Hendrik Merkus, Baron de Kock (25 May 1779 – 12 April 1845) was a Dutch general and nobleman who served in the Batavian Navy as Lieutenant Governor-General of the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
. In 1821 he commanded a military expedition to
Palembang
Palembang () is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River on the eastern lowland of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census. Palembang ...
to suppress a local uprising. Later, as Lieutenant Governor-General (1826–1830), De Kock led the fight against Prince
Diponegoro
Prince Diponegoro ( jv, ꦢꦶꦥꦤꦼꦒꦫ; born Bendara Raden Mas Mustahar, ; later Bendara Raden Mas Antawirya ; 11 November 1785 – 8 January 1855), also known as Dipanegara, was a Javanese prince who opposed the Dutch colonial rule. The ...
in the
Java War
The Java War ( jv, ꦥꦼꦫꦁꦗꦮ) or Diponegoro War () was fought in central Java from 1825 to 1830, between the colonial Dutch Empire and native Javanese rebels. The war started as a rebellion led by Prince Diponegoro, a leading member ...
.
The triumphant commander was declared a
baron
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or kn ...
in 1835, and served in the Dutch Government as
Minister of the Interior
An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
from 1836 to 1841. He was
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...
from 1841 to 1845. He remained a member of the First Chamber of parliament until his death. He died in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...
on 12 April 1845.
File:De overmeestering van Palembang (Sumatra) door luitenant-generaal Baron de Kock, 24 juni 1821, Louis Meijer, 1857 - Rijksmuseum.jpg, De Kock's fleet conquering
Palembang
Palembang () is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River on the eastern lowland of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census. Palembang ...
in 1821, by
Louis Meijer
Johan Hendrik Louis Meijer (9 March 1809 – 31 March 1866) was a Dutch painter, etcher, lithographer, and draftsman.The Submission of Prince Dipo Negoro to General De Kock'' (1830) by
Nicolaas Pieneman
Nicolaas Pieneman (; 1 January 1809 – 30 December 1860) was a Dutch painter, art collector, lithographer, and sculptor.
Biography
Nicolaas Pieneman was born on 1 January 1809 in Amersfoort in the Kingdom of Holland. He was the son of painte ...
Honors
* Knight in the
Order of the Union
The Order of the Union ( nl, Orde van de Unie) was a chivalric order established in 1806 by Louis Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon I, for the Kingdom of Holland. The order was abolished in 1811 when the French Empire absorbed the Kingdom ...
(1807)
* Commander in the Order of the Union (1808)
* Commander in the
Order of the Reunion
The Order of the Reunion (french: link=no, Ordre de la Réunion) was an order of merit of the First French Empire, set up to be awarded to Frenchmen and foreigners to reward services in the civil service, magistracy and army, particularly those fro ...
(1812)
* Knight 3rd Class Military William Order (1815)
* Commander Military William Order (1821)
* Grand Cross Military William Order (1830)
* Grand Cross
Order of the Netherlands Lion
The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands ( nl, De Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, french: L'Ordre du Lion Néerlandais) is a Dutch order of chivalry founded by King William I of the Netherlands on ...