Pieter de Graeff (Amsterdam, 15 August 1638 – 3 June 1707 ibid), was a
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
aristocrat
The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...
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, ...
and one of the most influential pro-state, republican
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 ...
Regents
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
during the late 1660s and the early 1670s before the
Rampjaar
In Dutch history, the year 1672 is referred to as the nl, Rampjaar, label=none (Disaster Year). In May 1672, following the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and its peripheral conflict the Third Anglo-Dutch War, France, supported by Münster an ...
1672. As president-
bewindhebber of the
Dutch East India Company
The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock ...
, he was one of the most important representatives and leaders of the same after the Rampjaar.
His political stance was characteristic of his family, on the one hand
libertine
A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...
and '
state oriented', republican on the other hand, if only partially, loyal to the House of
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
, the royalists.
He held the titles as
Lord of the semi-sovereign Fief Zuid-Polsbroek and
19.th Lord of the Free and high Fief Ilpendam and Purmerland. De Graeff was in intimate contact with the statesmen
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 ...
and
Willem III of Orange
William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from ...
, the painter
Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens (24 October 1607 – 4 June 1674) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who was associated with his close contemporary Rembrandt, a year older, in the early parts of their careers. They shared a birthplace in Leiden, training with Pieter L ...
and the poet
Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch poet, writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most ...
.
Biography
Family De Graeff
Pieter de Graeff was born as son of the Amsterdam regent and statesman
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 ...
and
Catharina Hooft
Catharina Pietersdr Hooft (28 December 1618 – 30 September 1691) was a woman of the Dutch Golden Age. She became famous at a very early age, when she was painted by Frans Hals.
At the age of sixteen she married Cornelis de Graeff, nin ...
and older brother of
Jacob de Graeff
Jacob de Graeff (28 June 1642 in Amsterdam – 21 April 1690) was a member of the De Graeff-family from the Dutch Golden Age. He was an Amsterdam Regent and held the titles as 20.th Lord of the Free and high Fief Ilpendam and Purmerland. Jacob ...
.
[Pieter de Graeffs Biography at ''digitale bibliothek voor de nederlandse letteren'', part II (dutch)](_blank)
/ref> The 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 ce ...
-family belonged to the ruling states oriented patriciate of the province of Holland. Both, Pieters father Cornelis and his uncle Andries de Graeff
Andries de Graeff (19 February 1611 – 30 November 1678) was a powerful member of the Amsterdam branch of the De Graeff - family during the Dutch Golden Age. He became a mayor of Amsterdam and a powerful Amsterdam regent after the death of his ...
, were critical of the Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
family's influence. Together with the Republican political leader Grand Pensionary 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 ...
, the De Graeff-family strived for the abolition of stadtholder
In the Low Countries, ''stadtholder'' ( nl, stadhouder ) was an office of steward, designated a medieval official and then a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and H ...
ships, but also try to keep a good relationship with them and their sympathizers. They desired the full sovereignty of the individual regions in a form in which the Republic of the United Seven Netherlands was not ruled by a single person. Instead of a sovereign (or stadtholder) the political and military power was lodged with the States General The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:
Currently in use
* Estates-General on the Situation and Future of the French Language in Quebec, the name of a commission set up by the government of Quebec on June 29, 2000
* States Genera ...
and with the regents of the cities in Holland.
During the two decades the De Graeff family had a leading role in the Amsterdam administration, the city was at the peak of its political power. This period was also referred to by Republicans as the ‘Ware Vrijheid’ (True Freedom). It was the First Stadtholderless Period
The First Stadtholderless Period or Era (1650–72; nl, Eerste Stadhouderloze Tijdperk) is the period in the history of the Dutch Republic in which the office of Stadtholder was vacant in five of the seven Dutch provinces (the provinces of Fries ...
which lasted from 1650 to 1672. During these twenty years, the regents from Holland and in particular those of Amsterdam, controlled the republic. The city was flush with self-confidence and liked to compare itself to the famous Republic of Rome. Even without a stadtholder, things seemed to be going well for the Republic and its regents both politically and economically.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Pieter de Graeff is quartered with a heart shield and since 1678 it shows the following symbols:
* heart shield shows the three silver rhombuses on red (originally from the family Van Woerdern van Vliet
A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...
