Witt, Jacob de

Jacob belonged to the aristocratic dynasty de Witt . He studied law at Leiden University and received a law degree there. In 1618, he became treasurer of the Dordrecht Synod , where he held a number of posts in the public service, was appointed burgomaster six times. He was also sent as an emissary to Sweden along with Andris Bikker .

He was a member of the States of Holland and an opponent of Wilhelm II of Orange , the stalter of Holland and four other provinces. Together with the Republicans brothers Cornelis and Andris de Graffe and their cousins ​​Cornelis and Andris Bickers, de Witt supported the signing of the Muenster world . In May 1650, they proposed reducing the size of the army, which caused a confrontation with William as army commander.

This conflict led to a conspiracy of William who tried to capture Amsterdam. On June 30, 1650, Wilhelm arrested de Witt and the burgomaster of Delft , Horn , Medemblik , Haarlem and Dordrecht (all prominent members of the Netherlands) in Binnenhof in The Hague. They were imprisoned in the castle of Louvestein . August 17, they were released after the abolition of the reduction in the size of the army.

In 1657, he moved to The Hague , but after the killing of his sons on August 20, 1672, when he was taken to a safe place, he avoided the Hague, then spent some time in Dordrecht, where he died on January 10, 1674.