biography
| name: |
Oldenbarnevelt, Johan van
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| |
also Jan
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pronunciation:
[van oldenbah(r)nuhvelt]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1547–1619)
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| biography:
| Possibly the most important politician in the early years of the Republic of The Netherlands, born in Amersfoort, a member of an aristocratic family. In 1569 he was Advocate of the Court of Holland and opted for the Revolt in 1572. He was Pensionary of Rotterdam (1576) and influenced the text of the Union of Utrecht. In 1586 he was Advocate of Holland and supported Maurice of Orange as stadtholder as an alternative to Leicester, but with clear reserved powers for the States. A humanist, he only joined the Reformed Church in 1592. He always fought for the unity of the Republic led by Holland. He appreciated the importance of trade, and was largely responsible for the development of the Compagnie van Verre into the VOC (United East India Company). In 1596 he brought about the Triple Alliance of England, France, and the Republic, but favoured peace with Spain as soon as it was apparent that Spain also wanted it. His crowning achievement was the negotiation of the Twelve Year Truce (1609) with Spain which gave the Dutch virtual independence. He made many enemies, including the strict Calvinists who feared any accommodation with Spain, Frederick Henry of Orange, and particularly Prince Maurice, whose position as stadtholder would be threatened by the hegemony of Holland and whom Oldenbarnevelt mistrusted in the light of his connections with France and Henry IV's ambitions for power in The Netherlands. He was finally accused by Maurice of attempting a coup d'état, tried by a specially appointed court, and executed in The Hague in 1619. He was later regarded by the Regents of Holland, whom he had supported against Leicester's centralizing policy and who rapidly regained their power vis-à-vis the stadtholder, as a martyr to the ‘true freedom’, ie the hegemony of Holland. The poet Vondel wrote in praise of him. |
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