Willem Nieupoort

Willem Nieupoort (30 January 1607, in Schiedam – 2 May 1678, in The Hague) was a Dutch States Party politician, ambassador to the Commonwealth of England for the Dutch Republic and commissioner in the Dutch delegation that negotiated the Treaty of Westminster after the First Anglo-Dutch War.

Life Nieupoort was the son of Willem Nieupoort, town clerk of Schiedam. He studied Literature in France. He married Anna van Loon, daughter of Hans van Loon, a wealthy V.O.C. bewindhebber (director), in 1637 and had issue.

Career After he completed his studies in France he became secretary of Albert Joachimi, ambassador of the States-General of the Netherlands at the Court of St James's around 1625. Returned to the Netherlands, he became a member of the Schiedam vroedschap in 1629 and a few years later pensionary of that city. As such he represented the city in the States of Holland and the States-General. In the matter of what has become known as the Second Northern War, in which the Dutch Republic tried to maintain the balance of power in the Baltic area, usually siding with Sweden's opponents, especially Denmark, it was Nieupoort's role to manage the Commonwealth, which had a predilection for the Swedish side. He was successful in keeping the Commonwealth out of the war "on the wrong side" for the Dutch.

After the Restoration of king Charles II of England Nieupoort was recalled by the States-General, as he was deemed to be persona non grata with Charles. He took up his political work in the Republic again. He was not employed in the negotiations of the Treaty of Breda (1667) after the Second Anglo-Dutch War (unlike his colleagues Beverningh and Jongestall).

After the murder of Johan and Cornelis de Witt in August 1672, he was attacked by an Orangist mob in Schiedam and imprisoned, because of his States-Party affiliation. Later, the new stadtholder, William III of Orange relieved him of all his political offices in the ensuing political purge.

He lived his last years as a private citizen. He died on 2, May 1678 in The Hague.

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