Cornelis de Liefde

Cornelis Evertsen (Kees) de Liefde (Rotterdam, 1617 – Rotterdam, 25 September 1673) was a 17th-century Dutch admiral, a role also fulfilled by his younger brother Johan de Liefde

Life

In 1644 he was a skipper on shipping between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. During the First Anglo-Dutch War he had no rank and it is uncertain whether he was in the navy at that time. In the Second Anglo-Dutch War, he was made a captain of the Admiraliteit van de Maze on 17 March 1666. He fought in the Four Days Battle as flag-captain to lieutenant-admiraal Aert Jansse van Nes on board the Eendragt. On 4 February 1667 he was promoted to full (i.e. permanent) captain. In the raid on the Medway he commanded the Wassenaer.

During the Third Anglo-Dutch War he fought at Solebay in command of the Rotterdam. He rose to schout-bij-nacht on 21 August after commanding the Gelderland at Texel, in which he was badly wounded and his brother Johan killed.

Kees married Maria Hendriks van der Lit and had one daughter, Cornelia.