Record

Authorised form of nameWitsen; Nicolaus (1641 - 1717); statesman and collector
Other forms of nameNicolaas Corneliszoon
Nicholaes
Nicolaas
Dates1641 - 1717
NationalityDutch
Place of birthAmsterdam, Dutch Republic [modern day Netherlands], Europe
Date of birth8 May 1641
Place of deathAmsterdam, Dutch Republic [modern day Netherlands], Europe
Date of death10 August 1717
DatesAndPlacesBurial:
Egmond aan den Hoef, Dutch Republic [modern day Netherlands], Europe
OccupationPolitician
Research fieldMathematics
Shipbuilding
ActivityEducation:
Leyden (LLD 1664)
Career:
Came to England aged 15; Travelled to Moscow as Secretary to the Dutch Legation (1664); travelled in Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany; Member of the Dutch East India Company; Burgomaster of Amsterdam 13 times (1682-); assisted French Refugees after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685), earning the epithet 'Consolateur des Francois affligez' from Gregorio Leti (FRS 1681); Negotiator for the Accession of William III to the throne of England (1689); Curator of Leyden University in succession to Coenraad van Beuningen (FRS 1682); friend of Czar Peter the Great on his visit to Holland (1698)
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election30/11/1689
Age at election48
Other Royal Society activityFrequent correspondent to the Society, e.g. regarding his travels
RelationshipsParents: Cornelis Janszoon Witsen and Catharina Lambertsdochter Opsy [Claesdochter Gaeff]
Married: Catharina Hochepiedr Opsie; married Catharina Hochepied
PublishedWorksRCN: R65106
Related imagesDiscover a selection of related images in our picture library
Image

Witsen N, IM004979.jpg

SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; Hunter; BIB; DBNL
References:
Bruijn, J R. 1989. 'William III and His Two Navies', in Notes and Records, vol. 43, pp. 117-132
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/106969992
CodeNA8030
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
LBO/13/5Copy letter from Hans Sloane, London, to Mr J Witsen4 October 1700
CLP/6/56Paper, regarding the weights of liquids and gunpowder by unknown author[1697]
IM/004979Witsen, Nicolausnd
EL/D1/40Extract of a letter, from Roelof Diodati to Nicolaus WitsenAugust 1697
EL/W3/52Letter, from Nicolaus Witsen [to the Royal Society], dated at Amsterdam14 February 1695
EL/W3/54Letter, from Nicolaus Witsen to Martin Lister, dated at Amsterdam3 October 1698
EL/A/43Letter, from Fremont d' Ablancourt to (addressee unnamed)17 April 1693
EL/W3/53Letter, from Nicolaus Witsen [to the Royal Society], dated at Amsterdam1697
EL/W3/51Letter, from Nicolaus Witsen to Henry Oldenburg1671
CLP/9i/56Paper, 'A relation of the bad condition of the mountains about theTungarouse and Batavian rivers, having their source from thence, occasioned by the earthquake between the 4th and 5th of January 1699' by unknown author[1699]
RBO/8/67Concerning the effects of an earthquake on the mountain about the Tangorusa and Batavian Rivers 1699
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