Morosini. A quote: These ships, which were probably mainly Dutch, and in some cases the same as had already in Venetian fleets, were as follows: S. Margherita 40, Sacrificio d'Abramo 36, Elettore di Colonia 34 with the S. Francisco, Corona d'Or, S. Michele Arcangelo, Gran Delfino, Confidenzia, Speranza and Concordia of 30 guns each".

Guglielmotti p. 225 give some more information dealing with the ships mentioned above.
1. La s. Margherita, commander of the soldiers cav. Galgano della Ciaja, from Siena; naval commander Girolamo Petrovich; 60 sailors, 280 soldiers, 40 guns, 1200 tonnellate.
2. Il sacrificio d'Abramo; cav. Luigi Corradine, from Ravenna; Giovacchino Cordans; 60; 253; 36; 1080.
3. L'Elettori di Colonia, cav. Giovannui Laparelli, from "cortonese"; Matteo Alto; 60; 238; 34; 1020.
4. Il s. Francesco; cav. Gabriele Sampieri, from Bollogna; Francesco Cardi; 60; 210; 30; 900.
5. La Corona d'Oro; cav.  Lorenzo Adami, from "fremano"; Enrico di Giovacchino; 60; 210; 30; 900.
6. Il s. Michele Arcangelo; cav. Vinc. M. Gabbuccini; from "fanese"; Luca Petrovich; 60; 210; 30; 900
7. Il gran Delfino;cav. Filippo Naro, from Rome; Teodor Batterpot; 60; 210; 30; 900
8. La Confidenzia; cap. Francesco Casali, from “ternano“; Giroloma Pietrosin; 60; 210; 30; 900
9. La Speranza; cap. Niccolò Baldassini, from "pesarese"; Cornelio di Pietro: 60; 210; 30; 900
10. La Concordia; capt. Francesco Pecci, from Siena; Enrico Granturco; 60; 210; 30; 900
11. I tre Re; provv. Niccolò, transport.
12. I sette fratelli; provv. Giuseppe Ossati, transport.
Totally 600 sailors, 2240 soldiers, 320 guns, 9600 tonnellate.
The Venetian navy often hired in the 17th century Dutch merchantships to serve in her navy. Apparently some of those ships served again in the first Anglo Dutch war in the Mediterranean!