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Johan de Witt by Workshop of Adriaen Hanneman –

Top 10 Astonishing Facts About Johan de Witt

In the mid-17th Century, Johan de Witt was a Dutch statesman and a major political mogul in Netherlands history, ruling the Dutch Republic for close to two decades. This was during the Dutch Golden Age when sea trade flourished during a time of globalization that made the republic among the leading European trading and seafaring power.

Johan governed the republic from around 1650 with his rule leading to peace with England in 1654. In addition, he was greatly involved in signing Peace treaties with both Breda and Alkamaar in 1667. This was shortly before his death when he was murdered and cannibalized by a pro-Orangist mob in 1672.

Below are some astonishing facts about Johan de Witt;

1.Johan de Witt Was Born During The Dutch Golden Age

Johan de Witt portrait by Rijksmuseum-

He was born in Dordrecht on September 24th, 1625 during the Dutch Golden Age. Johan was a part of the old Dutch patrician family De Witt. He had an older sibling Cornelis de Witt.

Born to Anna Van den Corput and Jacob de Witt a well-known regent and burgher from, one of the most crucial cities of the powerful dominating portions of Holland, Dordrecht.

2.He Practiced Law As An Associate

Associates by Honoré Daumier –

Johan and his brother grew up in a loving environment where all their needs were provided for without question in terms of their education. Due to the father’s good relationships with scholars and scientists who were influential, both Johan and Cornelis attended Latin School in Dordrecht. This proved to instill values in the Roman Republic.

Johan soon after attended Leiden University and performed exceptionally well in mathematics and Law. Johan went on and received his doctorate in 1645. Subsequently, he became an associate in Frans van Schooten’s firm.

3.Johan de Witt Married To The Powerful Amsterdam Oligarchy

He tied the knot in 1655 to Wendela Bicker. She was the daughter of Johan Bicker and Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek who were part of the inner circle of the potent Amsterdam oligarchy. This in turn made Johan related to the ruling patrician families his relation being with the Bicker family name. Johan and Wendela bore four children.

4.He Was Elected Councilor Pensionary (Chief Legal And Political Officer)

The States of Holland appointed Johan as the councilor pensionary in 1653. This was after he was appointed principal deputy of the delegation of Dordrecht to the States of Holland and west Friesland in 1650 and became pensionary of the same later in the year in December.

Therefore, he was in practice head of foreign and fiscal policies as well as the political leader for the United provinces and Holland respectively. Johan was a leader committed to ‘True Freedom’. Additionally in 1652 barely 27, De Witt faced an angry mob of sailors and fishermen in the city of Vlissingen who were demonstrating.

5.De Witt Released His Dad When He Got Arrested

As a result of the marriage between one of Johan de Witt’s uncles and the daughter of Anna Johanna of Nassau-Siegen, De Witt became a distant relative to William III of House of Orange. This relation, however, became estranged after the coup d’etat of William II when Johan’s father got arrested who was at the time the deputy of the states of Holland.

Johan de Witt’s father lost his office but not his honor when finally, Johan obtained his release. The incident made both families overlook their relationship and they became more distant.

6.De Witt Amongst Other Leaders Created A Fully Republican Regime

After the death of William II in November, it left William II heir to be the next governor and captain-general. William III was too young and De Witt alongside his father and other leaders formulated a complete republican regime. The regime was later labeled ‘True Regime’.

Johan was politically intelligent and made use of his position as councilor pensionary to the States of Holland to intercept the reinstatement of the Prince of Orange. During his era, it is notable that it was the first in Dutch history to not elect any governors in Holland inclusive of four other provinces from the death of William II in 1650 until the appointment of William III.

7.He Was Involved In The Anglo-Dutch Wars That Led To His Downfall

Johan De Witt had prepared the Dutch navy and they were ready for the second Anglo-Dutch wars that commenced in West Africa in 1664 and 1655 in Europe. De Witt continued with the course of vigorous offense leading to a triumphant campaign of June 1667 that pushed the English to make peace in the treaty of Breda in July. Johann allied with England to stop French advances in the Spanish Netherlands in the War of Devolution.

Johan tried to maintain an alliance with France that had been formed in 1662. England joined in an invasion of the Republic after Louis XIV convinced both Sweden and England to go against the alliance they had set before with Holland. This led to the Dutch War.

8.Johan de Witt And His Brother Were Assassinated

Johan de Witt attacked on the street by Rijksmuseum –

De Witt made a mistake and focused more on the navy than the land forces and subsequently stalled the appointment of William III as general of Holland. This led to the capture of the heart of the united provinces. Johan de Witt alongside his brother Cornelis de Witt was blamed for the invasion by an alliance of England, France, and some German states. He was condemned as a traitor and hurt during an assassination attempt.

Johan stepped down as a councilor pensionary. The mob accosted the two brothers from prison. They were both executed by an Orangeist mob in The Hague hung by their feet and their corpses partially devoured by the rioters.

9.William III Failed To Persecute The Ring Leaders Who Assassinated The De Witt Brothers

William III did not take action on the known ring leaders of the Orangeist mob that assassinated both Johan and Cornelis. He is further questioned whether he had a hand in it but it remains unknown.

This is coherent with his order to withdraw the federal cavalry detachment which would have otherwise proved to help prevent the massacre raises questions.

10.The De Witt Brothers’ Body Remains Are Displayed In The Museum

Johan de Witt statue by Frederik Engel Jeltsema by Txllxt TxllxT –

The Orangeist mob ripped the bodies of the brothers with some eating the flesh, others selling while others took on to display them. Some of the body parts of the De Witt brothers remained and were preserved and displayed in the Historical Museum of The Hague where the prison gates stand and even had a statue put up in his memory by Frederik Engel Jeltsema .

A box of relics containing Johan’s tongue, a finger alongside a poem, and documents that were put together by Witt supporters are also preserved.

Johan de Witt’s rise and the most brutal assassination that was cannibalistic thereafter led to the fall of a great political figure in European history. Even though the authenticity of his death is questionable.