Gottfried Freiherr van Swieten | |
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| Born | Godefridus Bernardus "Godfried" van Swieten October 29, 1733 |
| Died | March 29, 1803 (aged 69) |
| Education | Theresianum, a Jesuit school in Vienna |
| Occupation(s) | diplomat, librarian, official |
| Father | Gerard van Swieten |
Gottfried Freiherr van Swieten (29 October 1733 – 29 March 1803)[1] was a Dutch-born Austrian diplomat, librarian, and government official who served the Holy Roman Empire during the 18th century. He was an enthusiastic amateur musician and is best remembered today as the patron of several great composers of the Classical era, including Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven.