Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt ( ), Lord of Berkel en Rodenrijs (1600), Gunterstein (1611) and Bakkum (1613) (September 14, 1547 – May 13, 1619) was a Dutch statesman who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain.

Van Oldenbarnevelt was born in Amersfoort. He studied law at Leuven, Bourges, Heidelberg and Padua, and traveled in France and Italy before settling in The Hague. He was a supporter of the Arminians, who also supported William the Silent in his revolt against Spain, and fought in William's army.

Read more about Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt:  Early Political Life, Becomes Land's Advocate, Truce With Spain, Religious Conflict in The Netherlands, Holland Declares Sovereign Independence (Scherpe Resolutie), Arrest and Trial, Death and Legacy, Namesakes

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    His reversed body gracefully curved, his brown legs hoisted like a Tarentine sail, his joined ankles tacking, Van gripped with splayed hands the brow of gravity, and moved to and fro, veering and sidestepping, opening his mouth the wrong way, and blinking in the odd bilboquet fashion peculiar to eyelids in his abnormal position. Even more extraordinary than the variety and velocity of the movements he made in imitation of animal hind legs was the effortlessness of his stance.
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