) of the High Lordship Zuid-Polsbroek
* field 1 (left above) shows the silver shovel on red of their paternal ancestors, the Herren von Graben
Herren von Graben, also named ''von (dem) Graben'', ''vom Graben'', ''Grabner'', ''Grabner zu Rosenburg'', ''Graben zu Kornberg'', ''Graben zu Sommeregg'', ''Graben von (zum) Stein'', and ''ab dem Graben'' was the name of an old Austrian noble fam ...
* field 2 (right above) shows the silver swan on blue of the Fief Vredenhof r that one (Waterland) of their maternal ancestors, the De Grebber">Waterland.html" ;"title="r that one (Waterland">r that one (Waterland) of their maternal ancestors, the De Grebber]
* field 3 (left below) shows the silver goose in blue of Purmerland (Lordship of Purmerend, Purmerland and Ilpendam, High Lordship Purmerland and Ilpendam)
* field 4 (right below) shows the red and black lions on gold (the arms of the County of Holland
The County of Holland was a State of the Holy Roman Empire and from 1433 part of the Burgundian Netherlands, from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands and from 1581 onward the leading province of the Dutch Republic, of which it remained a part ...
) for 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 ...
(High Lordship Purmerland and Ilpendam) above a blue area
* shield holders are two silver swans
* helmet covers in red and silver
* helm adornment shows an upright silver spade with ostrich feathers (Herren von Graben)
* motto: MORS SCEPTRA LIGONIBUS AEQUAT (DEATH MAKES SEPTRES AND HOES EQUAL)
Early years, marriage and offspring
In his youth, Pieter enjoyed education and private tuition from Johann Amos who, who provided him with an important educational basis.[Häuslich - persönlich - innerlich: Bild und Frömmigkeitspraxis im Umfeld der Reformation, p 119, by Maria Deiters and Ruth Slenczka (De Gruyter, 2020)](_blank)
/ref> In 1652 his father Cornelis de Graeff had his wife Catharina and their two sons Pieter and Jacob portrayed by Jan Victors
Jan Victors or Fictor (bapt. June 13, 1619 – December 1679) was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of history paintings of Biblical scenes, with some genre scenes. He may have been a pupil of Rembrandt. He probably died in the Dutch East In ...
as Isaac
Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was the ...
and Rebecca
Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
with their sons Jacob
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...
and Esau
Esau ''Ēsaû''; la, Hesau, Esau; ar, عِيسَوْ ''‘Īsaw''; meaning "hairy"Easton, M. ''Illustrated Bible Dictionary'', (, , 2006, p. 236 or "rough".Mandel, D. ''The Ultimate Who's Who in the Bible'', (.), 2007, p. 175 is the elder son o ...
. This allegorical work and De Graeff's portrayal as one of the patriarchs of a people and his wife and children should underscore its importance. In 1655, De Graeff went together with Joan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen and his eldest son Joan Joan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters
*:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine
* Joan (surname)
Weather events
*Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multip ...
on a diplomatic mission to Prince-elector
The prince-electors (german: Kurfürst pl. , cz, Kurfiřt, la, Princeps Elector), or electors for short, were the members of the electoral college that elected the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
From the 13th century onwards, the prince ...
Frederick William of Brandenburg
Frederick William (german: Friedrich Wilhelm; 16 February 1620 – 29 April 1688) was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia, from 1640 until his death in 1688. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is ...
, to look for support against the war with Sweden.
