Johan Valckenaer
Encyclopedia
Johan Valckenaer was a Dutch lawyer, patriot and diplomat.
was Franeker university's professor of law and, in 1766, was appointed to succeed Tiberius Hemsterhuis
at Leiden. Johan, in the meantime, had become deeply interested in classical and French writers such as Voltaire
and Rousseau. He graduated in 1781. His family was related to the Luzacs, publishers of the internationally renowned newspaper "Gazette de Leyde" - Emilie Luzac
and her father Johan were Valckenaer's cousins.
In 1782, Valckenaer was appointed to the College of Franeker, but in May 1787 was discharged for his membership of an exercitiegenootschap
. He got an appointment in Utrecht
, then a democratic Patriot stronghold. At the beginning September Valckenaer tried in vain to organize a force to hold back Frisian state members under the leadership of Court Lambertus van Beyma
, trying to create an alternative Provincial States at Franeker. A few weeks later, after the raid on the Netherlands by a Prussian army, many patriots fled in the first place to Amsterdam, then to Brussels
and Saint-Omer
in northern France. The most important Patriots, such as Wybo Fijnje
, H. W. Daendels, Adam Gerard Mappa
and Valckenaer lived temporarily in a castle in Watten
and formed a kind of commune
, that jointly bought a billiards set, restored the rooms and grew its own vegetables.
In between Valckenaer and Van Beyma were no friends anymore. In his flight from Franeker, Van Beyma forgot to take signed and extremely chargeable documents with him, so that a large group of Frisian patriots could be jailed and within two years condemned. Valckenaer was furious. Then both men also got into a quarrel over the distribution of the travel expenses. Nevertheless, Van Beyma and Valckenaer both organized the benefit payments originating from the French state. A difference of understanding between Valckenaer and Van Beyma about leadership in politics, the establishment of an employment project, a shipbuilding enterprise in Gravelines
, the care of the administration and the size of the payments brought about an even more violent break between them, with Valckenaeristen and Beymanisten factions of Patriots fighting each other in pamphlets. The dispute reached a climax in 1791. Valckenaer got no payment from Van Beyma, but did get the support of the patriot members of the former political establishment and so won the dispute. In 1792, the commune was dissolved and a Batavian Revolutionary Committee
set up.
In January 1795, the "Batavian Legion over the Rhine" carried out a velvet revolution. Johan Valckenaar got an appointment in Leiden. In 1796, he was chosen as a member of the Batavian Republic's National Assembly. Already freely shortly was he of opinion that the revolutions had come full circle and accepted an embassy from Madrid
, and attempted to get the Spanish support against England.
In the Netherlands, he chose to return to being a gentleman farmer (Hereboer), as a hoofdingeland of the Rhine country. In 1805 he also had contact with Maria Hulshoff. Under king Louis Bonaparte
, he became a financial counsellor.
He died in 1821 in his mansion outside Bennebroek
, where he regularly invited his friends Theodorus van Kooten
(who had also traveled with him to Spain), Samuel Iperusz Wiselius, Willem Bilderdijk
and Anton Reinhard Falck
.
Life
His father Lodewijk Caspar ValckenaerLodewijk Caspar Valckenaer
Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer was a Dutch classical scholar, at Leiden. He was a follower of Tiberius Hemsterhuis, and his successor in 1766 in the chair of Greek at Leiden. He was born in Leeuwarden....
was Franeker university's professor of law and, in 1766, was appointed to succeed Tiberius Hemsterhuis
Tiberius Hemsterhuis
Tiberius Hemsterhuis was a Dutch philologist and critic.-Life:He was born in Groningen. His father, a learned physician, gave him a good early education and he entered the university of his native city in his fifteenth year, where he proved himself the best student of mathematics...
at Leiden. Johan, in the meantime, had become deeply interested in classical and French writers such as Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
and Rousseau. He graduated in 1781. His family was related to the Luzacs, publishers of the internationally renowned newspaper "Gazette de Leyde" - Emilie Luzac
Emilie Luzac
Emilie Luzac was the second daughter of Jean Luzac, book seller and publisher, and Anna Hillegonda Valckenaer...
and her father Johan were Valckenaer's cousins.
In 1782, Valckenaer was appointed to the College of Franeker, but in May 1787 was discharged for his membership of an exercitiegenootschap
Exercitiegenootschap
An exercitiegenootschap or militia was a military organisation in the 18th century Netherlands, in the form of an armed private organization with a democratically chosen administration, aiming to train the citizens and the lower bourgeoisie in use of muskets...
