WITT, Johan (Jan) de

(1625–1672)

   Statesman. De Witt stud ied law and became a lawyer, although he had already been ap pointed pensionary (legal advisor) of his city of birth, Dordrecht, in 1650. As grand pensionary of the wealthy province of Hol land, de Witt was the director of the foreign relations of the Re public. The house of Orange-Nassau being excluded from the of fice of stadtholder in 1654, de Witt considered the influence of the city magistrates in political matters as the “true freedom” in the constitution of the Republic. De Witt’s aim in his foreign policy was the maintenance of peace, considered to be of fundamental im portance to a commercial country. The geographical position of power between mighty rival kingdoms prohibited the success of this policy in the long run. In 1672, the Republic was overrun by French armies, de Witt was murdered in a riot, as was his brother Cornelis (1623–1672), and William III of Orange was appointed stadtholder.