During the summers the family spent a lot of their time at the Palace Soestdijk
Soestdijk Palace ( nl, Paleis Soestdijk ) is a palace formerly belonging to the Dutch Royal Family. It consists of a central block and two wings.
Although named after the village of Soestdijk, which is largely in the municipality of Soest, the S ...
, and in 1660 the brothers Pieter and Jacob played with the young William III of Orange
William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from the ...
, later King of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...
, Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and stadtholder
In the Low Countries, ''stadtholder'' ( nl, stadhouder ) was an office of steward, designated a medieval official and then a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and H ...
of the United Provinces of the Netherlands
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...
, at the lake and woods at Soestdijk.
After De Graeff did a Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tuto ...
through France and England, he married his niece Jacoba Bicker Jacoba is a given name, a female version of Jacob, which has been a common given name in the Netherlands. In daily life, many people use(d) short or more modern forms like ''Coba'', ''Cobi'', ''Cobie'', ''Coby'', ''Coosje'', ''Cootje'', ''Jackie'', ...
, sister of Wendela Bicker
Wendela Bicker (Amsterdam, baptized 30 December 1635 – 1 July 1668) was the wife of Johan de Witt. She was one of the richest young female commoners of her time and she married one of the most influential republican politicians in the Netherl ...
, who married 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 ...
. The protagonists of the patriciate were closely related, and the couple Pieter and Jacoba were also cousins of the brothers Johan and Cornelis de Witt
Cornelis de Witt (; 15 June 1623 – 20 August 1672) was a Dutch politician and naval commendant 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 th ...
. Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch poet, writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most ...
wrote a poem to Pieter and Jacoba's marriage at De Graeff's castle Ilpenstein
Ilpenstein Castle (dutch: ''Ilpenstein'', ''Huis te Ilpendam'', ''Hof te Ilpendam'') was a castle of the Free and high Lordship of Purmerend, Purmerland and Ilpendam, located in Ilpendam (Waterland) in the north of the city of Amsterdam.
History
...
.
The couple had three children:
* Agneta de Graeff (1663–1725), married Jan Baptiste de Hochepied II (1669–1709), deputy to the General Accounting Chamberlain. She owned the cityhouse "Korte Vijverberg 3" in The Hague, the current cabinet of the king and at her death she had a fortune of 867,000 guilders
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' "gold penny". This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Roman Empir ...
, of which she left 525,000 guilders to her cousin Gerard Bicker (II) van Swieten[De 500 Rijksten van de Republiek: Rijkdom, geloof, macht en cultuur, von Kees Zandvliet (see #16, Johan de Graeff)](_blank)
/ref>
* 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 ...
(1671–1719), Lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam, canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
in the cathedral chapter
According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...
of St. Pieter in Utrecht
* Johan de Graeff (1673–1714), Lord of Zuid-Polsbroek, Purmerland and Ilpendam, Amsterdam regent
Career
Before the Rampjaar
In 1662, Pieter de Graeff became a member of the vroedschap
The vroedschap () was the name for the (all male) city council in the early modern Netherlands; the member of such a council was called a ''vroedman'', literally a "wise man". An honorific title of the ''vroedschap'' was the ''vroede vaderen'', ...
of the City of Amsterdam. In 1664, after the death of his father Cornelis, he succeeded him as lord of Zuid-Polsbroek and became a chief administrator
The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...
of the Dutch East Indies Company
The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock c ...
(VOC). He was very interested in agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
, which he was able to follow eagerly as wind lifter of the VOC and as landlord. During the 1660s De Graeff became one of the guardians
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
of prince William III of Orange
William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from the ...
.
De Graeff was also an advisor and a close friend to his brother-in-law Grand Pensionary 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 ...
