Willem Leyel
Willem Leyel | |
|---|---|
| 4th Governor of Tranquebar | |
| In office 1643–1648 | |
| Monarch | Christian IV |
| Preceded by | Bernt Pessart |
| Succeeded by | Poul Hansen Korsør |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1593 Elsinore, Denmark |
| Died | 1654 Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Nationality | Danish (Scottish ancestry) |
| Spouse(s) | Alhed Lübbers (m. c. 1624) |
| Children | Christina Leyel Hans Anders |
| Parent(s) | Johan Willumsen Ingeborg Frederiksdatter Leyel |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Dutch East India 1623?–1626? Denmark-Norway 1626–1648 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | |
Willem Leyel (alternative spellings include Willum and Wilhelm; c. 1593 – Spring 1654) was a Danish governor of Tranquebar and captain in the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy.
Willem Leyel was born in c. 1593 in Elsinore and would be employed by the V.O.C. in Batavia during his early 20s. During his employment, Leyel lived in Persia, where he was acknowledged for his hard work.
In 1639, Leyel was appointed as head of Christianshavn and was to inspect the financial conditions caused by Governor Bernt Pessart in India. However, in early 1640, during her voyage, Christianshavn was detained at Tenerife, and Leyel subsequently spent the next three years negotiating with Spanish officials for her release. A deal was finalized in March 1643, and Leyel would reach Danish-owned Tranquebar in September of the same year.
Regardless, Leyel was to use military force to become governor of Tranquebar, succeeding Dutchman Bernt Pessart. During his governorship, Leyel improved and stabilized the Company's trade and local relations. Despite this, discontent from the other Danish officers led to a mutiny against him in 1648. Leyel would be arrested and sent to Copenhagen, where he would die, possibly from the plague, in 1654.