William Davidson of Curriehill
Encyclopedia
Sir William Davidson of Curriehill (Dundee, 1614/5 - Edinburgh, 1689?) was a Scottish tradesman in Amsterdam, an agent and a spy for the King and a member of his Privy Council
.
Nothing is known about his youth and ancestors, but he settled in Holland after 1640 and traded on the Baltic region
. In 1645 he married Geertruid Schuring and stated that he was 29. In 1648 he appointed Anthony van Leeuwenhoek as an assistant. Van Leeuwenhoek stayed six years in his service. Davidson lived and worked in Warmoesstraat
, close to the Oude Kerk.
During the English Civil War
he choose the side of the Stuarts. In 1652 his wife died. He remarried Geertruid van Dueren who died in 1658. In those years he was living on Nieuwe Waalseiland, close to the harbour and selling wine in Stockholm.
In July 1660 Mary Stuart
lived in his house on Herengracht, to settle an argreement with the Amsterdam burgomasters on the education of her son William II of Orange, only ten years old. In the same year he had married Elisabeth van Klenck, a sister of Johannes Klencke
, who presented the Klencke Atlas
to the King.
In 1662 he was appointed as the King's agent in Amsterdam; he was already knighted as a baronet
by Charles II of England
in 1660 and as the conservator of the staple in Veere. In 1664, during the Second Dutch War he moved to Hamburg. In 1666 he was involved in a saltcompany in Denmark, together with Cort Adeler
. In 1666 he sold his ironworks in Drontheim to his brother-in-law Coenraad van Klenck, as well as his part in the salt company. Davidson intermediated between Charles II and Johan de Witt
. In the year after his third wife died.
In 1668 he tried to move the staple from Veere, a Dutch town with a large Scottish population to Dordrecht. In 1668 he became Lord of Curriehill
. Then he moved to Dordrecht
.
Around 1672 he was involved in the tobacco trade on Virginia.
In an unknown year, but after 1678, when he made his will in Amsterdam , he settled in Scotland? Four children Bernard (1648-), Elisabeth (1651-), Catharina Geertrui (1663-), Agnes (1666-) inherited; Catharina his Indonesian silver, and the portraits of his parents-in-law. Not much is known about his cabinet of curiosities
and lacqerware cupboard and boxes.
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.
Nothing is known about his youth and ancestors, but he settled in Holland after 1640 and traded on the Baltic region
Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.- Etymology :...
. In 1645 he married Geertruid Schuring and stated that he was 29. In 1648 he appointed Anthony van Leeuwenhoek as an assistant. Van Leeuwenhoek stayed six years in his service. Davidson lived and worked in Warmoesstraat
Warmoesstraat
Warmoesstraat is one of the oldest streets in Amsterdam, running parallel to the river Amstel from Amsterdam Centraal railway station to Dam Square. Its origins are in the 13th century. In the 16th and 17th century it was the shopping street...
, close to the Oude Kerk.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
he choose the side of the Stuarts. In 1652 his wife died. He remarried Geertruid van Dueren who died in 1658. In those years he was living on Nieuwe Waalseiland, close to the harbour and selling wine in Stockholm.
In July 1660 Mary Stuart
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
lived in his house on Herengracht, to settle an argreement with the Amsterdam burgomasters on the education of her son William II of Orange, only ten years old. In the same year he had married Elisabeth van Klenck, a sister of Johannes Klencke
Johannes Klencke
Johannes Klenck or Klenckius was a Dutch teacher in philosophy at the Athenaeum Illustre in Amsterdam.-Life:...
, who presented the Klencke Atlas
Klencke Atlas
Klencke Atlas is one of the world's largest atlases. It is 1.75 metres tall by 1.9 metres wide when open , and so heavy the British Library reportedly had six people to carry it. It is a world atlas, made up of 37 maps on 39 sheets. The maps were intended to be removed and displayed on the wall...
to the King.
In 1662 he was appointed as the King's agent in Amsterdam; he was already knighted as a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
by Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1660 and as the conservator of the staple in Veere. In 1664, during the Second Dutch War he moved to Hamburg. In 1666 he was involved in a saltcompany in Denmark, together with Cort Adeler
Cort Adeler
Cort Sivertsen Adeler , known in Denmark as Coort Sifvertsen Adelaer, in The Netherlands as Koert Sievertsen Adelaer and in Italy as Curzio Suffrido Adelborst, was the name of honour given to Kurt Sivertsen, a Norwegian seaman, who rendered distinguished service to the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy,...
. In 1666 he sold his ironworks in Drontheim to his brother-in-law Coenraad van Klenck, as well as his part in the salt company. Davidson intermediated between Charles II and Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt, heer van Zuid- en Noord-Linschoten, Snelrewaard, Hekendorp and IJsselveere was a key figure in Dutch politics in the mid 17th century, when its flourishing sea trade in a period of globalization made the United Provinces a leading European power during the Dutch Golden Age...
. In the year after his third wife died.
In 1668 he tried to move the staple from Veere, a Dutch town with a large Scottish population to Dordrecht. In 1668 he became Lord of Curriehill
Curriehill
Curriehill is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is north-west of Currie.Curriehill railway station is the western terminus of the Edinburgh Crossrail. These trains continue to Glasgow Central via West Lothian and North Lanarkshire....
. Then he moved to Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
.
Around 1672 he was involved in the tobacco trade on Virginia.
In an unknown year, but after 1678, when he made his will in Amsterdam , he settled in Scotland? Four children Bernard (1648-), Elisabeth (1651-), Catharina Geertrui (1663-), Agnes (1666-) inherited; Catharina his Indonesian silver, and the portraits of his parents-in-law. Not much is known about his cabinet of curiosities
Cabinet of curiosities
A cabinet of curiosities was an encyclopedic collection in Renaissance Europe of types of objects whose categorical boundaries were yet to be defined. They were also known by various names such as Cabinet of Wonder, and in German Kunstkammer or Wunderkammer...
and lacqerware cupboard and boxes.