. The relationship between the two is described as very good and intimate.[Pieter de Graeffs Biography at ''digitale bibliothek voor de nederlandse letteren'', part VII (dutch)]
/ref> The two shared an intensive correspondence. Some letters between the two deal with the upbringing of the young William of Orange, the ''child of state''. When De Graeff's sister-in-law and cousin Wendela Bicker
Wendela Bicker (Amsterdam, baptized 30 December 1635 – 1 July 1668) was the wife of Johan de Witt. She was one of the richest young female commoners of her time and she married one of the most influential republican politicians in the Netherl ...
died in 1668, he and his brother-in-law Jean Deutz
Jean may refer to:
People
* Jean (female given name)
* Jean (male given name)
* Jean (surname)
Fictional characters
* Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character
* Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations
* Jean ...
were appointed guardians of their nephews and nieces and were responsible for handling the estate. In the early 1670s, under the influence of the orangist burgomasters Gillis Valckenier
Gillis Valckenier (1623–1680) was nine years burgomaster of Amsterdam: in 1665, 1666, 1668, 1670, 1673, 1674, 1676, 1678, 1679. He was a strong personality, but changing allies as a real opportunist.
Life
Valckenier was the only son of Wouter V ...
and Coenraad van Beuningen
Coenraad van Beuningen (1622 – 26 October 1693) was the Dutch Republic's most experienced diplomat, burgomaster of Amsterdam in 1669, 1672, 1680, 1681, 1683 and 1684, and from 1681 a Dutch East India Company director. He probably was bipolar, ...
, an anti-De Witt faction crystallized in the Amsterdam city government. During the course of 1671, the Republican State Party, led by Pieter de Graeff, regained the upper hand in the Amsterdam city government. For a brief time it looked as if De Witt's republican system might be consolidated.
Rampjaar and afterwards
In the Rampjaar
In Dutch history, the year 1672 is referred to as the nl, Rampjaar, label=none (Disaster Year). In May 1672, following the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and its peripheral conflict the Third Anglo-Dutch War, France, supported by Münster an ...
1672, Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
of France conquered large areas of the Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...
. In order to protect the province of Holland, the States General The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:
Currently in use
* Estates-General on the Situation and Future of the French Language in Quebec, the name of a commission set up by the government of Quebec on June 29, 2000
* States Genera ...
had the dikes pierced and the sluices opened, flooding parts of the country. Although this stopped the advance of France, large areas of the country were devastated, which the population generally blamed on Johan de Witt. After the unsuccessful assassination attempt on De Witt on June 21 by Jacob van der Graeff, he was convalescent for a long time. During this time, Pieter de Graeff had two of his children with him. In a letter to De Witt, he emphasizes that there is no hurry, as he finds the children's company very pleasant.[www.johandewitt.nl (Johan de Witt Stichting): "De zwager van De Witt.", gepubliceerd op 22 februari 2022 door IH]
/ref> Since De Witt no longer saw any political prospects for himself after William of Orange was appointed stadholder of Holland, he resigned on August 4 as Grand Pensionary of Holland and West Friesland. At the beginning of September, the republican and ''Wittian'' (Johan de Witt) ''faction De Graeff'', including Pieter, his brother Jacob,
/ref> their uncle old-burgomaster
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 ...
Andries de Graeff
Andries de Graeff (19 February 1611 – 30 November 1678) was a powerful member of the Amsterdam branch of the De Graeff - family during the Dutch Golden Age. He became a mayor of Amsterdam and a powerful Amsterdam regent after the death of his ...
and their cousin burgomaster Lambert Reynst
Lambert Reynst (1613–1679) was a Dutch regent and politician of the Golden Age. Born in Amsterdam, he belonged to the "republican" Dutch States Party.
Family
He came from the patrician Reynst family and was the son of Hendrick Reynst and his wi ...
, was expelled from the Amsterdam government. With the raise of the House of Orange
The House of Orange-Nassau (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Huis van Oranje-Nassau'', ) is the current dynasty, reigning house of the Netherlands. A branch of the European House of Nassau, the house has played a central role in the Politics and governm ...
and Gillis Valckenier
Gillis Valckenier (1623–1680) was nine years burgomaster of Amsterdam: in 1665, 1666, 1668, 1670, 1673, 1674, 1676, 1678, 1679. He was a strong personality, but changing allies as a real opportunist.
