Jacob van Heeckeren tot Enghuizen
Encyclopedia
Jacob Derk Burchard Anne baron van Heeckeren tot Enghuizen, also known as Van Heeckeren van Beverweerd (28 November 1792 – 28 September 1884) was a Dutch diplomat
. He received the title baron
of the First French Empire
in 1813.
Van Heeckeren was born in Zutphen in the Netherlands
, the son of Evert Frederik baron van Heeckeren van Enghuizen, a Dutch major
and courtier
, and Henriette Johanna Susanna Maria des H.R.R. Countess of Nassau-la Lecq, one of nine children.
Van Heeckeren’s first post was as an officer in the Dutch Navy, stationed in Toulon
. Later he was employed by Napoleon, who awarded him the title Baron de l'Empiree. It was about this time that van Heeckeren converted to Catholicism
. For the Dutch government, Van Heeckeren was successively secretary of the legation at Lisbon
(1814), Stockholm
(1815 - 1817) and Berlin
(1817 - 1822). In 1822 Van Heeckeren was the acting agent for the Dutch in St. Petersburg. From 1823 to May 1837 he was ambassador extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
to the court in St. Petersburg. From June 1842 to October 1875 he was ambassador extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court in Vienna
.
Van Heeckeren was unmarried, but did not want his name to die with him. In St. Petersburg he came to know Georges d'Anthès, an officer in the Russian army and the son of a noble landowner in the French
Alsace
. After several letters and a visit to Georges’s father, Joseph Conrad d'Anthès, Jacob van Heeckeren requested that he be allowed to adopt Georges, giving him his name and the right to inherit his property. The old Baron d'Anthès accepted the offer, and, after the agreement of the King of the Netherlands
by letters patent dated May 5, 1836, Georges-Charles d'Anthès took the name of Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès. Writers have suggested that the relationship between Jacob and Georges was more than that of adoptive father-son. After Georges d'Anthès’s duel with the poet Alexander Pushkin (who died from injuries), Jacob was recalled from St. Petersburg.
Van Heeckeren tot Enghuizen was a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, and was a bearer of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
, awarded 25 August 1863.
From 14 July 1872 until his death he was Minister of State (Secretary of State) for the Netherlands. Van Heeckeren died in Paris
.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. He received the title baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of the First French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
in 1813.
Van Heeckeren was born in Zutphen in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the son of Evert Frederik baron van Heeckeren van Enghuizen, a Dutch major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
, and Henriette Johanna Susanna Maria des H.R.R. Countess of Nassau-la Lecq, one of nine children.
Van Heeckeren’s first post was as an officer in the Dutch Navy, stationed in Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
. Later he was employed by Napoleon, who awarded him the title Baron de l'Empiree. It was about this time that van Heeckeren converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. For the Dutch government, Van Heeckeren was successively secretary of the legation at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
(1814), Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(1815 - 1817) and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(1817 - 1822). In 1822 Van Heeckeren was the acting agent for the Dutch in St. Petersburg. From 1823 to May 1837 he was ambassador extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
to the court in St. Petersburg. From June 1842 to October 1875 he was ambassador extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the court in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
Van Heeckeren was unmarried, but did not want his name to die with him. In St. Petersburg he came to know Georges d'Anthès, an officer in the Russian army and the son of a noble landowner in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. After several letters and a visit to Georges’s father, Joseph Conrad d'Anthès, Jacob van Heeckeren requested that he be allowed to adopt Georges, giving him his name and the right to inherit his property. The old Baron d'Anthès accepted the offer, and, after the agreement of the King of the Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
by letters patent dated May 5, 1836, Georges-Charles d'Anthès took the name of Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès. Writers have suggested that the relationship between Jacob and Georges was more than that of adoptive father-son. After Georges d'Anthès’s duel with the poet Alexander Pushkin (who died from injuries), Jacob was recalled from St. Petersburg.
Van Heeckeren tot Enghuizen was a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, and was a bearer of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
Order of the Oak Crown
The Order of the Oak Crown is an Order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.-History:The Order of the Oak Crown was instituted by the Grand Duke-King William II, in 1841...
, awarded 25 August 1863.
From 14 July 1872 until his death he was Minister of State (Secretary of State) for the Netherlands. Van Heeckeren died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.