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MURDER OF THE BROTHERS DE WITT IN DEN HAAG AURY, Pierre: The Netherlands, 1672, Silver, 72 mm Cornelius de Witt (1623-1672) held various positions in
Holland and distinguished himself when he accompanied Admiral Michael de
Ruyter in great naval battles against the united English and French fleets.
His brother John de Witt (1625-1672) was an adherent of the republican
states-right party which opposed the princes of the house of Orange, who
represented the federal principle and who had the support of the masses of
the people. The great diplomatic skill of John de Witt led in 1668 to the
Triple Alliance between the Dutch Republic, England and Sweden, which halted
the French invasion of Spanish Netherlands. However, in 1672, after
persuading Charles II of England to abandon the Dutch, Louis XIV of France
suddenly declared war and invaded the United Provinces. When the French
armies overran Holland, the Dutch people turned to
William III of Orange for
leadership. The de Witt brothers, however, opposed William III, leading to
violent demonstrations against them. Cornelius was arrested on charges of
conspiring against the prince, was tortured and banished. When his brother
John came to visit him in the Gavengenpoort at the Hague, a vast crowd burst
in, seized the two brothers and tore them to pieces. Their mangled remains
were hung by their feet from a lamp-post. |
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