Clara van Spaerwoude
Encyclopedia
Clara Jansdochter van Spaerwoude (sometimes written Sparwoude) (ca. 1530 – August 4, 1615) was a Dutch
noblewoman of Delft
who is chiefly remembered for her great wealth and various charitable funds from her estate. The most famous of these granted a sum of money to each of her relatives and their descendants upon their marriage, and was in continuous operation until 1922, when the monies were liquidated by the Dutch government.
of Delft, and his second wife Willemtgen Willemsdr (1495–1564). In 1556 she married Arent Vranckenzn. van der Meer (died 1596), a high-ranking city official and burgemeester in Delft. Following her death on August 4, 1615, she was interred on August 8 in the Oude Kerk
in Delft, where her prominent tomb is visible still.
As Clara and her husband had no children together, upon her death she donated her considerable riches to various charitable projects, including a fund for "poor relations", typically interpreted as meaning all descendants of her elder half-brother Adriaan and younger half-sister Maritgen. A payment was made to each relation upon their wedding.
Originally a considerable sum of money, the amount paid dwindled over the centuries as a result of inflation and the increasing number of "relations." In the early 20th century the Dutch government retained an official whose only task was maintaining the pedigree of Clara van Spaerwoude's family and disbursing the funds to qualifying relatives.
By the 1920s the fund still held half a million guilder
s, but the payment per relation had dwindled to the equivalent of €11.35. In 1922 the Dutch government passed a law liquidating the balance of the fund and dispensing it among the poorest 10% of adult van Spaerwoude relations.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
noblewoman of Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
who is chiefly remembered for her great wealth and various charitable funds from her estate. The most famous of these granted a sum of money to each of her relatives and their descendants upon their marriage, and was in continuous operation until 1922, when the monies were liquidated by the Dutch government.
Life and legacy
Clara was the daughter of Jan Heyndrixzn. (1477–1552) a goldsmithGoldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
of Delft, and his second wife Willemtgen Willemsdr (1495–1564). In 1556 she married Arent Vranckenzn. van der Meer (died 1596), a high-ranking city official and burgemeester in Delft. Following her death on August 4, 1615, she was interred on August 8 in the Oude Kerk
Oude Kerk (Delft)
The Oude Kerk , nicknamed Oude Jan , is a Gothic Protestant church in the old city center of Delft, the Netherlands. Its most recognizable feature is a 75-meter-high brick tower that leans about two meters from the vertical....
in Delft, where her prominent tomb is visible still.
As Clara and her husband had no children together, upon her death she donated her considerable riches to various charitable projects, including a fund for "poor relations", typically interpreted as meaning all descendants of her elder half-brother Adriaan and younger half-sister Maritgen. A payment was made to each relation upon their wedding.
Originally a considerable sum of money, the amount paid dwindled over the centuries as a result of inflation and the increasing number of "relations." In the early 20th century the Dutch government retained an official whose only task was maintaining the pedigree of Clara van Spaerwoude's family and disbursing the funds to qualifying relatives.
By the 1920s the fund still held half a million guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s, but the payment per relation had dwindled to the equivalent of €11.35. In 1922 the Dutch government passed a law liquidating the balance of the fund and dispensing it among the poorest 10% of adult van Spaerwoude relations.