Life
Valckenier was the only son of Wouter V ...
at Amsterdam, the De Graeff family had no longer the chance to keep their power through Amsterdam and Holland. On August 20, the brothers Johan and Cornelis de Witt
Cornelis de Witt (; 15 June 1623 – 20 August 1672) was a Dutch politician and naval commendant 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 th ...
were murdered in the most horrible manner in The Hague by a crowd of Orange-minded people. After De Witts death he became the guardian over his five children, including Johan de Witt Jr Johan
* Johan (given name)
* ''Johan'' (film), a 1921 Swedish film directed by Mauritz Stiller
* Johan (band), a Dutch pop-group
** ''Johan'' (album), a 1996 album by the group
* Johan Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada
* Jo-Han, a manu ...
. Here De Graeff benefited from his upbringing and pedagogical knowledge, which he received from Comenius
John Amos Comenius (; cs, Jan Amos Komenský; pl, Jan Amos Komeński; german: Johann Amos Comenius; Latinized: ''Ioannes Amos Comenius''; 28 March 1592 – 15 November 1670) was a Czech philosopher, pedagogue and theologian who is considere ...
in his youth. His diary entries show that they were well taken care of.
De Graeff remained only the function of a president-bewindhebber of the VOC, which he held until his death. Between the years 1671 and 1678 De Graeff, who increasingly emerged as one of the leaders of the VOC, worked closely with Joan Maetsuycker
Joan Maetsuycker (14 October 1606 – 24 January 1678) was the Governor of Zeylan during the Dutch period in Ceylon and Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1653 to 1678. He was appointed as Governor of Zeylan on 24 March 1646 and was go ...
, the governor-general of the Dutch East Indies. Especially in the years 1673/74 the brothers Pieter and Jacob tried unsuccessfully with stadholder Willem III to come into favor. The brothers no longer enjoyed the favor of Willem, and both remained without office for the rest of their lives.
In 1674, De Graeff had active cash assets of 130,000 guilders
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' "gold penny". This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Roman Empir ...
, making him one of the 250 richest people of the Dutch Golden Age. In 1678 he inherited his aunt 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 ...
, widow of Amsterdam burgomaster Frans Banning Cocq
Frans Banninck Cocq (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Banning), ''lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam'' (1605–1655) was a burgemeester (mayor), knight and military person of Amsterdam in the mid-17th century. He belonged to the wealthy and powerful ...
, who had a fortune of 200,000 guilders in 1674. This inheritance came from members of the Overlander, Hooft and Banninck Cocq families, from whom he also inherited the other assets. After the death of his brother and mother in 1691 he became lord of the high Lordship of Purmerland and Ilpendam. The historian Kees Zandvliet estimates De Graeff's fortune based on this and other inheritances at the end of the 17th century at at least 1 million guilders.
Pieter de Graeff died in 1707 as a widower, after his wife Jacoba Bicker has died in 1695. He was buried in the family vault in the Oude Kerk at Amsterdam.
Art and lifestyle
Like his father Cornelis and his uncle Andries, Pieter de Graeff was also a man who surrounded himself with art and beauty. His estate contains several paintings depicting him at different stages of his life. He was painted by Gerard ter Borch
Gerard ter Borch (; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (), was a Dutch genre painter who lived in the Dutch Golden Age. He influenced fellow Dutch painters Gabriel Metsu, Gerrit Dou, Eglon van der Neer and Johanne ...
,[Pieter de Graeff in the farewell speech of prof. dr. C.W. Foc]
''Het stempel van de bewoner'', p 9
(PDF; 1 MB) Jan Lievens
Jan Lievens (24 October 1607 – 4 June 1674) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who was associated with his close contemporary Rembrandt, a year older, in the early parts of their careers. They shared a birthplace in Leiden, training with Pieter L ...
