Jean-Sylvain Van de Weyer (19 January 1802 – 23 May 1874) was a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

politician who served as the Belgian Minister at the

Court of St. James's The Court of St James's is the royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. All ambassadors to the United Kingdom are formally received by the court. All ambassadors from the United Kingdom are formally accredited from the court – & ...

, effectively the ambassador to the United Kingdom, and briefly, as the

prime minister of Belgium german: Premierminister von Belgien , insignia = State Coat of Arms of Belgium.svg , insigniasize = 100px , insigniacaption = Coat of arms , insigniaalt = , flag = Government ...

, all under King Leopold I.

Early life

Van de Weyer was born in Louvain on 19 January 1802. He was the son of Josse-Alexandre Van de Weyer (1769–1838) and Françoise Martine (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Goubau) Van de Weyer (1780–1853). He was the grandson of Jean-Baptiste (or Jean-Sylvain) Van de Weyer, who was from a

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...

family of Bautersem, and Josse Goubeau, ''commissaire de police'' de la ''quatrième section'' de Bruxelles. In 1811, his family relocated to

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 ...

. The family returned to Louvain when his father was named police commissioner for the city. Jean-Sylvain studied law at the

State University of Louvain The State University of Leuven was a university founded in 1817 in Leuven in Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was distinct from the Old University of Leuven (1425-1797) and from the Catholic University of Leuven, ...

and set up as a lawyer in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

in 1823.

Career

As a lawyer, he frequently defended newspapers and journalists that had fallen foul of the government of the

United Kingdom of the Netherlands The United Kingdom of the Netherlands ( nl, Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden; french: Royaume uni des Pays-Bas) is the unofficial name given to the Kingdom of the Netherlands as it existed between 1815 and 1839. The United Netherlands was cr ...

, of which modern Belgium then formed the southern half. On the outbreak of the

Belgian Revolution The Belgian Revolution (, ) was the conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium. T ...

in 1830, Van de Weyer was in Louvain, but hurried to Brussels where he became a member of the central committee of the

Provisional Government of Belgium The Provisional Government ( nl, Voorlopig Bewind; french: Gouvernement provisoire) was formed as a revolutionary committee of notables during the Belgian Revolution on 24 September 1830 at the Brussels City Hall under the name of Administrativ ...

. His command of the English language resulted in him serving as a diplomatic representative of the revolutionaries. In 1831, King Leopold I appointed Van de Weyer his "special representative" in London. The King at the time was

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

, who reigned from 1830 to 1837, when his niece became

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

who reigned until January 1901. During his tenure as Minister in London, Van de Weyer became a "beloved and honoured friend of the royal family," as was his wife, who became close to the Queen and comforted her after the death of

Albert, Prince Consort Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the consort of Queen Victoria from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his death in 1861. Albert was born in the Saxon duch ...

. Van de Weyer later served as the 8th Prime Minister of Belgium, succeeding

Jean-Baptiste Nothomb Jean-Baptiste, Baron Nothomb (3 July 1805 – 16 September 1881) was a Belgian statesman and diplomat, who served as the prime minister of Belgium from 1841 to 1845. Life Revolution Born at Messancy in Luxembourg on 3 July 1805, he was educate ...

. He was Vice-President of the

London Library The London Library is an independent lending library in London, established in 1841. It was founded on the initiative of Thomas Carlyle, who was dissatisfied with some of the policies at the British Museum Library. It is located at 14 St James' ...

from 1848 till his death in 1874. He was a founding member of the first '' Société des douze''.

Personal life

Princess Louise (1848-1939) and Louise van de Weyer by James Valentine (1815-1879)

On 12 February 1839, he married Elizabeth Anne Sturgis Bates (1817–1878), the only daughter of Joshua Bates of

Barings Bank Barings Bank was a British merchant bank based in London, and one of England's List of oldest banks in continuous operation, oldest merchant banks after Berenberg Bank, Barings' close collaborator and German representative. It was founded in 1762 ...

, and formerly of Boston. She has a brother, William Rufus Gray Bates, who died at a young age. Together, they had two sons and five daughters, who were brought up in

Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also , ) is a district in the West End of London, in the City of Westminster. Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street, forms its southern boundary. An Civil parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish and latterly a ...

and on their country estate, New Lodge, in the parish of

Winkfield Winkfield is a village and civil parish in the Bracknell Forest unitary authority of Berkshire, England. Geography According to the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 14,998. The parish includes the hamlets of Winkfield, Maidens Green ...

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

: * Lt. Colonel Victor William Bates Van de Weyer (1839–1915), educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

, married to Lady Emily Georgiana (1846–1932), daughter of

William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

. * Victoria Alexandrina Leopoldine van de Weyer (1841–1865), married to

Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden Henry Robert Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden, (2 May 1841 – 22 November 1906) was Governor of New South Wales from 1895 to 1899. Background Hampden was the son of Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden. He succeeded his father as second Viscount and ...

(1841–1906) on 21 January 1864. * Albert Sylvain Bates Van de Weyer (1845–1874), an Adjutant in the

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

. * Evelyn Elizabeth Sturgis Van de Weyer (1847–1853), who died young. * Louise Van de Weyer (died 1896), a friend of Princess Louise, daughter of

. * Alice Emma Sturgis Van de Weyer (1856–1926), who married Maj. Hon. Charles Brand (1855–1912), fourth son of

Henry Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden Henry Bouverie William Brand, 1st Viscount Hampden (24 December 181414 March 1892), was a British Liberal politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1872 to 1884. Background and education Brand was the second son of Genera ...

