Hendrik II van Borselen

Henry II van Borselen as a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece. Henry II van Borselen (ca. 1404 - Zandenburg Castle, 15 March 1474), Lord of Veere, Zandenburg, Vlissingen, Westkapelle, Domburg, Brouwershaven, Count of Grandpré was a Dutch nobleman and admiral of the 15th century.

Biography He was the eldest son of Wolfert V van Borselen (c. 1385-1409) and Hadewich van Borselen. When his father died, he succeeded him as Lord of Veere, but as he was only 5 years old, under the guardianship of his uncle Floris van Borselen until 1423.

After the Treaty of Delft in 1428, he became a member of the Council of 9 Nobles. From 1433, Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy was officially Count of Holland and Zeeland, but he had to reckon with the power of his vassal Henry II van Borselen. The latter possessed his own merchant fleet and waged privateering wars independently, and held a powerful position on Walcheren.

In 1470, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and his fleet captured several Dutch merchant ships. In response, Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and Count of Zeeland, assembled a fleet of 23 ships. He appointed Henry II van Borselen chief of this fleet due to his extensive experience, thus even outranking the Admiral of Flanders, Joost de Lalaing. He defeated Warwick's fleet off the coast of Normandy, capturing 10 ships.

As a token of gratitude, Henry van Borselen was appointed chamberlain by King Edward IV of England for services rendered, and Veere obtained new trading privileges with England. From Charles, he received the Lordship of Fallais in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and purchased a part of Brouwershaven in 1472.

He died 2 years later.

Marriage and children On 26 December 1429, Henry II van Borselen married Johanna van Halewyn (died 1467), daughter of Olivier van Halewijn, Lord of Heemsrode, and Marguerite de la Clyte, at Zandenburg Castle. The couple had (at least) three children:

Wolfert VI van Borselen (died 1487), married to Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan, Marshal of France, Order of the Golden Fleece Margaretha (died 1510), married to Louis de Gruuthuse, 1st Earl of Winchester, Order of the Golden Fleece Anna; married to Gillis von Arnemuiden, attested in 1458