Caspar Netscher
Caspar (or Gaspar) Netscher (1639 – January 15, 1684) was a Dutch portrait and genre painter. He was a master in depicting oriental rugs, silk and brocade and introduced an international style to the Northern Netherlands.
Life
According to ...
and Wallerant Vaillant
Wallerant Vaillant (30 May 1623 – 28 August 1677) was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and one of the first artists to use the mezzotint technique, which he probably helped to develop.
Family
Wallerant Vaillant was born in Lille, the o ...
, Govert Flinck
Govert (or Govaert) Teuniszoon Flinck (25 January 16152 February 1660) was a Dutch painter of the Dutch Golden Age.
Life
Born at Kleve, capital of the Duchy of Cleves, which was occupied at the time by the United Provinces, he was apprenticed by ...
and like his brother Jacob by Karel Dujardin
Karel Dujardin (September 27, 1626November 20, 1678) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Although he did a few portraits and a few history paintings of religious subjects, most of his work is small Italianate landscape scenes with animals and peasan ...
There are also three group portraits with his parents and close relatives. The first dates from 1652 and was painted by Jan Victors
Jan Victors or Fictor (bapt. June 13, 1619 – December 1679) was a Dutch Golden Age painter mainly of history paintings of Biblical scenes, with some genre scenes. He may have been a pupil of Rembrandt. He probably died in the Dutch East In ...
. It shows them as the biblical characters Archfather Isaac
Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was the ...
and Rebecca
Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
and their children Esau
Esau ''Ēsaû''; la, Hesau, Esau; ar, عِيسَوْ ''‘Īsaw''; meaning "hairy"Easton, M. ''Illustrated Bible Dictionary'', (, , 2006, p. 236 or "rough".Mandel, D. ''The Ultimate Who's Who in the Bible'', (.), 2007, p. 175 is the elder son o ...
and Jacob
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...
. The second, by Jacob van Ruisdael
Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael (; 1629 – 10 March 1682) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and etcher. He is generally considered the pre-eminent landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great wealth and cultural achi ...
and Thomas de Keyser
Thomas de Keyser (c. 1596–1667) was a Dutch portrait painter, a dealer in Belgium bluestone and stone mason. He was the most in-demand portrait painter in the Netherlands until the 1630s, when Rembrandt eclipsed him in popularity. Rembrandt ...
, shows the family arriving at the country house in Soestdijk
Soestdijk () is a neighbourhood of Soest and a hamlet in the municipality of Baarn. Both are part of the province of Utrecht, Netherlands. The village gives its name to Paleis Soestdijk, which from 1937 to 2004 was the residence of Princess and ...
. In 1678, De Graeff was immortalized with his wife Jacoba Bicker and their daughter Agneta de Graeff by Emanuel de Witte
Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte als ...
in the painting Portrait of a Family in an Interior. C. W. Fock of the University of Leiden
Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Le ...
describes in her work – ''Het stempel van de bewoner'' – Pieter de Graeffs patronage, art-collection and lifestyle. He stand also in close correspondence to his brother-in-law Grand Pensionary 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 ...
, ambassador Jacob Boreel
Jacob Boreel (1 April 1630, in Amsterdam – 21 August 1697, in Velsen) was an ambassador in France, sheriff and burgomaster of Amsterdam in 1696. Between 1664 and 1665 he travelled through Russia with his friend Nicolaes Witsen. In 1679, he becam ...
, poet Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch poet, writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most ...
, painter Jan Lievens, mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
On ...
, astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...
and physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
Christiaan Huygens
Christiaan Huygens, Lord of Zeelhem, ( , , ; also spelled Huyghens; la, Hugenius; 14 April 1629 – 8 July 1695) was a Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and inventor, who is regarded as one of the greatest scientists of ...
as well as to polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm (von) Leibniz . ( – 14 November 1716) was a German polymath active as a mathematician, philosopher, scientist and diplomat. He is one of the most prominent figures in both the history of philosophy and the history of mathema ...
