Abraham Staal
Encyclopedia
Abraham Jacobsz Staal was a Dutch Mennonite
teacher at Goes
(1779), Bolsward
(1787) and Leeuwarden (1788) who combined sermons with revolution. He became known in the wider world as "arendsneus" ("eagle nose"). He features in Gerrit Paape
's book "De Knorrepot en de Menschenvriend" as the character "minister Langhals".
Staal studied in Amsterdam
until 1778; his fellow students were Wijbo Fijnje and François Adriaan van der Kemp
. On 8 May 1787, Staal accepted an appointment as a teacher in Bolsward, and also from Dokkum
. The Mennonite municipality of Goes, consisting of 14 members, of which the majority had for the last 50 years been in that of Middelburg
. Nothing was known of revolutionary activities in Bolsward during the time of the Patriots
, although the Mennonites were quite strongly represented in the local voluntary schutterij
and were sure to be lent a willing ear by him. In Leeuwarden, Abraham Staal became part of the hard core of political activists. In 1796, he was appointed by the people's representatives to be a raadsheer in the Court of Friesland (1796), together with the journalist Paape. Both had no legal schooling, but were appointed because of their political experience. Within a year Staal and Paape got into difficulties for their fanaticism, especially after a small popular revolt in Kollum
. On the advice of a commission, in which Eise Eisinga
played a part, Paape was expelled a few months later.
After the coup in January 1798, Staal was put under house arrest in Huis ten Bosch
in The Hague
, where the prisoners could walk in the garden, but not speak whilst there.
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
teacher at Goes
Goes
Goes is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands in Zuid-Beveland, in the province Zeeland. The city of Goes has approximately 27,000 residents.-History of Goes:...
(1779), Bolsward
Bolsward
Bolsward is a city in Súdwest Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Bolsward is just short of a population of 10,000.- History :The town is founded on three artificial dwelling hills, of which the first was built some time before Christ....
(1787) and Leeuwarden (1788) who combined sermons with revolution. He became known in the wider world as "arendsneus" ("eagle nose"). He features in Gerrit Paape
Gerrit Paape
Gerrit Paape Delft was a Dutch plateelschilder , poet, journalist, novelist, judge, columnist and ministerial civil servant.-Life:...
's book "De Knorrepot en de Menschenvriend" as the character "minister Langhals".
Staal studied in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
until 1778; his fellow students were Wijbo Fijnje and François Adriaan van der Kemp
François Adriaan van der Kemp
François Adriaan van der Kemp or Francis Adrian Vanderkemp was one of the Dutch radical leaders of the Patriots, a minister and publicist who gave the Patriot movement a Christian tint in his blazing speeches...
. On 8 May 1787, Staal accepted an appointment as a teacher in Bolsward, and also from Dokkum
Dokkum
Dokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has 13,145 inhabitants . The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the bolwerken . - History :...
. The Mennonite municipality of Goes, consisting of 14 members, of which the majority had for the last 50 years been in that of Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
. Nothing was known of revolutionary activities in Bolsward during the time of the Patriots
Patriots (faction)
The Patriots were a political faction in the Dutch Republic in the second half of the 18th century. They were led by Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol, gaining power from November 1782....
, although the Mennonites were quite strongly represented in the local voluntary schutterij
Schutterij
Schutterij refers to a voluntary city guard or citizen militia in the medieval and early modern Netherlands, intended to protect the town or city from attack and act in case of revolt or fire. Their training grounds were often on open spaces within the city, near the city walls, but, when the...
and were sure to be lent a willing ear by him. In Leeuwarden, Abraham Staal became part of the hard core of political activists. In 1796, he was appointed by the people's representatives to be a raadsheer in the Court of Friesland (1796), together with the journalist Paape. Both had no legal schooling, but were appointed because of their political experience. Within a year Staal and Paape got into difficulties for their fanaticism, especially after a small popular revolt in Kollum
Kollum
Kollum is a village in Kollumerland c.a. in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has a population of around 5613 . There is a restored windmill, Tochmaland in the village.-References:...
. On the advice of a commission, in which Eise Eisinga
Eise Eisinga
Eise Jeltes Eisinga was a Dutch amateur astronomer who built an orrery in his house in Franeker, Netherlands. The orrery still exists and is the oldest functioning planetarium in the world.-Biography:...
played a part, Paape was expelled a few months later.
After the coup in January 1798, Staal was put under house arrest in Huis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch is one of the three official residences of the Dutch Royal Family, located in The Hague in the Netherlands. It has been home to Queen Beatrix since 1981. The other Royal palace in The Hague, Noordeinde Palace, is used for work-related purposes...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, where the prisoners could walk in the garden, but not speak whilst there.