Peter Stuyvesant (originally Pieter or Petrus; Peter is never mentioned in historical records) (c. 1612 - August 1672) served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664. He was a major figure in the early history of New York City. The Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, United States is named after him.