Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Grand Pensionary of Holland
In office
1586 – 1619
Preceded byPaulus Buys
Succeeded byAndries de Witt
Pensionary of Rotterdam
In office
1576 – 1586
Personal details
Born(1547-09-14)14 September 1547
Amersfoort, Spanish Netherlands
Died13 May 1619(1619-05-13) (aged 71)
The Hague, Dutch Republic
Spouse
(m. 1575)
ChildrenJan van Oldenbarnevelt
Adriana Geertruida van Oldenbarnevelt
Maria Johanna Petronella van Oldenbarnevelt
Reinier van Oldenbarnevelt
Willem van Oldenbarnevelt
Parents
  • Gerrit van Oldenbarnevelt (father)
  • Deliana van Weede (mother)
Alma materUniversity of Leuven
University of Bourges
University of Cologne
Heidelberg University
University of Padua

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjoːɦɑɱ vɑn ɔldə(m)ˈbɑrnəvɛlt]; 14 September 1547 – 13 May 1619), Heer van Berkel en Rodenrijs (1600), Gunterstein (1611) and Bakkum (1613), was a Dutch statesman and revolutionary who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain. He is generally considered as one of the greatest and most important political figures in the history of The Netherlands.

Van Oldenbarnevelt was born in Amersfoort. He studied law at the universities of Leuven, Bourges, Heidelberg, and Padua, and traveled in France and Italy before settling permanently in The Hague. He favored William the Silent in his revolt against Philip II of Spain, and fought in William's army. In his later years he was a supporter of the Arminians, during the religious-political controversy which split the young Dutch Republic. He was the founder of the Dutch East India Company.