Joan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen

Joan or Johan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen (1599-October 26, 1661), knighted lord of Maarsseveen, was an important merchant, financial expert, property developer active in Amsterdam and a director of the Dutch East India Company during the Dutch Golden Age. The republican-minded Huydecoper was an influential member of the Dutch States Party, diplomat and six times mayor of Amsterdam. He was, together with Cornelis de Graeff, one of the initiators of the construction of the new town hall of Amsterdam and was a prominent patron of the arts and art collector. Beside Maarsseveen he held the feudal titles of Neerdijk, Thamen and Blockland. Huydecoper is representative of the love of art, political influence and welfare in the Golden Age.

Life Origin, early years and family

Joan was born in Amsterdam as the son of Jan Jacobsz Bal Huydecoper van Wieringen and Elisabeth van Gemen. In 1616 he owned shares in the Magelhaense Compagnie (Magellan Company), which traded with South America. Joan Huydecoper took over the family tannery, pelt and armament trading business. He invested in property all over the city, but especially on Uilenburg, behind his house. In 1622 he bought a lot in the Jordaan, where he had seven houses built, three of which along the Lauriergracht.

In 1621 he married Elisabeth de Bisschop, who died a year later. (Elisabeth was a daughter of councilor Jan de Bisschop. Jan's youngest sister, Lysbeth, was the sister-in-law of the Remonstrant foreman Simon Bisschop). He remairred with Maria Coijmans, the daughter of Balthasar Coymans. The couple had following children: Huydecoper and Rembrandt lived or worked at the same time in the Sint Antoniesbreestraat, where many artists stayed at the time. Vos praised his town house and his collection of paintings, one on a painting by Rubens, in several poems. He was a patron of Govert Flinck and Bartholomeus van der Helst, who portrayed him. In 1639, Philip Vingboons designed his mansion on Singel; the house was destroyed in 1943 when two English planes collided in midair and one came down on the house. (One of the few spots in Amsterdam that were damaged during the Second World War).

Political activities

Joan Huydecoper started his important political career as a protégé of burgomaster Jacob Dircksz de Graeff when he was elected to the Vroedschap of Amsterdam in 1631. In 1634 he was appointed director of the Dutch East India Company, In 1637 he get knighted by the swedish queen Christina Huydecoper van Maarsseveen was also included in the Order of Saint Michael, and together with his other relative Andries de Graeff he was involved in the decoration of it.

William I and the mayoral council of Amsterdam: William the Silent (prins van Oranje), Cornelis de Graeff, heer van Zuid-Polsbroek, Joan Huydecoper van Maarseveen Jan van de Poll (1597-1678) and Hendrick Dircksz. Spiegel. (silver penning by Wouter Muller, 1655) In 1650 Huydecoper van Maarsseveen was involved in the dispute between the stadtholder William II of Orange and the Bicker family. Burgomaster Cornelis Bicker commissioned Huydecoper van Maarsseveen, together with the Amsterdam schout Simon van der Does, to present the serious intentions of defending the city to the Oranger. After the death of Willem II later that year the First Stadtholderless Period began.

In 1651 Huydecoper van Maarsseveen was appointed burgomaster of Amsterdam the first time. During his office as a burgomaster, he chose the side of Cornelis de Graeff. 1654/54 he was a councilor of the Admiralty of Amsterdam.