Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg

Constantijn Theodoor, Count van Lynden van Sandenburg, (24 February 1826 – 18 November 1885) was a Dutch politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) of the Netherlands between 1879 and 1883.

Early life Lynden van Sandenburg was born in Utrecht on 24 February 1826. He registered to study Law at Utrecht University on 29 March 1844, and obtained a doctorate on 10 October 1848 with a dissertation entitled .

Career He trained as a lawyer before entering politics. He served on the Provincial Council of Utrecht for the district of Amerongen from 1860, and was elected to the House of Representatives in the district of Arnhem in 1866. In the House, he sided with the antirevolutionaries and Christian historicals, and concerned himself with various topics, including justice, agriculture, colonial affairs and education. Van Lynden van Sandenburg resigned his seats in January 1868, when he was appointed Minister of Reformed and Other Worship in the Van Zuylen van Nijevelt cabinet. He returned to the House representing the district of Tiel the following year. He went on to take the position of Minister of Justice between 1874 and 1877 in the Heemskerk–Van Lynden van Sandenburg cabinet. In this capacity, he reorganised the judiciary, limiting the number of courts.

Private life As a member of the ancient Dutch noble Lynden family, Lynden van Sandenburg was born a baron, but was elevated to count in 1882, with the right of succession to this title for all his legitimate, male-line descendants. He died in Langbroek in 1885.