Jan Baert or Jean Bart

Jean Bart is the most famous Corsair of Dunkerque

Born into a Flemish family of sailors in Dunkerque. Jean Bart went to sea when he was a boy. Since the English had besieged, battered and captured his home town Dunkirk, he joined the Dutch Navy to fight the English. He observed the Dutch admiral De Ruyter and learnt seamanship and naval tactics. When France declared war on Holland in 1672, he returned home and joined up as a corsair. The Corsair captains and crews made money from "prizes". They attacked enemy ships, men and cargoes at sea, and if they could bring them back to Dunkerque, were rewarded with prize money. Their defenders say they were not lawless pirates since they carried a licence from the King, and attacked only his enemies. In 1689 Jean Bart, his lieutenant Claude de Forbin and 20 men were imprisoned in Plymouth. They escaped, stole a boat and were back in France.

We search information since there is hesitation about his real birth-certificate

Please: only information based on archives dated from before his death's day or period before the end of the 18th century.