Who is Jean Bart

Jean Bart at a Glance 

Career
Born in Dunkirk as the son of a simple fisherman, Bart served when young in the Dutch navy under De Ruyter.
When war broke out between Louis XIV and the United Provinces in 1672 he entered the French service, as one of the Dunkirker Privateers. He gained great distinction in the Mediterranean, where he held an irregular sort of commission, unable due to his low birth to receive a command in the navy.

He had such success, however, that he became a lieutenant in 1679. He rose rapidly to the rank of captain and then to that of admiral.

He achieved his greatest successes during the War of the Grand Alliance (1688 - 1697).

In 1689, in the beginning of this war he was captured by the English , together with Forbin , and taken to Plymouth. But 3 days later, they succeeded in escaping to Bretagne in a rowing boat, together with 20 other sailors.
In 1691 he slipped through the blockade of Dunkirk, terrorizing the allied merchant fleet and burning a Scottish castle and four villages.
In 1694 he achieved his greatest success in the Action of 29 June 1694 , when he captured a huge convoy of Dutch grain ships, saving Paris from starvation.
In 1696 he struck another blow against the Dutch in the Battle of Dogger Bank (1696).
The Peace of Ryswick (1697) put a close to his active service.

Marriage and Children
On February 3, 1676 he married the 16-year-old Nicole Gontier.
They had 4 children, until Nicole died 6 years later in 1682.
Their oldest son François-Cornil (June 17 1676- ?) became Vice-Admiral.

On October 13, 1689 he remarried Jacoba Tugghe and they had 10 children. He signed his marriage contract, which is still available in Dunkirk, with the name "Jan Baert".

Jean Bart died of Pleurisy and is buried in the Eglise Saint-Eloi in Dunkirk.

Legacy
Many anecdotes tell of the courage and bluntness of the 2,04 m tall, uncultivated sailor, who became the popular hero of the French naval service. He captured in total 386 ships and also sank or burned a great number of enemy ships. The town of Dunkirk has honoured his memory by erecting a statue and by naming a public square after him.

In World War II 70% of Dunkirk was completely destroyed, but the statue survived. The reason it was untouched by the Germans was because the sword that Jean Bart is holding points directly towards England, and it was used as a guide for the Luftwaffe.