KnightCornelis de Graeff (19 May 1650 in
The Hague – 16 October 1678 in The Hague) was a Dutch
nobleman and a
water board member of the
Zijpe and Haze Polder.[1]
After De Graeff studied law at the
University of Leiden he married in 1675 to Agneta
Deutz (1657–1678),[2] daughter of Jean Jan Deutz and Geertruid Bicker (daughter of
Jan Bicker and
Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek, herself a full aunt of Cornelis). His brother-in-law Jean Jan Deutz, Vrijheer van Assendelft was married to Maria
Boreel,[3] member of an outstanding family. The married couple inhabited the Amsterdam city palace Huis van der Graeff, in the middle of the
Gouden Bocht block in Amsterdam, at what is now Herengracht 446.[4] Three children came from this union, but they all died young before 1678. In 1677 he was styled as a
Imperial Knight of the
Holy Roman Empire. His father Andries said that they descent from the
Austrian noble family
Von Graben,[5] which was an apparent (or
illegitimate) branch of the
House of Meinhardin.[6][7] That diplome dadet from July 19, 1677.[2] Diplom loaned to Andries de Graeff and his son Cornelis:
"Fide digis itegur genealogistarum Amsteldamensium edocti testimoniis te
Andream de Graeff [Andries de Graeff] non paternum solum ex pervetusta in Comitatu nostro Tyrolensi von Graben dicta familia originem ducere, qua olim per quendam ex ascendentibus tuis ejus nominis in Belgium traducta et in
Petrum de Graeff [Pieter Graeff], abavum,
Johannem [Jan Pietersz Graeff], proavum,
Theodorum [Dirck Jansz Graeff], avum, ac tandem
Jacobum [Jacob Dircksz de Graeff], patrem tuum, viros in civitate, Amstelodamensi continua serie consulatum scabinatus senatorii ordinis dignitabitus conspicuos et in publicum bene semper meritos propagata nobiliter et cum splendore inter suos se semper gessaerit interque alios honores praerogativasque nobilibus eo locorum proprias liberum venandi jus in Hollandia, Frisiaque occidentale ac Ultrajectina provinciis habuerit semper et exercuerit."[8]
Cornelis de Graeff and his wife both died after a banquet on the occasion of the
Peace of Nijmegen and one and a half months before his father. His tomb chapel is to be found of at the
Oude Kerk in Amsterdam. He was painted by famous artists like
Gerard ter Borch[9] and
Jürgen Ovens. His sister
Alida de Graeff, Vrijvrouwe of the high
Lordship Jaarsveld, appeared as heir to the childless Cornelis.
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Ancient coat of arms
Personal coat of arms a Imperial knight (1677)
Cornelis de Graeff's coat of arms of origin is quartered and shows the following symbols:
field 1 (left above) shows the silver shovel on red of their paternal ancestors, the
Herren von Graben
field 2 (right above) shows the silver swan on blue of the Fief Vredenhof
field 3 (left below) shows the silver swan of their maternal ancestors, the
De Grebber family of Waterland
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)
In 1677 Cornelis de Graeff was awarded the imperial knighthood and his coat of arms
increased. His coat of arms was
crowned, and the two shovels in the coat of arms were also gilded and additionally hung with golden crowns.
^Dudok van Heel, S.A.C. (1969) Het Maecenaat [Andries] de Graeff en Rembrandt, uit Genootschap Amsterlodamum, p 150. In: Maandblad Genootschap Amstelodamum.