LYALL, WILLIAM [SSNE 1546]

Surname

LYALL, LEYEL, LEYELL, LEIJEL, LYELL, LYLE

First name

WILLIAM

Title/rank

CAPTAIN

Nationality

SCOTO-DANE

Social status

OFFICER

Text source

William Leyel was born c.1593 at Elsinore, the son of the mayor of Elsinore, Hans Willumsen (who died in 1621) and consort Ingeborg Frederiksdatter Lyall. He Married first to an unknown wife and then to Alhed Lubbers. Leyel served in the Dutch East India Company, and was later appointed a Danish Naval Captain on 1 May 1628. Had just returned from the East Indies on 14 September 1635, became 'kompagniforvalter' the following year and on 20 June 1639, its book-keeper. Leyel was appointed as Governor of Tranquebar between 1643-8. A guardian was appointed for his wife on 24 December 1642 because of his absence for more than three years. He died in 1654 in Denmark.

 

T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.68; L. Baillie (ed.), Scandinavian Biographical Index (4 vols., London Melbourne, Munich New Jersey , n.d.), p.1233; Steve Murdoch, Network North: Scottish Kin, Commercial and Covert Associations in Northern Europe, 1603-1746 (Brill, Leiden, 2006), p.210; Asta Bredsdorff, The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel: An Account of the Danish East India Company in Tranquebar, 1639–48 (Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2009) [not consulted]. Thanks to Dr. Thomas Brochard for this last reference.

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, NAVY

Arrived 1628-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1642-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose NAVAL

DENMARK-NORWAY, TRANQUEBAR

Arrived 1643-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1648-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity GOVERNOR, purpose MILITARY