Jan Bicker

Johan Gerritsz. Bicker (* 1591 in Amsterdam, † 1653 ) was a descendant of the influential Amsterdam patrician family of Bicker, who was mayor of Amsterdam in 1653.

Curriculum vitae

Private

January Bicker was the son of a wealthy patrician Gerrit Bicker and Aleyd Andriesdr Boelens Loen from the family of Boelens Loen. He married Agneta de Graeff van with Polsbroek (1603-1656) - the sister of the brothers Cornelis and Andries de Graeff. Their daughter Wendela Bicker married the influential Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt.

Political career

Johan Bicker was like his ancestors worked as a wholesaler, and drove to the Levant trade with the Spaniards.

In 1647 he became a councilor of the city of Amsterdam, and practiced together with his brothers Cornelis and Andries great impact on the political climate of Holland. The Bicker family, also called the Bickerse ligue was strictly Protestant -minded and attentive to the economic boom of Amsterdam. Therefore, they pushed for a speedy end of the war with Spain and to a reduction of the army. This attitude made ​​her political opponents of the House of Orange and Stadtholder William II, who wanted to make in 1650 by a coup d'état, the city of Amsterdam docile. The company failed because the army of the prince was lured in stormy weather in the swamps around Amsterdam, and William stayed for curative treatments died later of smallpox. The intent on a balance between the power blocs Cornelis de Graeff prompted the exclusion of the Bicker family from all public offices.

After Andries Bicker's death in 1652 Johan became mayor for a short time.

Miscellaneous

January Bicker had several country seats near Amsterdam - De Eult and Hooge Vuursche in Baarn, as well as in Beverwijk country houses Akerendam and Duyn Wijck. Within the city of Amsterdam in 1631 he owned to its own island - Bickerseiland - on which he had built a high tower, to could watch from there his ships when entering and leaving the harbor.