Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam

Jacob Baron van Wassenaer Obdam (* 1610 in The Hague, The Netherlands, † June 13 1665 in Lowestoft, UK England) was Admiral of Holland and West Friesland and cavalry colonel and governor of Heusden. 1659 he was with the elephant Medal, the highest order of Denmark, excellent.

Life

Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam, also under the name Admiral Opdam known, came from the ancient and noble family of the Van Wassenaer. He was the son of Lieutenant Admiral Johan van Duvenvoorde Wassenaer (1574-1623) and Anna Randerode van der Aa ( 1580-1614 ). Wassenaer married on April 28, 1633 in Maarssen Agnes Renesse van der Aa ( born September 23, 1610 Utrecht, † October 26, 1661 in 's- Gravenhage ). From this marriage came four daughters and son Jacob Reichsgraf Wassenaer ( 1645-1714 ). Wassenaer was Bannerherr about Obdam, Lord of Hensbroek, Spanbroek Spierdijk, Schoonouwen, Opmeer, Zuidwijk and Kernhem in the province of North Holland. He was also a member of the Knighthood of Holland and thence to 1632 a member of the State Council. Since 1646 he was a member of the knights of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces, the forerunner of the modern Netherlands. He was also repeatedly commissioned as an envoy, such as in 1647 to collect money and Overijssel.

1653 Wassenaer was promoted to admiral lieutenant. In the first battle of the Second Dutch - English war at sea aboard the ship commanded Wassenaer " Eendragt " the navy of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces. In 1654 it came to the so-called Seklusionsakt which provided the exclusion of the House of Orange of high public positions. The Dutch leadership to Johan de Witt, Cornelis de Graeff, the army commander in chief Johann van Brederode and just Wolfart Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam urged the States-General to to stand as a total unit behind the decree. Already on June 13, 1665 he fell in the Battle of Lowestoft, as the British fleet sank his ship under the command of the Duke of York and the Admiral William Penn.