John von Collas
Encyclopedia
John von Collas born Jean de Collas (11 November 1678 – 16 June 1753) was a late Baroque
architect
of the 18th century.
, his father was a counsellor of William III of Orange, the later William III of England
.
After the Edict of Fontainebleau
of 1685 the family was forced to flee from France and moved to the Netherlands
and further to London
in 1688. Collas grew up at the estates of
William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
and became a Page of Russell’s Granddaughter Mary Butler (1646–1707), he carried the train of Mary II of England
(1662–1694) at her coronation in 1689.
Aged 22, John von Collas was a member of the Royal Society
and started a journey to Asia
. Initially on his way through he arrived in Königsberg
in autumn 1701 and decided to stay in East Prussia
. He became a Royal Prussian
Engineer, counsillor, director of the Geometer and respected scholar. He was mentioned as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
in 1704.
Collas became the landlord of several estates in East Prussia like Dommelkeim (1703–1753), Naujeninken (1703–1731), Brandwehten (1703–1731), Perkuhnen (1717–1731), Sauerwalde (1720–1731), Laugallen (1718–1731), Kraupischkehmen, (1718–1731), Weißenstein/ Gutenfeld (1721–1753) and owned houses in Wehlau (1721–1753) and Borchersdorf
(1724–1753), in total he possessed about 2,720 Hectare
.
Collas was a successful architect and projected the baroque palaces of Finckenstein
, Friedrichstein, Dönhoffstädt
and Jäskendorf.
Collas married Charlotte Pelet (27 February 1700 - 29 December 1751), daughter of the merchant Pierre Pelet, owner of Weißenstein-Gutenfeld manor, and Maria Elisabeth née Salomon on 30 April 1716 in Königsberg.
He died at his manor at Weißenstein.
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of the 18th century.
Biography
Collas was born in Sedan to Antoine de Collas (died 1693) and Elisabeth née de Vilain (died 1681). He was a French HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
, his father was a counsellor of William III of Orange, the later William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
.
After the Edict of Fontainebleau
Edict of Fontainebleau
The Edict of Fontainebleau was an edict issued by Louis XIV of France, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes of 1598, had granted the Huguenots the right to practice their religion without persecution from the state...
of 1685 the family was forced to flee from France and moved to the Netherlands
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...
and further to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1688. Collas grew up at the estates of
William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford KG PC was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641 when he inherited his Peerage and sat in the House of Lords...
and became a Page of Russell’s Granddaughter Mary Butler (1646–1707), he carried the train of Mary II of England
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
(1662–1694) at her coronation in 1689.
Aged 22, John von Collas was a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and started a journey to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Initially on his way through he arrived in Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
in autumn 1701 and decided to stay in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
. He became a Royal Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
Engineer, counsillor, director of the Geometer and respected scholar. He was mentioned as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
Prussian Academy of Sciences
The Prussian Academy of Sciences was an academy established in Berlin on 11 July 1700, four years after the Akademie der Künste or "Arts Academy", to which "Berlin Academy" may also refer.-Origins:...
in 1704.
Collas became the landlord of several estates in East Prussia like Dommelkeim (1703–1753), Naujeninken (1703–1731), Brandwehten (1703–1731), Perkuhnen (1717–1731), Sauerwalde (1720–1731), Laugallen (1718–1731), Kraupischkehmen, (1718–1731), Weißenstein/ Gutenfeld (1721–1753) and owned houses in Wehlau (1721–1753) and Borchersdorf
Burkat
Burkat is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Działdowo, within Działdowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Działdowo and south of the regional capital Olsztyn....
(1724–1753), in total he possessed about 2,720 Hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
.
Collas was a successful architect and projected the baroque palaces of Finckenstein
Finckenstein Palace
The Finckenstein Palace was a baroque palace, projected by the architect John von Collas between 1716 and 1720 in former East Prussia, today Poland...
, Friedrichstein, Dönhoffstädt
Drogosze
Drogosze is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Barciany, within Kętrzyn County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, close to the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia...
and Jäskendorf.
Collas married Charlotte Pelet (27 February 1700 - 29 December 1751), daughter of the merchant Pierre Pelet, owner of Weißenstein-Gutenfeld manor, and Maria Elisabeth née Salomon on 30 April 1716 in Königsberg.
He died at his manor at Weißenstein.