Dierick Ruiters

• Name — Dierick Ruiters • Born — 1575 • Died — 1640 • Occupation — Ship captain, explorer, writer • Known for — Role in the founding of the Dutch West India Company, Anti-slavery activism • Notable Works — The Beacon of the Navy (1623)

Dierick Ruiters initiated his voyages along the coasts of Senegal and Angola in 1612 and later expanded his explorations to Brazil in 1617. He gained recognition in the maritime community for his skills. Together with Willem Usselincx, Dierick Ruiters strongly opposed the participation of the Dutch West India Company in the slave trade. Ruiter supported his viewpoint with a deep understanding of Portuguese empire practices. In 1623, Dierick Ruiters published a work titled The Beacon of the Navy or The Beacon of Navigation, denouncing the slave trade in the Portuguese empire, stating that it was driven by profit. However, despite the efforts of anti-slavery advocates, including figures like playwright Gerbrand Adriaenszoon Bredero, the Dutch became increasingly involved in the profitable sugar trade, relying heavily on enslaved labor. This led to a change in the policies of the Dutch West India Company in the 1630s, challenging their initial anti-slavery stance. In addition to his maritime activities and anti-slavery stance, Dierick Ruiters contributed to documenting the voyages of his time. In 1623, he published an account describing the coasts on both sides of the Atlantic in early 1618 during a voyage from Brazil to the Congo. He described how ships carried cassava root flour, used for making bread during the voyage. This flour was highly valued by indigenous people because it was not common in the region. The practice of transporting cassava flour as provisions for sea journeys was also mentioned in a testimonial from the Spanish explorer Nicolas Monardès in 1580.