Frans Banninck Cocq (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Banning), ''lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam'' (1605–1655) was a

burgemeester Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...

(mayor), knight and military person of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

in the mid-17th century. He belonged to the wealthy and powerful Dutch patriciate of the

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( nl, Gouden Eeuw ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands, roughly spanning the era from 1588 (the birth of the Dutch Republic) to 1672 (the Rampjaar, "Disaster Year"), in which Dutch trade, science, and Dutch art, ...

. Banninck Cocq is best known as the central figure in

Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consid ...

's masterpiece ''

The Night Watch ''Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq'', also known as ''The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch'', but commonly referred to as ''The Night Watch'' ( nl, De Nachtwacht), i ...

''.

Biography

Background and Family

Frans was the son of Jan Jansz Cock, a local pharmacist of German descendant in the

Warmoesstraat Warmoesstraat ('Chard Street') is one of the oldest streets in Amsterdam, running parallel to Damrak from Nieuwebrugsteeg to Dam Square. Its origins are in the 13th century. In the 16th and 17th century it was the shopping street. During the Dut ...

and Lysbeth Frans Banninck from an upper class family of the city's patriciate. He was baptized on 27 February 1605 in the nearby Old Church. As his parents were not married, it caused a scandal, but on 17 September of the same year they went to the townhall to notice the marriage. Both were related to Cornelis Hooft. Frans, who seems to have had one deaf brother studied law in

Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...

and

Bourges Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry. History The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, t ...

between 1625 and 1627. In 1630 Banninck Cocq married

Maria Overlander van Purmerland Maria Overlander van Purmerland (Amsterdam, 24 June 1603 – 27 January 1678) was a noble from the Dutch Golden Age. Life Maria Overlander was the daughter of Volkert Overlander and Geertruid Hooft. Her sister Geertruid Overlander (1609–1634) w ...

, daughter of

Volkert Overlander Volkert Overlander (also ''Volcker'' and ''Volckert Overlander''; 7 October 1570 – 18 October 1630) was a Dutch Nobility, noble, jurist, ship-owner, merchant and an Amsterdam Regenten, regent from the Dutch Golden Age. Biography Volkert was born ...

(her sister Geertruid Overlander (1609–1634) was married to

Cornelis de Graeff Cornelis de Graeff, also Cornelis de Graeff van (Zuid-)Polsbroek (15 October 1599 – 4 May 1664) was the most illustrious member of the De Graeff family. He was a mayor of Amsterdam from the Dutch Golden Age and a powerful Amsterdam regent after ...

), merchant and one of the founders of the Dutch East Trading Company, and a few times burgemeester of Amsterdam. Through his marriage he get linked by marriage with the powerful Bicker and

De Graeff De Graeff (; also: '' De Graef, Graef, Graeff, Graaff'', Graaf and ''De Graeff van Polsbroek'') is an old Dutch patrician and noble family, The Amsterdam line of the family played an important role during the Dutch Golden Age. They were at the ...

families and also to

Johan de Witt Johan de Witt (; 24 September 1625 – 20 August 1672), ''lord of Zuid- en Noord-Linschoten, Snelrewaard, Hekendorp en IJsselvere'', was a Dutch statesman and a major political figure in the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, the Fi ...

, Grand Pensionary of Holland. When Frans' father-in-law died, Banninck Cocq inherited his properties, including a canal house, the castle of Ilpenstein north of Amsterdam along with the title Lord of

Purmerland Purmerland () is a village of 395 (January 2007) in the municipality of Landsmeer, North Holland, the Netherlands. It is located just north of Den Ilp and just south of the housing estate of Weidevenne, part of the city of Purmerend. It is direct ...

and

Ilpendam Ilpendam is a village in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is a part of the municipality of Waterland, and lies about 4 km south of Purmerend. It covers an area of 2.46 km2 (0.95 sq mi) and had 1,780 inhabitants in 2008. Ilp ...

. Banninck Cocq decorated the main hall with portraits of his wife's ancestors. The couple had no children.

Political Career

Around 1630 Banninck Cocq became

schepen A schepen (Dutch; . ') or échevin (French) or Schöffe (German) is a municipal officer in Belgium and formerly the Netherlands. It has been replaced by the ' in the Netherlands (a municipal executive). In modern Belgium, the ''schepen'' or ''éch ...

and in 1634 he succeeded his father-in-law as a member of the

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

. In 1650 he was appointed burgemeester (mayor) of Amsterdam. In 1651, 1653 and 1654 he was re-elected. He worked with his brother-in-law

and Johan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen. Banninck Cocq is also depicted in the

Bartholomeus van der Helst Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613 – buried 16 December 1670) was a Dutch painter. Considered to be one of the leading portrait painters of the Dutch Golden Age, his elegant portraits gained him the patronage of Amsterdam's elite as well as t ...

portrait of The Governors of the Longbow Civic Guards, 1653, now in the

Amsterdam Museum The Amsterdam Museum, known until 2010 as the Amsterdam Historical Museum, is an Amsterdam-based museum dedicated to the city's past and present. Due to the renovation of its main location, the museum is temporarily located in the building the Amst ...

Military career, Night watch

In 1635 Banninck Cocq was a lieutenant of the Amsterdam civil guard (

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

) of Wijk I and captain of that of Wijk II from about 1635 to about 1646. From about 1646 to 1650 he was a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. Banninck Cocq is primarily known today for being depicted in a painting by

Rembrandt van Rijn Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally consi ...

commissioned in 1638, which shows Cocq and his company of civil guards. Although known as ''

'' (1642), this is not the original title; at that time it was in fact unusual to title paintings but if indeed it had a name, the more correct one would be "The Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant

Willem van Ruytenburch Willem van Ruytenburch, ''lord of Vlaardingen and Vlaardinger-Ambacht, Vlaardingen-Ambacht'' (1600–1652) was a member of the Dutch gentry and Amsterdam Patrician (post-Roman Europe), patriciate of the Dutch Golden Age. He became an alderman of ...

". The painting is notable, among other things, for its huge size: approximately 3.35 m x 4.26 m (11 ft by 14 ft).

Death

Frans Banninck Cocq was buried on 6 January 1655; his tomb chapel is located in the Oude Kerk.Stadsarchief Amsterda

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References

External links

*
Marriage portraits of Frans Banning Cocq and his wife Maria Overlander by an unknown painter

Succession template

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cocq, Frans Banning 1605 births 1650s deaths Nobility from Amsterdam Lords of Purmerland and Ilpendam Mayors of Amsterdam Burials at the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam