| Authorised form of name | Witsen; Nicolaus (1641 - 1717); traveller and diplomat |
| Other forms of name | Witsen, Nicolaas Corneliszoon |
| Surname | Witsen |
| Forenames | Nicolaus |
| Dates | 1641 - 1717 |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| DatesAndPlaces | Birth:
Amsterdam, Netherlands (08 May 1641)
Death:
Amsterdam, Netherlands (10 August 1717) |
| Activity | Research Field:
Mathematics; Shipbuilding
Education:
Leyden; LLD (1664)
Career:
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) |
| RSActivity | Membership:
Fellow
Election Date:
30/11/1689 |
| Relationships | Son of Cornelis Janszoon Witsen, Burgomaster of Amsterdam, and his wife, Catharina Opsy or Opsie; married Catharina Hochepied |
| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; Hunter; BIB
References:
J R Bruijn, 'William III and His Two Navies' in NR 1989 vol 43 pp 117-132 |
| Virtual International Authority File | 106969992 |
| Code | NA8030 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| EL/D1/40 | Part of a letter from Roelof Diodati to Nicolaus Witsen | August 1697 |
| EL/W3/52 | Letter from Nicolaus Witsen, dated at Amsterdam | 14 February 1695 |
| EL/W3/51 | Nicolaus Witsen (1641-1717) to Henry Oldenburg | 1671 |
| EL/W3/54 | Nicolaus Witsen, dated at Amsterdam, to Martin Lister | 3 October 1698 |
| RBO/8/67 | Concerning the effects of an earthquake on the mountain about the Tangorusa and Batavian Rivers | 1699 |
| LBO/13/5 | Copy letter from Hans Sloane, London, to Mr J Witsen | 4 October 1700 |
| CLP/9i/56 | Paper, '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] |
| CLP/6/56 | Paper, weights of liquids and gunpowder by unknown author | [1697] |
| EL/W3/53 | Letter from Nicolaus Witsen, dated at Amsterdam | 1697 |
| IM/004979 | Witsen, Nicolaus | nd |