, on 15 August 1878. * Eleanor Van de Weyer (1865–1940), who married

Reginald Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher Reginald Baliol Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher, (30 June 1852 – 22 January 1930) was an historian and Liberal politician in the United Kingdom, although his greatest influence over military and foreign affairs was as a courtier, member of public c ...

(1852–1930), a British MP for Penryn and Falmouth, in 1879. Van de Weyer died on 23 May 1874 in

London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...

Descendants

Through his son Victor, he was the grandfather of Major William John Bates van de Weyer (1870–1946), who was responsible for Buddleja × weyeriana. William married Hon. Olive Elizabeth Wingfield, eldest daughter of

Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt Mervyn Edward Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt (13 October 1836 – 5 June 1904) was an Irish peer. He became Viscount Powerscourt in 1844 on the death of his father Richard Wingfield, 6th Viscount Powerscourt. Through this Wingfield line he ...

.Mosley, C. (Ed.). (2003).''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition.'' Vol. 1, p. 1130. Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd., Wilmington, Delaware, USA.Townend, P. (Ed.). ''Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 18th edition.'' Vol. 1, p. 686. Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1965–1972, London, England. Through his daughter Alice, he was the grandfather of Ruth Brand (d. 1967), who married John Dodson, 2nd Baron Monk Bretton (parents of John Dodson, 3rd Baron Monk Bretton); Lt.-Col. John Charles Brand (1885–1929), who married Lady Rosabelle Millicent St. Clair-Erskine, the daughter of James St Clair-Erskine, 5th Earl of Rosslyn. Through his youngest daughter, he was the grandfather of

Oliver Sylvain Baliol Brett, 3rd Viscount Esher Oliver Sylvain Baliol Brett, 3rd Viscount Esher, (23 March 1881 – 8 October 1963) was a British peer and politician. Early life Brett was the elder son of the Liberal courtier and politician Reginald Brett, 2nd Viscount Esher, the Governor o ...

(1881–1963); Maurice Vyner Baliol Brett (1882–1934), who married the famous

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

actress

Zena Dare Zena Dare (born Florence Hariette Zena Dones; 4 February 1887 – 11 March 1975) was an English singer and actress who was famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre and comedic plays in the first half of ...

;

Dorothy Brett Hon. Dorothy Eugénie Brett (10 November 1883 – 27 August 1977) was an Anglo-American painter, remembered as much for her social life as for her art. Born into an aristocratic British family, she lived a sheltered early life. During her ...

(1883–1977), who was a painter and member of the

Bloomsbury Group The Bloomsbury Group—or Bloomsbury Set—was a group of associated English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the first half of the 20th century, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E. M. Forster and Lytton Strac ...

; and

Sylvia Brett Sylvia Leonora, Lady Brooke, Ranee of Sarawak (born ''The Hon. Sylvia Leonora Brett'', 25 February 1885 – 11 November 1971), was an English aristocrat who became the consort to Sir Charles Vyner de Windt Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, the last of ...

(1885–1971), who became the last Ranee of

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...

on 24 May 1917, following the proclamation of her husband

Charles Vyner Brooke Vyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG, full name Charles Vyner de Windt Brooke (26 September 1874 – 9 May 1963) was the third and last White Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak. Early life The son of Charles Brooke and his wife Margaret de Windt ( Ranee Ma ...

Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...

Honours and arms

* : Croix de Fer. * :

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. In o ...

, By Royal Decree. * : Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold. * : Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the wo ...

. * : Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of Charles III The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III ( es, Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III, originally es, Real y Muy Distinguida Orden de Carlos III) was establ ...

. * : Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of the Tower and Sword The Ancient and Most Noble Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of the Valour, Loyalty and Merit ( pt, Antiga e Muito Nobre Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada, do Valor, Lealdade e Mérito), before 1910 Royal Military Order of the Tower an ...

. * : Knight Grand Cross in the

Saxe-Ernestine House Order The Saxe-Ernestine House Order (german: link=yes, Sachsen-Ernestinischer Hausorden)Hausorden
Herz ...

.Almanach royal de Belgique: Classé Et Mis En Ordre Par H. Tarlier /p. 140 * : Commander of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

References

External links

* ''

Biographie Nationale de Belgique The ''Biographie nationale de Belgique'' ( French; "National Biography of Belgium") is a biographical dictionary of Belgium. It was published by the Royal Academy of Belgium in 44 volumes between 1866 and 1986. A continuation series, entitled the ' ...

'', by

Herman Vander Linden Herman Vander Linden (1868–1956) was a Belgian historian who was a professor at the University of Liège. Life Vander Linden was born in Leuven on 27 April 1868 and was educated in the state secondary school there. He graduated doctor of philos ...

vol. 27
1938, col. 245–273;

by the Southwell Brothers of London.
Portrait of his wife, Van de Weyer, Elizabeth Anne Sturgis Bates, 1817–1878.
at

The Library Company of Philadelphia The Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) is a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia. Founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin as a library, the Library Company of Philadelphia has accumulated one of the most significant collections of hist ...

.
The Belgian Archives and the Van de Weyer Papers
at

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...

.
Posthumous miniature, by William Charles Bell, of Van de Weyer in the Royal Collection

Sylvain Van de Weyer at Stad Leuven

Bibliography

* J. BARTELOUS, ''Nos premiers ministres de Léopold Ier à Albert Ier 1831–1934'', Bruxelles, Collet, 1983.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van De Weyer, Sylvain 1802 births 1874 deaths Belgian Ministers of State Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Liberal Party (Belgium) politicians Members of the National Congress of Belgium Politicians from Leuven People from Winkfield Prime Ministers of Belgium Ambassadors of Belgium to the United Kingdom State University of Leuven alumni Sylvain