Piet Heijn was a dutch naval officer and folk hero during the 80 years war between the Netherlands and Spain.
Heijn was born in
Delfsthaven (Rotterdam) and he became a sailor while he was still a teenager. In his twenties , he was captured by the Spanish and served as a galley slave for approximately 4 years, when he was traded for Spanish prisoners. In 1607 he joined the Dutch East India Company and left for Asia returning with the rank of Captain five years later. In 1623 he
became a Vice-Admiral
and sailed to the West Indies the following year for the Dutch West India Company. Piracy was condoned by the West India Company, but this is in fact what made
Piet Heijn most famous. In 1628,
Heijn sailed out to capture the Spanish treasure fleet, loaded with silver from their American colonies. Part of this
fleet had been warned, because
Heijn had been spotted, but the other half continued it's voyage. Twelve Spanish ships were
trapped of the Cuban Coast, in the bay of
Matanzas, and
Heijn captured about 12 million guilders of booty in gold, silver and other expensive trade goods. The "Silver Fleet" was the companies greatest victory in the
Caribbean. As a result, the money funded the Dutch army for eight months and the shareholders enjoyed a ca
sh dividend of 70 per cent that year.
Heijn returned to the Netherlands and was hailed a hero. Even if it was all for the wrong reasons.
Piet Heijn was the only one ever to succeed, with the capturing of the Silver Fleet, though many had tried to do the same.
Piet Heijn was a dutch naval officer and folk hero during the 80 years war between the Netherlands and Spain. Heijn was born in Delfsthaven (Rotterdam) and he became a sailor while he was still a teenager. In his twenties , he was captured by the Spanish and served as a galley slave for approximately 4 years, when he was traded for Spanish prisoners. In 1607 he joined the Dutch East India Company and left for Asia returning with the rank of Captain five years later. In 1623 he became a Vice-Admiral 
and sailed to the West Indies the following year for the Dutch West India Company. Piracy was condoned by the West India Company, but this is in fact what made Piet Heijn most famous. In 1628, Heijn sailed out to capture the Spanish treasure fleet, loaded with silver from their American colonies. Part of this fleet had been warned, because Heijn had been spotted, but the other half continued it's voyage. Twelve Spanish ships were trapped of the Cuban Coast, in the bay of Matanzas, and Heijn captured about 12 million guilders of booty in gold, silver and other expensive trade goods. The "Silver Fleet" was the companies greatest victory in the Caribbean. As a result, the money funded the Dutch army for eight months and the shareholders enjoyed a ca
sh dividend of 70 per cent that year. Heijn returned to the Netherlands and was hailed a hero. Even if it was all for the wrong reasons. Piet Heijn was the only one ever to succeed, with the capturing of the Silver Fleet, though many had tried to do the same.
i think you add more info about it.
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