Born in Delft to a Dutch family, he led the Polish–Lithuanian navy to victory in the 1627 Battle of Oliwa during the Polish–Swedish War, but was killed in action.

Since 1608, he lived in Gdańsk, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he was the captain and owner of a merchant ship that transported cereal and oak wood.

On 28 November 1627, he commanded the fleet during the Battle of Oliwa, a major encounter during the war, that was fought in the Gdańsk Bay.

Ritter Sankt Georg itself sustained the damages in the battle, including being hit 3 times below the waterline.

The coffin was accompanied by a marine guard of honour, royal officials, and members of the City Council.