. He got an appointment in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, then a democratic Patriot stronghold. At the beginning September Valckenaer tried in vain to organize a force to hold back Frisian state members under the leadership of Court Lambertus van Beyma
Court Lambertus van Beyma
Coert or Court Lambertus van Beyma was a notary and auctioneer, delegate and representative of the Frisian States, leader of the Frisian patriots, coup leader and in exile in northern France...
, trying to create an alternative Provincial States at Franeker. A few weeks later, after the raid on the Netherlands by a Prussian army, many patriots fled in the first place to Amsterdam, then to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
in northern France. The most important Patriots, such as Wybo Fijnje
Wybo Fijnje
Wybo Fijnje was a Dutch Mennonite minister, publisher in Delft, Patriot, exile, coup perpetrator, politician and - during the French era - manager of the state newspaper.-Early life:...
, H. W. Daendels, Adam Gerard Mappa
Adam Gerard Mappa
Adam Gerard Mappa was a Dutch Patriot and active colonel in a local militia,...
and Valckenaer lived temporarily in a castle in Watten
Watten, Nord
-Sights:The village is famous for its old ruined abbey, and for its mill, which was restored in the 1990s. These two buildings are located on the "Mountain of Watten" . Its church dates from the thirteenth century.-References:* *...
and formed a kind of commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
, that jointly bought a billiards set, restored the rooms and grew its own vegetables.
In between Valckenaer and Van Beyma were no friends anymore. In his flight from Franeker, Van Beyma forgot to take signed and extremely chargeable documents with him, so that a large group of Frisian patriots could be jailed and within two years condemned. Valckenaer was furious. Then both men also got into a quarrel over the distribution of the travel expenses. Nevertheless, Van Beyma and Valckenaer both organized the benefit payments originating from the French state. A difference of understanding between Valckenaer and Van Beyma about leadership in politics, the establishment of an employment project, a shipbuilding enterprise in Gravelines
Gravelines
Gravelines is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies at the mouth of the river Aa 15 miles southwest of Dunkirk. There is a market in the town square on Saturdays. The "Arsenal" approached from the town square is home to an extensive and carefully displayed art collection....
, the care of the administration and the size of the payments brought about an even more violent break between them, with Valckenaeristen and Beymanisten factions of Patriots fighting each other in pamphlets. The dispute reached a climax in 1791. Valckenaer got no payment from Van Beyma, but did get the support of the patriot members of the former political establishment and so won the dispute. In 1792, the commune was dissolved and a Batavian Revolutionary Committee
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
set up.
In January 1795, the "Batavian Legion over the Rhine" carried out a velvet revolution. Johan Valckenaar got an appointment in Leiden. In 1796, he was chosen as a member of the Batavian Republic's National Assembly. Already freely shortly was he of opinion that the revolutions had come full circle and accepted an embassy from Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, and attempted to get the Spanish support against England.
In the Netherlands, he chose to return to being a gentleman farmer (Hereboer), as a hoofdingeland of the Rhine country. In 1805 he also had contact with Maria Hulshoff. Under king Louis Bonaparte
Louis Bonaparte
Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Français, Comte de Saint-Leu , King of Holland , was the fifth surviving child and the fourth surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino...
, he became a financial counsellor.
He died in 1821 in his mansion outside Bennebroek
Bennebroek
Bennebroek is a town and former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland, now part of Bloemendaal municipality. Before its merger, it was the smallest municipality in the Netherlands, covering an area of only 1.75 km².-History:...
, where he regularly invited his friends Theodorus van Kooten
Theodorus van Kooten
Dr. Theodorus van Kooten was a Dutch poet, professor and politician.Van Kooten was the son of the sexton at Leeuwarden, and amazed all visitors to his father's house by translating randomly selected pieces from the Greek bible into Dutch. Van Kooten became Kampen's rector in 1772...
(who had also traveled with him to Spain), Samuel Iperusz Wiselius, Willem Bilderdijk
Willem Bilderdijk
Willem Bilderdijk , Dutch poet, the son of an Amsterdam physician. When he was six years old an accident to his foot incapacitated him for ten years, and he developed habits of continuous and concentrated study...
and Anton Reinhard Falck
Anton Reinhard Falck
Anton Reinhard Falck was a Dutch statesman.He studied at the University of Leiden, and entered the Dutch diplomat service, being appointed to the legation at Madrid, Spain...
.
External links
- http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/08909
- http://home.tiscali.nl/~kastelenzuidholland/Pages/Oud-Leeuwenhorst.htm
- http://www.kasteleninnoordholland.nl/Kasteelbeschrijvingen/BijwegBennebroek.htm