Francis van Aarssens

Baron François van Aerssen ( born September 27, 1572 Brussels, † December 27, 1641 in The Hague) - lord of Sommelsdijk, Ooltgensplaat and Spijk - the significant gender Van Aerssen entstammend, was in the first half of the 17th century one of the dominant statesmen and diplomats from the Netherlands.

Life

The son of the Brussels pensioner Cornelis van Aerssen was sent at a young age of 26 by Johan van Oldenbarnevelt as Dutch ambassador to the French court to Paris. Here he organized for the Republic of the United Netherlands a 12- year truce with Spain. As an ambassador of the Netherlands, he was recalled in 1613 by Grand Pensionary Oldenbarnevelt because he was in close contact with the Huguenots. Because of his rebuke by the Grand Pensionary Van Aerssen tried to overthrow by all means the powerful statesman. Together with governor Maurice of Orange -Nassau, he engaged him in a religious process which Oldenbarnevelt had come to overthrow and death. Subsequently it came to Holland to purges that claimed many remonstrantisch and Oldenbarnevelt good-aligned city governments to the victim. This also happened in Amsterdam, when Jacob de Graeff Dircksz - was replaced by Albert Burgh - to the concern of Van Aerssen and Reinier Pauw out. In 1619 it named Maurice of Orange as a member of the Dutch knights, in which capacity he reinforced the oranische party, and thus was able to achieve a majority for conviction Oldenbarnevelt in the knighthood.

After the death of Maurice of Orange Van Aerssen became familiar councilor of Frederick Henry of Orange. During this time, worked as a Dutch ambassador François van Aerssen in the Republic of Venice, London, and again in Paris. France's all-powerful prime minister Richelieu called him here as one of the three greatest politicians of his time.

Van Aerssen received various pin surveys, so in 1636 the to the French baron. In 1627 he was in possession of a fortune of 800,000 florins, so that he was one of the richest persons of the Golden Age of the Netherlands.

His son Cornelis van Aerssen was a life-long intimate followers of the House of Orange.