Jan Heemskerk

His Excellency Jan Heemskerk
Portrait by Johan Heinrich Neuman, 1896
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
In office 23 April 1883 – 20 April 1888
Monarch	William III
Preceded by	Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg
Succeeded by	Æneas, Baron Mackay
In office 27 August 1874 – 3 November 1877
Monarch	William III
Preceded by	Gerrit de Vries
Succeeded by	Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
Personal details
Born	Jan Heemskerk Abrahamszoon (1818-07-30)30 July 1818 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died	9 October 1897(1897-10-09) (aged 79) The Hague, Netherlands
Spouse	Anna Maria
Children	8, including Theo Heemskerk
Occupation	Lawyer

Jan Heemskerk Abrahamszoon (Dutch pronunciation: [jɑn ˈɦeːmskɛr(ə)k ˈaːbraːɦɑmˌsoːn]; 30 July 1818 – 9 October 1897) was a Dutch politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1874 to 1877, and again from 1883 to 1888. His son, Theo Heemskerk also served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

Biography

Jan Heemskerk c. 1860

Jan Heemskerk Abrahamszoon was born on 30 July 1818 in Amsterdam. He was the son of Abraham Heemskerk and Joanna Jacoba Stuart.[1] He was baptized on 27 August 1818 in the Remonstrant Church in Amsterdam.[2]

He studied law and became a lawyer, then a member of the House of Representatives. Originally a liberal politician, he became a conservative in 1866, and remained this in his Premiership.

He was three times Ministers of the Interior (1866–1868; 1874–1877; 1883–1888) and three times temporary chairman of the Council of Ministers, similar to the present-day Prime Minister, (1867–1868; 1874–1877; 1883–1888). He was Minister of State from 1885 to his death.[1]

Heemskerk died on 9 October 1897, at the age of 79, in The Hague.[1]

Personal life

Heemskerk married his first cousin Anna Maria Heemskerk on 1 October 1846 in Utrecht. They had 5 sons, one of whom died in infancy, and 3 daughters.[1] His son Theo Heemskerk (1852–1932) was Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1908 to 1913.[3] His son Jan Frederik Heemskerk (1867–1944) was a member of the House of Representatives.[4]

Published works

Heemskerk's published works include

• De praktijk onzer grondwet. 2 vols. (Utrecht: J. L. Beijers, 1881.)
• Speciminis inauguralis de Montesquivio pars prior [-altera]. 2 vols. (Amstelodami: J.H. et G. van Heteren, 1839.)

References

1. (in Dutch) Mr.Dr. J. (Jan) Heemskerk Azn., Parlement & Politiek. Retrieved on 7 March 2015.
2. "Inventarissen".
3. (in Dutch) Mr. Th. (Theo) Heemskerk, Parlement & Politiek. Retrieved on 7 March 2015.
4. (in Dutch) J.F. (Jan) Heemskerk, Parlement & Politiek. Retrieved on 7 March 2015.

External links

• Media related to Jan Heemskerk at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Preceded by Johan Herman Geertsema	Minister of the Interior 1866–1868	Succeeded by Cornelis Fock
	Minister of the Interior 1874–1877	Succeeded by Willem Six
Preceded by Gerrit de Vries	Chairman of the Council of Ministers 1874–1877	Succeeded by Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
Preceded by Cornelis Pijnacker Hordijk	Minister of the Interior 1883–1888	Succeeded by Æneas, Baron Mackay
Preceded by Theo van Lynden van Sandenburg	Chairman of the Council of Ministers 1883–1888