Mårten Anckarhielm

Maerten Thijssen, died 1657, was a Dutch admiral who entered into Swedish service, becoming a Swedish admiral and a Swedish nobleman under the name Mårten Anckarhielm. He played an important role at the Battle of Fehmarn 1644.

Mårten Anckarhielm
Birth nameMaerten Thijssen
Other name(s)Mårten Thyssens
BornVlissingen, Dutch Republic
Died21 March 1657
Goteborg, Sweden
Allegiance Dutch Republic
Swedish Empire
Service/branchAdmiralty of Zeeland
Royal Swedish Navy
Years of service1631-1644
1644-1657
RankVice admiral Netherlands
Admiral Sweden
Commands heldDutch squadron in Swedish service
Swedish squadron in Göteborg
Battles/warsBattle of Albrolhos 1631
Battle of Listerdyb 1644
Battle of Fehmarn 1644
AwardsEnnobled 1644

Dutch Service

Thijssen distinguished himself as Dutch vice-admiral at the Battle of Albrolhos 1631. When the fleet returned to the Netherlands in 1634 he became master-attendant and munitions-master at the Admiralty of Zealand in Vlissingen.[1]

Torstenson War

After the outbreak of the war between Sweden and Denmark, the Dutch-Swedish industrialist Louis De Geer in 1644 equipped at his own expense, a Dutch squadron under Thijssen, in order to strengthen the Swedish navy. When he learned of the new threat, Christian IV of Denmark broke the siege of Gothenburg, and sailed to meet the Dutch. The fleets met at Listerdyb, and the Dutch squadron was forced back to Vlissingen. Soon enough it returned to Scandinavian waters, chasing away the Danish ships blockading Gothenburg, then sailing through the Sound to Kalmar. In October the Swedish main fleet strengthened by the Dutch squadron left Kalmar, and in the following naval battle of Fehmarn the united fleets defeated a Danish fleet; the Dutch squadron taking four Danish ships at the early stages of the battle, and then another four that the Danes had deliberately beached.[1] [2]

Swedish Service

After the victory at Fehmarn, Anckarhielm brought the Dutch squadron back to Vlissingen, but returned to Sweden in 1645, receiving the naval command at Gothenburg, which he successfully held in face of a siege by Danish naval and ground forces. When the peace with Denmark was concluded, he commanded the naval force that escorted a Swedish trading expedition to Portugal, on the return voyage successfully fending off a Royal Navy squadron that demanded salute in the Channel. Anckarhielm remained in command at Gothenburg until his death, and did not participate in the Second Northern War that began in 1655.[1][2][3]

References
  1. Meijer & al., Bernhard (1904–1926). Nordisk familjebok. Stockholm: Nordisk familjeboks förlag. Vol. 1, p. 920.
  2. Hofberg, Herman & al. (1906). Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon. Stockholm: Albert Bonniers förlag, vol. 1, p. 29.
  3. "Mårten Anckarhielm" Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 2016-12-02.
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