John de Witt, Grand Pensionary of Holland, 1625-1672

Known to his contemporaries for his sharpness of mind, strength of purpose, fortitude, and good humor, John de Witt was a brilliant leader whose career ended in a death of horror rarely paralleled in history. Herbert Rowen's biography embraces all aspects of De Witt's political, intellectual, and personal life, including his role as a mathematician admired by Newton, an "unphilosophical Cartesian," and a political thinker. The author describes De Witt's youth, Dutch society of his day, and his central part in the domestic and foreign politics of the Dutch Republic from 1651 to 1672. He puts De Witt's relation to the House of Orange in a new light, more subtle than in the traditional history. He also examines in detail De Witt's system of government as councilor pensionary of Holland. Originally published in 1978. The **Princeton Legacy Library** uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. Cover Contents Preface Note on Names, Personal and Geographical Abbreviations Prologue: The Lances Are Blunted 1. Youth (1625-1650) 2. Holland Versus the Prince (1649-1650) 3. The Path to Power (January 1651-February 1652) 4. War with Cromwell (May 1652-July 1653) 5. Life in the Hague (1653-1660) 6. From Affluence to Fortune 7. The Craft of Politics 8. The Master of Patronage 9. The Manager of State Finances 10. Toward Peace (July 1653-April 1654) 11. Exclusion of the Prince (April-August 1654) 12. Diplomacy: Craft and Art 13. As England Goes... (1654-1660) 14. Not Quite Friends or Foes (1652-1660) 15. The Embroiled Baltic (1652-1657) 16. Storm in the North (1657-1660) 17. Holland Politics (1654-1660) 18. A Clashing Harmony (1654-1660) 19. The Anomalous Republican 20. The Unphilosophical Cartesian 21. The Churches and the State 22. The Royal Guest (May-June 1660) 23. England: The Collapse of Friendship (1660-1664) 24. France: The Dubious Ally (1660-1664) 25. Life in the Hague (1660-1672) 26. A New Place for Orange? (1660-1664) 27. Politics at Home (1660-1664) 28. King Charles's War (1665-1667) 29. The Mouse That Bit a Lion (1665-1666) 30. The Way to Breda (1665-1667) 31. France: The Reluctant Ally (1665-1667) 32. Wartime Politics (1665-1667) 33. The Triple Alliance (August 1667-June 1668) 34. The Dover Treaty (June 1668-June 1670) 35. The Fruits of Dover (June 1670-April 1672) 36. Quest for New Allies (1668-1672) 37. The Prince Starts Back (1667-1670) 38. The Prince Advances (June 1670-April 1672) 39. The Desperate Months (April-June 1672) 40. The Fall from Power (June-August 1672) 41. The Final Horror (July-August 1672) Epilogue Bibliography Index Known to his contemporaries for his sharpness of mind, strength of purpose, fortitude, and good humor, John de Witt was a brilliant leader whose career ended in a death of horror rarely paralleled in history. Herbert Rowen's biography embraces all aspects of De Witt's political, intellectual, and personal life, including his role as a mathematician admired by Newton, an "unphilosophical Cartesian," and a political thinker. The author describes De Witt's youth, Dutch society of his day, and his central part in the domestic and foreign politics of the Dutch Republic from 1651 to 1672. He puts De Witt's relation to the House of Orange in a new light, more subtle than in the traditional history. He also examines in detail De Witt's system of government as councilor pensionary of Holland. Originally published in 1978. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905