the French, who were under the command of Tourville, by launching his long boats against the trapped French ships. In 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Van Almonde was behind a plan to seize richly-laden Spanish treasure galleons arriving from the West Indies. On 23 October, he convinced English Admiral Sir George Rooke to attack the treasure ships despite the lateness of the year and the fact that the vessels were protected by French ships-of-the-line. The Dutch and English forces in the Battle of Vigo Bay destroyed the enemy fleet in the harbor of Vigo. The English took four ships-of-the-line and six galleons, while the Dutch took six warships and five galleons that had been treasure-laden but were unfortunately unloaded just before the attack. In 1706 he put down command of the Dutch fleet headed for Portugal upon hearing that he would be subordinate to an English Vice-Admiral. On 20 December 1708 he was transferred to his old Admiralty of the Maze at Rotterdam; as this was seen as the most ancient Dutch admiralty, the most honourable function in the Dutch fleet was now his. Van Almonde later moved back to his Haaswyk estate at Oegstgeest, near Leyden, where he died on 6 January 1711. His memorial stands in the Katherine Church at Briel, where he was buried on 30 December 1712. Further reading 1644 births 1711 deaths 17th-century Dutch military personnel 18th-century Dutch military personnel Admirals of the navy of the Dutch Republic Dutch naval commanders in the War of the Spanish Succession Dutch naval personnel of the Anglo-Dutch Wars People from Brielle Dutch military personnel of the Nine Years' War