Pieter Hendrik van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Encyclopedia
Pieter Hendrik van Zuylen van Nijevelt (Kampen
, 1 July 1782 – Utrecht
, 25 January 1825) was a Dutch
count and baron who served as a general in the French and Dutch armies during the Napoleonic era
and later. He was present at the Battle of Waterloo
in 1815 as chief of staff of the 2nd Dutch Division.
Pieter Hendrik's son Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
(1819–1894), born in Luxembourg, inherited his titles of count and baron. He served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 1866 to 1868.
) family of Van Zuylen van Nijevelt
. He was the oldest son of Philip Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
and Clara Helena de Wacker van Son. His father was a Dutch general who was appointed Marshal of Holland in the Kingdom of Holland
, served as French senator
following the annexation of Holland by the Napoleonic Empire, and was named comte de l'Empire by Napoleon.
from 1808 to 1810; at the Battle of Ocaña
(1809), he was a captain. Van Zuylen van Nijevelt also served in the French armed forces in Germany and Russia. At the age of 30, he was promoted to the rank of adjutant general.
Following the restoration of the House of Orange-Nassau
in the Netherlands in 1813, he joined the Dutch armed forces with the rank of colonel (as the rank of adjutant general did not exist in the Dutch army). In the Battle of Quatre Bras
and the Battle of Waterloo
(1815), Pieter Hendrik served on the allied side as chief of staff of the 2nd Dutch Division under the command of Perponcher
. In recognition of his service at Waterloo, he received the Military William Order and was promoted to the rank of general.
where he served as Dutch military commander. In Luxembourg, Pieter Hendrik frequently came into conflict with the Prussia
n military, who garrisoned the fortress of Luxembourg.
He left Luxembourg in 1824 for Utrecht, where he lived in a house on Plompetorengracht canal. There he died in 1825, at the age of only 42 — a year before the death of his father.
Kampen (Overijssel)
Kampen is a municipality, a city and an old Hanseatic city at the lower reaches of the river IJssel in the Dutch province of Overijssel.The municipality of Kampen counts 50,073 inhabitants in an area of approximately 162 km² . Kampen is located in the North West of Overijssel and is the...
, 1 July 1782 – Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, 25 January 1825) was a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
count and baron who served as a general in the French and Dutch armies during the Napoleonic era
Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the Directory...
and later. He was present at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
in 1815 as chief of staff of the 2nd Dutch Division.
Pieter Hendrik's son Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Julius Philip Jacob Adriaan, count van Zuylen van Nijevelt was a Dutch politician....
(1819–1894), born in Luxembourg, inherited his titles of count and baron. He served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 1866 to 1868.
Early years
Pieter Hendrik van Zuylen van Nijevelt was a member of the prominent Rotterdam patrician (regentenRegenten
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the regenten were the rulers of the Dutch Republic, the leaders of the Dutch cities or the heads of organisations . Though not formally a hereditary "class", they were de facto "patricians", comparable to that ancient Roman class...
) family of Van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Van Zuylen van Nijevelt This family must not be confused with the old noble family from Utrecht, Van Zuylen van Nievelt-Origins:During the 19th C. members of this family tried to prove that they were descendants of the Utrecht noble family. This has later been found impossible to prove.Their...
. He was the oldest son of Philip Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Philip Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt
Philip Julius van Zuylen van Nijevelt was a Dutch general, baron and count. He was appointed Marshal of Holland in the Kingdom of Holland and served as French senator following the annexation of Holland by the Napoleonic Empire...
and Clara Helena de Wacker van Son. His father was a Dutch general who was appointed Marshal of Holland in the Kingdom of Holland
Kingdom of Holland
The Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810 was set up by Napoleon Bonaparte as a puppet kingdom for his third brother, Louis Bonaparte, in order to better control the Netherlands. The name of the leading province, Holland, was now taken for the whole country...
, served as French senator
Sénat conservateur
The Sénat conservateur was a body set up in France during the Consulate by the Constitution of the Year VIII. With the Tribunat and the Corps législatif, it formed one of the three legislative assemblies of the Consulate...
following the annexation of Holland by the Napoleonic Empire, and was named comte de l'Empire by Napoleon.
Napoleonic era
During the Napoleonic era, he served on the French side in the Peninsular WarPeninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
from 1808 to 1810; at the Battle of Ocaña
Battle of Ocana
The Battle of Ocana or Battle of Ocaña was fought on 19 November 1809 between French forces under Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult and King Joseph Bonaparte and the Spanish army under Juan Carlos de Aréizaga, which suffered its greatest single defeat in the Peninsular War...
(1809), he was a captain. Van Zuylen van Nijevelt also served in the French armed forces in Germany and Russia. At the age of 30, he was promoted to the rank of adjutant general.
Following the restoration of the House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
in the Netherlands in 1813, he joined the Dutch armed forces with the rank of colonel (as the rank of adjutant general did not exist in the Dutch army). In the Battle of Quatre Bras
Battle of Quatre Bras
The Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
and the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1815), Pieter Hendrik served on the allied side as chief of staff of the 2nd Dutch Division under the command of Perponcher
Hendrik George de Perponcher Sedlnitsky
Hendrik George, Count de Perponcher Sedlnitsky , was a Dutch general and diplomat...
. In recognition of his service at Waterloo, he received the Military William Order and was promoted to the rank of general.
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
In 1817 he married his niece, the baroness Susanna Martha van Zuylen van Nijevelt (1787–1831). They moved to LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
where he served as Dutch military commander. In Luxembourg, Pieter Hendrik frequently came into conflict with the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n military, who garrisoned the fortress of Luxembourg.
He left Luxembourg in 1824 for Utrecht, where he lived in a house on Plompetorengracht canal. There he died in 1825, at the age of only 42 — a year before the death of his father.