Michiel de Ruyter Page #7

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Death came a week after the battle.

The body came home a year later.

His widow was forbidden to see it...

as it came wrapped from the market in

a basket with inadequate clothing.

As was customary at the time,

for women not to attend funerals.

Of all his foes, only Cornelis Tromp

did not attend his funeral.

A state funeral was bestowed for 4 hours.

The captain of the procession wore

the heavy armor of De Ruyter.

The prolonged effort was fatal.

The ability and courage of De Ruyter

earned him honors from all over Europe.

At the entrance of his tomb the epitaph reads,

'Intaminatis Fulget Honoribus'.

'He excels in honor unblemished',

a quote from Horace's Ode III,2.

On his tomb it reads:

Terror of the oceans.

Michiel de Ruyter is still seen as one of the greatest admirals of all time.

Thanks to his exploits Netherlands remained a sovereign and free country.

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