From Pieter de Graeff diaries have been preserved. He made several notes on negotiations and payments from his possessions. He lived in the cityhouse at Amsterdam's Herengracht No. 573, today's Tassenmuseum Hendrikje
The Museum of Bags and Purses ( nl, Tassenmuseum Amsterdam), was a museum devoted to the history of bags, purses, and their related accessories. Located in Amsterdam's historic central canal belt, the museum's collection included over 5,000 item ...
, the country estates ''Valkenburg'', ''Vogelsang'' and ''Bronstee'', and Ilpenstein Castle. He encountered some problems with the famous graphical artist Romeyn de Hooghe
Romeyn de Hooghe (bapt. 10 September 1645 – 10 June 1708) was a late Dutch Baroque painter, sculptor, engraver and caricaturist.
Biography
He was born in Amsterdam, and was a skilled etcher, draughtsman, painter, sculptor and medalist. ...
, who was going to draw an artistic map of ''Valkenburg''. Besides he had some maps coloured by the artist David Reerigh, who also coloured several maps of the ''Hoogheemraadschap of Rijnland'' of 1687.
De Graeff also filled forty almanacs
An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and other ...
, or some 1600 pages, between 1664 and 1706. His library at his cityhouse Herengracht 573 comprised more than 2,300 books in various languages and on a wide variety of subjects, forming a microcosm of 17th-century knowledge. Thanks to a list of estates drawn up after his death in 1707, it is possible to get an idea of his possessions and collections. An auction catalog that appeared after the turn of the millennium also ensures that his library can be reconstructed in detail.[Gemeente Amsterdam. Erfgoed van de Week , De boekenkamer van Pieter de Graeff (7 april 2022)](_blank)
/ref>
Genealogical activity
Pieter de Graeff was an excessive genealogist
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinsh ...
, collector of family papers and chronicler of writings and documents of his family throughout his life. Through him, many genealogical facts and information about his gender are still archived today. The De Graeff family archive in Amsterdam contained many of these pieces as late as 1912. He archived his uncle Amsterdam burgomaster and statesman Andries Bicker's personal notes and basic papers, as well as particularly notes about the De Dolphijn house, formerly owned by his great-uncle burgomaster Volkert Overlander
Volkert Overlander (also ''Volcker'' and ''Volckert Overlander''; 7 October 1570 – 18 October 1630) was a Dutch noble, jurist, ship-owner, merchant and an Amsterdam regent from the Dutch Golden Age.
Biography
Volkert was born in Amsterdam, th ...
and later by his son-in-law and De Graeff's uncle burgomaster Frans Banninck Cocq
Frans Banninck Cocq (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Banning), ''lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam'' (1605–1655) was a burgemeester (mayor), knight and military person of Amsterdam in the mid-17th century. He belonged to the wealthy and powerful ...
. He also compiled the (older) genealogy of the imperial barons De Petersen, to whom he was related as a grand cousin of Count Palatine Jacob de Petersen.
=The family album of Frans Banninck Cocq
=
In the Amsterdam patriciate of the 16th and 17th centuries, there were two families with very similar names, the Banning(h) family, also known as Benning(h), and the Banninck family, which were not closely related to each other. The first-named family was of greater importance, since they were members of the city government for a longer period of time. Frans Banninck Cocq
Frans Banninck Cocq (sometimes incorrectly spelled as Banning), ''lord of Purmerland and Ilpendam'' (1605–1655) was a burgemeester (mayor), knight and military person of Amsterdam in the mid-17th century. He belonged to the wealthy and powerful ...
