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Lipenzhanner ot whatjever his name was, generally credited with the invention of the refracting 'scope.
It was called a "Dutch Trunke" for a while.
It's first recorded use ,IIRC, was not watching for invading fleets, but reading the flags on returning merchant ships to ascertain the quantity / quality of their cargo.
Savvy brokers could then invest in whatever ship had the best goodies.
This may be apochryphal, but it seems to suit the ethos of the time (no pun intended).
Galileo was the first person (we know of) to turn it skyward and systematically record his findings, though the Englishman Herriot describes viewing the moon through his "Dutch Trunke" at about the same time.
In any case, Lipenschlotzenhommer and Dutch Trunke don't quite trip off the tounge in the same way as Gallileo and 'Telescope', so I suspect an early marketing 'face plant', may have something to do with it.
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