Jan De Witt was Grand-pensionary of Holland. He was born in 1625 or 1632 and died in 1672. He is celebrated as a statesman and for his tragical end. The son of Jacob de Witt, burgomaster of Dort, he became the leader of the political party opposed to the Prince of Orange, and in 1652, two years after the death of William II, was made grand-pensionary. In 1665 the war with England was renewed and conducted by Jan De Witt with great ability until its termination in 1665. In 1672 Louis XIV invaded the Spanish Netherlands and involved Holland in war. Jan De Witt's popularity, already on the decline, buffered still further in the troubles thus occasioned, and he felt it necessary to resign his office of grand-pensionary. At this time his brother Cornelius, who had been tried and put to torture for conspiring against the life of the young Prince of Orange, lay in prison. Jan de Witt went to visit him, when a tumult suddenly arose amongst the people, and both brothers were murdered, on August the 20th, 1672. Jan De Witt was renowned as a man of high character, simple and modest in all his relations. Research Jan De Witt
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