Pieter Paulus
Encyclopedia
Pieter Paulus was a Dutch jurist, admiral-fiscal and politician. He was one of the ideologues of the Patriot
movement and is considered by many Dutch as the founder of their democracy and political unity.
and mayor. He came, perhaps, from a family of lapsed Huguenots. After an education in 's-Hertogenbosch, he received his training from the Vlissingen rector Van Cruysselenbergen, in whose house he lived. He became a student in Utrecht
in 1770.
Paul became known nationwide through his bestselling book on the stadholder system, in which he opposed both the stadholder system and the duke of Brunswijk. In 1774, he became a student at Leiden and he graduated on 12 December 1775, with his dissertation a second publishing success. He established himself in 1776 as a lawyer at the Court of Holland in the Hague. In 1780, he was involved in the controversy over the expansion of the fleet, defended by Admiral Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen
. In 1781, he married the very rich Françoise Vockestaert and bought the country house "Pasgeld" near Delft
.
He again became nationally known in 1783 through his apologia for the city of Alkmaar
, that was one of the first cities (after Schoonhoven
) to pass a resolution to limit the influence of the stadholder. Paul was approached, meanwhile, to be one of the leaders of the Patriots, with whom he began to negotiate. He was invited to come to consult for the Zeekantoor of the Admiralty of Amsterdam
with princess Wilhelmina of Prussia
and Joan Cornelis van der Hoop
. In April 1785, he became Darn public- prosecutor (advocaat-fiscaal) for the Admiralty of the Maze, taking the initiative in its reorganisations. After the events in Hattem, Paul refused to come to Het Loo
, but probably was in friendly negotiations with the French ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Paul was banished in 1788 and left with his brother-in-law for Paris
. He spoke with Mattheus Lestevenon
, friendly between the quarrelling old-regent
s Valckenaer
and Van Beyma
. The French politicians and ministers received him with much regard.
Convinced of the ideals of the French Revolution
, he turned against slavery and published a Dissertation on the question: In which senses can men be said to be? And which are the rights and duties that result? (In welken zin kunnen de menschen gezegd worden gelijk te zijn? En welke zijn de regten en pligten die daaruit voortvloeien?) In 1793 he was named "apostle of the mankind" (apostel der mensheid). In 1795, he was one of the foremost men of the revolution. The next year he was appointed unanimously to become chairman of the Batavian Republic
's National Assembly. At the inauguration, he caught a serious cold from which he died.
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....
movement and is considered by many Dutch as the founder of their democracy and political unity.
Life
His father was Axel's mill-builder, schepenSchepen
A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
and mayor. He came, perhaps, from a family of lapsed Huguenots. After an education in 's-Hertogenbosch, he received his training from the Vlissingen rector Van Cruysselenbergen, in whose house he lived. He became a student in 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...
in 1770.
Paul became known nationwide through his bestselling book on the stadholder system, in which he opposed both the stadholder system and the duke of Brunswijk. In 1774, he became a student at Leiden and he graduated on 12 December 1775, with his dissertation a second publishing success. He established himself in 1776 as a lawyer at the Court of Holland in the Hague. In 1780, he was involved in the controversy over the expansion of the fleet, defended by Admiral Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen
Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen
Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen , or Count of Doggersbank, was a Dutch naval officer. Having had a good scientific education, Van Kinbergen was a proponent of fleet modernization and wrote many books about naval organization, discipline and tactics.In 1773, he twice defeated an Ottoman fleet while in...
. In 1781, he married the very rich Françoise Vockestaert and bought the country house "Pasgeld" near Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
.
He again became nationally known in 1783 through his apologia for the city of Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
, that was one of the first cities (after Schoonhoven
Schoonhoven
Schoonhoven is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality has a population of 12,195 , and covers an area of 6.96 km²...
) to pass a resolution to limit the influence of the stadholder. Paul was approached, meanwhile, to be one of the leaders of the Patriots, with whom he began to negotiate. He was invited to come to consult for the Zeekantoor of the Admiralty of Amsterdam
Admiralty of Amsterdam
The Admiralty of Amsterdam was the largest of the five Dutch admiralties at the time of the Dutch Republic. The administration of the various Admiralties was strongly influenced by provincial interests...
with princess Wilhelmina of Prussia
Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange
Wilhelmina of Prussia, born Frederika Sophia Wilhelmina, , was the consort of William V of Orange and also the de facto leader of the dynastic party and contra revolution in the Netherlands...
and Joan Cornelis van der Hoop
Joan Cornelis van der Hoop
Mr. Joan Cornelis van der Hoop was a Dutch lawyer, public prosecutor and minister and, at the time of the Dutch Republic, fulfilled important positions under king William I and - with the exception of the Batavian-French era - left his mark on the Dutch navy...
. In April 1785, he became Darn public- prosecutor (advocaat-fiscaal) for the Admiralty of the Maze, taking the initiative in its reorganisations. After the events in Hattem, Paul refused to come to Het Loo
Het Loo
Het Loo Palace is a palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The symmetrical Dutch Baroque building was designed by Jacob Roman and Johan van Swieten and was built between 1684 and 1686 for stadtholder-king William III and Mary II of England...
, but probably was in friendly negotiations with the French ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Paul was banished in 1788 and left with his brother-in-law for 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...
. He spoke with Mattheus Lestevenon
Mattheus Lestevenon
Mattheus Lestevenon, heer van Berckenrode was a city-secretary and schepen in Amsterdam, then Dutch ambassador to France. Lestevenon played an important role in the year 1748 and in the negotiations for the Treaty of Paris. Pietro Locatelli dedicated six violin sonatas to him.-Life:Lestevenon...
, friendly between the quarrelling old-regent
Regenten
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...
s Valckenaer
Johan Valckenaer
Johan Valckenaer was a Dutch lawyer, patriot and diplomat.- Life :His father Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer was Franeker university's professor of law and, in 1766, was appointed to succeed Tiberius Hemsterhuis at Leiden...
and Van Beyma
Court Lambertus van Beyma
Coert or Court Lambertus van Beyma was a notary and auctioneer, delegate and representative of the Frisian States, leader of the Frisian patriots, coup leader and in exile in northern France...
. The French politicians and ministers received him with much regard.
Convinced of the ideals of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, he turned against slavery and published a Dissertation on the question: In which senses can men be said to be? And which are the rights and duties that result? (In welken zin kunnen de menschen gezegd worden gelijk te zijn? En welke zijn de regten en pligten die daaruit voortvloeien?) In 1793 he was named "apostle of the mankind" (apostel der mensheid). In 1795, he was one of the foremost men of the revolution. The next year he was appointed unanimously to become chairman of the Batavian Republic
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
's National Assembly. At the inauguration, he caught a serious cold from which he died.
Works
- Het nut der stadhouderlijke regeering aangetoond (1773)
- Verklaring van de Unie van Utrecht (4 dln., 1775–1779), dedicated to Joachim Rendorp
Sources
- Gou, L. de (1985) Biografische bijdragen over achttiende eeuwers. Fragmenten van jaarredes gehouden in de algemene vergadering van de Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen 1979-1985, pp. 143-69.
- Roosendaal, J. (2003) Bataven! Nederlandse vluchtelingen in Frankrijk 1787-1795.
- Vles, E.J. (2004) Pieter Paulus (1753 - 1796) Patriot en Staatsman.
- Dutch Parliament page
- DBNL entry