Geurt van Beuningen

[
Pieter Jansz Saenredam]

Geurt van Beuningen (1565 - 1633) was the son of a cheese-dealer, mayor of Amsterdam and administrator of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was one of the first of the VOC's subscribers in 1602. For years he was a member of the Amsterdam vroedschap.

Life

Also Van Beuningen was at first a merchant in dairy products, but became one of the biggest shareholder in the VOC. In 1623 Van Beuningen bought all the pepper shipped and on its way to Amsterdam. This action proved profitable to him and which was later followed by others. Van Beuningen moved from the Kalverstraat to the Sint Antoniesbreestraat, living next to Pieter Lastman, who taught Rembrandt in those years. Van Beuningen was known as a remonstrant, and remonstrants were no churchgoers, anti-calvinists, tolerant and supporters of peace with Spain.

From the hand of Vondel the following anecdote on Van Beuningen's is known: scarcely recovered from a heavy illness, he wanted to go to the city hall, where a crucial decision was about to be taken. Van Beuningen was taking advice from the doctor Nicolaes Tulp and a second opinion from a Roman Catholic physician. The latter one told him to travel with Tulp, also a fierce Calvinist, in his carriage to the city hall. Mayor Reynier Pauw, an anti-remonstrant and one of the judges of Johan van Oldenbarneveldt, had not reckoned with another opponent and was stunned to see him walking in.

Descendents

His son Dirk van Beuningen (1588-1648) married the melancholic Catharina Burgh, the sister of Albert Burgh. Dirk van Beuningen was active in grain trade, between Moscovia and the Levant, together with his brother-in-law Reynier Reaal. Dirk and his wife had six children, including the diplomat and colorful burgomaster Coenraad van Beuningen.

External links

* [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/vond001dewe03/vond001dewe03_0079.htm Digital Library for Dutch Letters - Memorials of Geurt Diedriks van Beuningen]

Literature

* Israel, J. (1995) The Dutch Republic. Its Rise, Greatness and Fall, p. 345-6
* Elias, J.E. (1903-1905, herdruk 1963) De vroedschap van Amsterdam 1578-1795, 2 delen.