, the captain in Rembrandt's famous painting 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 ...
and Pieter de Graeff's uncle, belonged to the less important Banninck family via his mother's side. Due to the similar names, there were already misspellings among contemporaries. A two-part family album created by Banninck Cocq contains numerous colored drawings and watercolors in addition to a copy of The Night Watch. It shows the genealogy of his family, with illustrations of a number of coats of arms. Numerous buildings are also shown to which Banninck Cocq had a relationship. Many of the illustrations were probably painted by himself, and the book was completed by himself around 1654. The Night Watch was probably painted by Jacob Colijns on behalf of Banninck Cocq. A number of handwritten additions were made by De Graeff after Banninck Cocq's death in 1655. It is possible that other drawings and watercolors in the family book were also added by Colijns after Banninck Cocq's death, who also forged or falsified documents on other families related to him in De Graeff's favor.
For a long time it was assumed that Banninck Cocq himself had manipulated the family albums in such a way that they proved his origin from the older patrician family. In fact, the forgeries were made in the handwriting of De Graeff, who had lost all municipal offices after the Rampjaar in 1672 and therefore also had reason and opportunity to improve his family history. The painter Colijns, who may have also painted the copy of the Night Watch in the family album, and the poet Joost van den Vondel
Joost van den Vondel (; 17 November 1587 – 5 February 1679) was a Dutch poet, writer and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are the ones from that period that are still most ...
also assisted him in manipulating this family history. The Dutch historian Johan Engelbert Elias
Johan Engelbert Elias (18 August 1875 – 1 August 1959) was a Dutch historian known mostly for his important work on the history of Amsterdam's regency ("Vroedschap van Amsterdam").
Biography
He was born on a canal house on the Keizersgracht ...
published his two-volume history of the Amsterdam city government ''De vroedschap van Amsterdam, 1578–1795'' between 1903 and 1905. Elias did not see through De Graeff's forgeries and combined both families into one, but this could be refuted in the 21st century by new research and the completely different family crests. The family book is still owned by the De Graeff family and is on permanent loan in the Rijksprentenkabinet
The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Ste ...
of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.[Stichting Foundation ]Rembrandt Research Project
The Rembrandt Research Project (RRP) was an initiative of the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO), which is the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. Its purpose was to organize and categorize research on Remb ...
(Hg.): ''A Corpus of Rembrandt Paintings. III. 1635–1642.'' Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, Boston, London 1989, , chapter ''A146 The Night Watch'', p 430–485.
Titles
Notes
Literature
* Zandvliet, Kees (2006) ''De 250 rijksten van de Gouden Eeuw: kapitaal, macht, familie en levensstijl'' blz. 93 t/m 94, uitg. Nieuw Amsterdam, Amsterdam,
* Burke, P. (1994) ''Venice and Amsterdam. A study of seventeenth-century élites.''
* Graeff, P. De (P. de Graeff Gerritsz en Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek
Jhr. Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek (born ''Dirk de Graeff''; named also ''Van Polsbroek'' or ''Polsbroek'') (Amsterdam, 28 August 1833 – 27 June 1916, The Hague) was a Dutch aristocrat, merchant and diplomat. Between 1863 and 1868 he was Dutch C ...
) ''Genealogie van de familie De Graeff van Polsbroek'' Amsterdam 1882, Antiquariaat A.G. van der Steur
* Bruijn, J. H. ''De Genealogie van het geslacht De Graeff van Polsbroek 1529/1827'' Antiquariaat A.G. van der Steur
* Moelker, H.P. ''De heerlijkheid Purmerland en Ilpendam'' (1978 Purmerend)
External links
Biographie Pieter de Graeff – Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek. Deel 2
Biographie Pieter de Graeff – Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek. Deel 7
Pieter de Graeff by Caspar Netscher, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graeff, Pieter De
1638 births
1707 deaths
Dutch nobility
17th-century Dutch politicians
Pieter, de Graeff
Aldermen of Amsterdam
Lords of Zuid-Polsbroek
Lords of Purmerland and Ilpendam
Administrators of the Dutch East India Company
Burials at the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam