Cornelis de Witt was a member of the old Dutch patrician family De Witt. His father was Jacob de Witt, an influential regent and burgher from the patrician class in the city of Dordrecht, which in the 17th century was one of the most important cities of the dominating province of Holland. De Witt's mother was Anna van den Corput (1599–1645), niece of Johannes Corputius, an influential Dutch military leader and cartographer.[3] His younger brother Johan de Witt was Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1653 to 1672. His uncle Andries de Witt previously held the position of Grand Pensionary between 1619 and 1621. Through the marriage of one of his other uncles to Margaretha of Nassau, daughter of Anna Johanna of Nassau-Siegen, De Witt was a distant relative of the later Dutch governor and English King William III of Orange-Nassau.[4] Another relationship led him to the Tromps, Maarten and his son Cornelis Tromp, both admirals of the Netherlands.[5]
Political careeredit
In 1648 Cornelis de Witt became a schepen (councillor) of Dordrecht.[6] He was afterwards appointed to the important post of ruwaard [nl], who combined the functions of chief of police and prosecuting attorney, of Putten[6] and bailiff of Beierland [nl].[7]
The apotheosis of Cornelis de Witt, with the raid on Chatham in the background. After Jan de Baen
De Witt associated himself closely with his younger brother, the Raadpensionaris of Holland ("Grand Pensionary") Johan de Witt, and supported him throughout his career with great ability and vigour.[7] Johan relied on his older brother for many matters of state. Johan is considered a strategist in their collaboration and Cornelis as a creative person.[8]
Cornelis de Witt was mayor of Dordrecht in 1666 and 1667,[6] and several times deputy of his city in the States of Holland. Between 1663–65 and 1669–71 De Witt was Committed Council of the Zuiderkwartier. In 1667 he was appointed curator of the Leiden University by the States of Holland. In 1665 the States General appointed him deputy in the field in the war with the Bishop of Munster. He acted in the same capacity in 1668, when troops were being gathered for the war between Spain and France.[6]
In 1667 De Witt was the deputy chosen by the States of Holland to accompany Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter in his famous raid on the Medway. Cornelis de Witt on this occasion distinguished himself greatly by his coolness and intrepidity. He again accompanied De Ruyter in 1672 and took an honorable part in the great battle of Solebay against the united English and French fleets. Compelled by illness to leave the fleet, he found on his return to Dordrecht that the Orange party were in the ascendant, and he and his brother were the objects of popular suspicion and hatred.[7]
Deathedit
He was arrested on false accusations of treason, but did not confess despite heavy torture and was ultimately unlawfully condemned to be banished.[6] He was assassinated by the same carefully organised lynch mob that killed his brother on the day he was to be released, victim of a conspiracy by the OrangistsJohan Kievit and Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp. Both their bodies were mutilated and their remains were cannibalized. Their hearts were carved out to be exhibited as trophies. The scene was painted by Jan de Baen, the same painter who had twice painted his portrait, in The Corpses of the De Witt Brothers.[citation needed]
Marriageedit
Cornelis de Witt married Maria van Berckel (1632–1706) in 1650. The couple had five children:[9]
Jacob de Witt (1653–1675). Six days after his father's murder, he set out on a journey to Germany, Geneva, Italy (where he received his doctorate in Padua in 1675) and Austria. He was unmarried and died in Vienna the same year, where he is buried.
Johan de Witt (1660–1681); he was enrolled at the University of Leiden
Maria de Witt (b. 1669), married to Arend Muys van Holy, mayor of Dordrecht[10]
Wilhelmina de Witt (1671–1702). She married her first cousin (the son of Johan de Witt) Johan de Witt Jr. (1662–1701), secretary of Dordrecht
In popular cultureedit
Historical-allegorical painting "De Gouden eeuw" about the De Graeff family of the Dutch Golden Age. The painting shows the protagonists around the Amsterdam regent Cornelis de Graeff (middle) and his relatives Johan de Witt (right), Cornelis de Witt (left) and Andries Bicker (second from left) as well as some events from this decade. (Painting by Matthias Laurenz Gräff, 2007)
Cornelis de Witt and his role in Dutch politics was depicted in the 2015 film Michiel de Ruyter.[11]
In 2007, Austrian artist Matthias Laurenz Gräff, a distant descendant of the De Graeff-Bicker-De Witt family of the Dutch Golden Age used Jan de Baen's painting of Cornelis in his painting "De Gouden eeuw" (The Golden Age) as part of his Diploma series.[13]
In 2008, the famous acoustic comedy act, The Cover Girls, wrote a song based upon the famous commander, infamously titled, "Cornelius De Whitt".[14]
Referencesedit
^Rietstap, Johannes Baptist (1861). Armorial général, contenant la description des armoiries des familles nobles et patriciennes de l'Europe: précédé d'un dictionnaire des termes du blason. G. B. van Goor. p. 1135.
^Bunel, Arnaud. "Héraldique européenne, Provinces-Unies et Royaume des Pays-Bas, Stadhouders et Souverains des Pays-Bas". Retrieved 8 July 2011.
^Johann de Witt, p. 1, by N. Japikse, 2012 (German)
^Herbert H. Rowen: John de Witt. Statesman of the "True Freedom." 1986, p. 47.
^"Met onoprechte deelneming van neef Cornelis Tromp" (Dutch)
^ abcdeBiography of Cornelis de Witt at DBNL (Dutch)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "De Witt, Cornelius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 140.
External linksedit
Look up Dewitt in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Media related to Cornelis de Witt at Wikimedia Commons
January 01, 1970
cornelis, witt, pronunciation, june, 1623, august, 1672, dutch, politician, naval, commander, golden, during, first, stadtholderless, period, witt, influential, member, dutch, states, party, opposition, house, orange, rampjaar, 1672, lynched, together, with, b. Cornelis de Witt pronunciation 15 June 1623 20 August 1672 was a Dutch politician and naval commander of the Golden Age During the First Stadtholderless Period De Witt was an influential member of the Dutch States Party and was in opposition to the House of Orange In the Rampjaar of 1672 he was lynched together with his brother Johan de Witt by a crowd incited by Orange partisans Cornelis de WittCornelis de Witt as victor during the 2nd War with the English c 1669 by Jan de BaenBornCornelis de Witt 1623 06 15 15 June 1623Dordrecht Dutch RepublicDied20 August 1672 1672 08 20 aged 49 The Hague Dutch RepublicNationalityDutchOther namesCornelius de WittOccupation s Regent Mayor Governor and LandlordPolitical partyStates FactionSpouseMaria van BerckelChildrenWilhelminaParentJacob de Witt father RelativesJohan de Witt brother Andries de Witt uncle Signature Contents 1 Life 1 1 De Witt family 1 2 Political career 2 Death 2 1 Marriage 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External linksLife editDe Witt family edit nbsp Family coat of arms 1 2 Cornelis de Witt was a member of the old Dutch patrician family De Witt His father was Jacob de Witt an influential regent and burgher from the patrician class in the city of Dordrecht which in the 17th century was one of the most important cities of the dominating province of Holland De Witt s mother was Anna van den Corput 1599 1645 niece of Johannes Corputius an influential Dutch military leader and cartographer 3 His younger brother Johan de Witt was Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1653 to 1672 His uncle Andries de Witt previously held the position of Grand Pensionary between 1619 and 1621 Through the marriage of one of his other uncles to Margaretha of Nassau daughter of Anna Johanna of Nassau Siegen De Witt was a distant relative of the later Dutch governor and English King William III of Orange Nassau 4 Another relationship led him to the Tromps Maarten and his son Cornelis Tromp both admirals of the Netherlands 5 Political career edit In 1648 Cornelis de Witt became a schepen councillor of Dordrecht 6 He was afterwards appointed to the important post of ruwaard nl who combined the functions of chief of police and prosecuting attorney of Putten 6 and bailiff of Beierland nl 7 nbsp The apotheosis of Cornelis de Witt with the raid on Chatham in the background After Jan de Baen De Witt associated himself closely with his younger brother the Raadpensionaris of Holland Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and supported him throughout his career with great ability and vigour 7 Johan relied on his older brother for many matters of state Johan is considered a strategist in their collaboration and Cornelis as a creative person 8 Cornelis de Witt was mayor of Dordrecht in 1666 and 1667 6 and several times deputy of his city in the States of Holland Between 1663 65 and 1669 71 De Witt was Committed Council of the Zuiderkwartier In 1667 he was appointed curator of the Leiden University by the States of Holland In 1665 the States General appointed him deputy in the field in the war with the Bishop of Munster He acted in the same capacity in 1668 when troops were being gathered for the war between Spain and France 6 nbsp Cornelis de Witt at the Battle of Solebay In 1667 De Witt was the deputy chosen by the States of Holland to accompany Lieutenant Admiral Michiel de