Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek
Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek (Amsterdam, 10 November 1603 ibid 3 or 4 March 1656), was a patrician woman from the Dutch Golden Age. She became known as the mother-in-law of Johan de Witt.
Biography
Agneta was a scion of the De Graeff family and born as the oldest daughter of Jacob Dircksz de Graeff and Aeltje Boelens Loen (1579-1630),[1] herself daughter of the politician Cornelis Andriesz Boelens Loen (1552-1584), great-grandson of Andries Boelens (1455–1519), a famous regent of Amsterdam. In 1625 she was married to later Amsterdam burgomaster Jan Bicker.[2] The couple had five daughters:[3][4]
- Elisabeth Bicker (1630–1660) married Jacobus Trip, a wealthy arms dealer
- Geertruida Bicker (1634–1702) married Jean Deutz, a rich Banker and Investor of Amsterdam
- Wendela Bicker (1635–1668) married Johan de Witt[5]
- Cornelia Bicker (1638–1665), married her full cousin Gerard Bicker (I) van Swieten
- Jacoba Bicker (1640–1695) married her full cousin Pieter de Graeff[6]
The couple lived at their country houses De Eult at Baarn, Akerendam and Duynwijck in Beverwijk. Between the city of Amsterdam they owned a cityhause at Herengracht and an island, called Bickerseiland.[1] In 1663/64 Agneta was painted by Wallerant Vaillant.[7] Her tomb chapel is located at the Westerkerk.
Coat of arms
Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek's coat of arms was quartered and showed the following symbols:
- field 1 (left above) the silver shovel on a red background of their paternal ancestors, the Herren von Graben
- field 2 (right above) it shows a silver falcon on a blue background. The origin of the falcon lies in the possession of the Valckeveen estate (later the Valckenburg estate) in Gooiland
- field 3 (left below), same as field 2
- field 4 (right below), same as field 1
- helmet covers in red and silver
- helm adornment shows an upright silver spade with ostrich feathers (Herren von Graben)
- motto: MORS SCEPTRA LIGONIBUS AEQUAT (DEATH MAKES SEPTRES AND HOES EQUAL)
References
- Pieter C. Vis: Andries de Graeff (1611–1678) ’t Gezagh is heerelyk: doch vol bekommeringen, p 7
- "Buitenplaatsen in de Gouden Eeuw: De rijkdom van het buitenleven in de Republik" (2015); herausgegeben von Y. Kuiper, Ben Olde Meierink, Elyze Storms-S meets, p 71
- De Gouden Eeuw van Soestdijk, by Thera Coppens
- Johan Engelbert Elias, De Vroedschap van Amsterdam, 1578-1795, Deel 1, p 174/75
- "De werken van J. van den Vondel", book 17, p 173 (1888)
- "De 500 Rijksten van de Republiek: Rijkdom, geloof, macht en cultuur", by Kees Zandvliet (2020)
- Amsterdams Historisch Museum Archived March 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
Literature
- Graeff, P. de (P. de Graeff Gerritsz en Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek) Genealogie van de familie De Graeff van Polsbroek, Amsterdam 1882.
- Bruijn, J. H. de Genealogie van het geslacht De Graeff van Polsbroek 1529/1827, met bijlagen. De Built 1962-63.
- Fölting, H.P., 'De landsadvocaten en raadpensionarissen der Staten van Holland en West-Friesland 1480–1795. Een genealogische benadering. Deel III' in: Jaarboek Centraal Bureau Voor Genealogie. Deel 29 (1975 Den Haag; Centraal Bureau Voor Genealogie) p. 210-269, (213)