Editing Jean Bart (section)

==Naval career==
[[File:Portret van Jan Bart, 1694 Jean Bart Chef d'Esvadre sous Louis XIV, RP-P-1908-2040.jpg|thumb|1700s Dutch engraving of Jean Bart and the [[Battle of Texel (1694)]]]]
When he was young, Bart served in the Dutch navy under Admiral [[Michiel de Ruyter]].<ref name=ANE>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Bart, Jean |encyclopedia=A Naval Encyclopædia |volume=1 |pages=67 |publisher=L. R. Hamersly & co. |year=1880 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IPvxNqDjeXYC&q=Bart%2C+Jean&pg=PA67 |access-date=3 June 2011 }}</ref> When war broke out between France and the [[Dutch Republic|United Provinces]] in 1672, he entered the [[French Navy|French service]]. Since only persons of noble birth could then serve as officers in the navy, he instead became captain of one of the [[Dunkirkers|Dunkirk privateers]]. In that capacity, he displayed such astonishing bravery that [[Louis XIV]] sent him on a special mission to the [[Mediterranean]], where he gained great distinction.<ref name=nie>{{NIE|wstitle=Barth, Jean|year=1905|inline=1}}</ref>

Unable to receive a command in the navy because of his low birth, he held an irregular sort of commission, but he had such success that he became a lieutenant in 1679. He became a terror to the Dutch navy and a serious menace to the commerce of Holland. On one occasion, with six vessels, he broke through a blockading fleet, shattered a number of the enemy's ships and convoyed a transport of grain safely into Dunkirk harbor.<ref name=nie/> He rose rapidly to the rank of [[captain (naval)|captain]] and then to that of [[admiral]].<ref name=EB>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Bart, Jean}}</ref>

He achieved his greatest successes during the [[Nine Years' War]] (1688–1697).
*In 1689, at the beginning of the war, he was captured by an English warship, together with [[Claude de Forbin]], and they were taken as [[prisoners-of-war]] to [[Plymouth]]. However, three days later, they succeeded in escaping to [[Brittany]] in a rowboat, together with 20 other captured sailors.
*In 1691, he slipped through the blockade of Dunkirk, terrorised the allied merchant fleet and burnt a Scottish castle and four villages.
*In 1693, he commanded the 62-gun ship ''Le Glorieux'' under [[Anne Hilarion de Tourville|marshal de Tourville]]. After the brilliant [[Battle of Lagos (1693)|battle of Lagos]] and the capture of the "Smyrna convoy", he left the fleet and near [[Faro, Portugal|Faro]] he met six Dutch ships of 24 to 50 guns, all richly loaded, he forced them to run aground, and then burned them.
*In 1694, he achieved his greatest success at the [[Battle of Texel (1694)|Battle of Texel]] in which he captured a huge convoy of Dutch grain ships, saving Paris from starvation. He was raised into the nobility on 4 August 1694 with a peerage.
*In 1696, he struck another blow against the Dutch in the [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1696)|Battle of Dogger Bank]].

The [[Peace of Ryswick]] in 1697 put an end to his active service.