Ruyter in his famous raid on the Medway Cornelis de Witt on this occasion distinguished himself greatly by his coolness and intrepidity He again accompanied De Ruyter in 1672 and took an honorable part in the great battle of Solebay against the united English and French fleets Compelled by illness to leave the fleet he found on his return to Dordrecht that the Orange party were in the ascendant and he and his brother were the objects of popular suspicion and hatred 7 Death editHe was arrested on false accusations of treason but did not confess despite heavy torture and was ultimately unlawfully condemned to be banished 6 He was assassinated by the same carefully organised lynch mob that killed his brother on the day he was to be released victim of a conspiracy by the Orangists Johan Kievit and Lieutenant Admiral Cornelis Tromp Both their bodies were mutilated and their remains were cannibalized Their hearts were carved out to be exhibited as trophies The scene was painted by Jan de Baen the same painter who had twice painted his portrait in The Corpses of the De Witt Brothers citation needed Marriage edit Cornelis de Witt married Maria van Berckel 1632 1706 in 1650 The couple had five children 9 Jacob de Witt 1653 1675 Six days after his father s murder he set out on a journey to Germany Geneva Italy where he received his doctorate in Padua in 1675 and Austria He was unmarried and died in Vienna the same year where he is buried Johan de Witt 1660 1681 he was enrolled at the University of Leiden Anna de Witt b 1667 citation needed Maria de Witt b 1669 married to Arend Muys van Holy mayor of Dordrecht 10 Wilhelmina de Witt 1671 1702 She married her first cousin the son of Johan de Witt Johan de Witt Jr 1662 1701 secretary of DordrechtIn popular culture edit nbsp Historical allegorical painting De Gouden eeuw about the De Graeff family of the Dutch Golden Age The painting shows the protagonists around the Amsterdam regent Cornelis de Graeff middle and his relatives Johan de Witt right Cornelis de Witt left and Andries Bicker second from left as well as some events from this decade Painting by Matthias Laurenz Graff 2007 Cornelis de Witt and his role in Dutch politics was depicted in the 2015 film Michiel de Ruyter 11 Both brothers play important roles in the novel The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas 12 In 2007 Austrian artist Matthias Laurenz Graff a distant descendant of the De Graeff Bicker De Witt family of the Dutch Golden Age used Jan de Baen s painting of Cornelis in his painting De Gouden eeuw The Golden Age as part of his Diploma series 13 In 2008 the famous acoustic comedy act The Cover Girls wrote a song based upon the famous commander infamously titled Cornelius De Whitt 14 References edit Rietstap Johannes Baptist 1861 Armorial general contenant la description des armoiries des familles nobles et patriciennes de l Europe precede d un dictionnaire des termes du blason G B van Goor p 1135 Bunel Arnaud Heraldique europeenne Provinces Unies et Royaume des Pays Bas Stadhouders et Souverains des Pays Bas Retrieved 8 July 2011 Johann de Witt p 1 by N Japikse 2012 German Herbert H Rowen John de Witt Statesman of the True Freedom 1986 p 47 Met onoprechte deelneming van neef Cornelis Tromp Dutch a b c d e Biography of Cornelis de Witt at DBNL Dutch a b c Chisholm 1911 Serge ter Braake De deductie van Johan de Witt p 10 2009 Biography of Cornelis de Witt at Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek Deel 3 1914 P J Blok P C Molhuysen Biography of Cornelis de Witt Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden Deel 20 1877 by S J van der Aa IMDb Der Admiral Kampf um Europa Originaltitel Michiel de Ruyter The Black Tulip full text at Google Books www meinbezirk at Matthias Laurenz Graff 15 Jahre Diplom Jubilaum zum Akademischen Maler The Black Tulip full text at Google Books nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 De Witt Cornelius Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 8 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 140 External links edit nbsp Look up Dewitt in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Media related to Cornelis de Witt at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cornelis de Witt amp oldid 1220278275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
