Cornelis Bicker

Cornelis Bicker was the youngest son of Gerrit Bicker and Aleyd Andriesdr Boelens Loen. In 1617 Cornelis Bicker married Aertge Witsen (1599–1652)(1599–1652), daughter of merchant and burgomaster Gerrit Jacobsz Witsen. They had five children: In 1632 he bought the Swieten estate and manorhouse from Hugo Cuyk van Mierop - from these he later derived his noble title. In 1634 he was appointed a captain in the schutterij (civic guard). In 1641 Jacob Bicker succeeded him at the Wisselbank. In 1628, 1635, 1637, 1638, 1642 he was appointed schepen. Cornelis Bicker was member even of the "Bickerse league", which included his brothers Andries, Jacob, Jan, and their distant cousins, the brothers Roelof, Jacob and Hendrick Jacobsz Bicker. They opposed the stadtholder Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, who intended the centralize the five admiralties, which would cause the Admiralty of Amsterdam to lose influence. During the 1640s, the republican elite of the province of Holland, the brothers Cornelis, Andries, and Cornelis de Graeff advocated an end to the Eighty Years' War with the Kingdom of Spain and a reduction in land forces. He was burgomaster of Amsterdam in 1646, 1650 and 1654. Cornelis Bicker was buried in Amsterdam's Nieuwe Kerk. During the 1640s, the influence of Andries Bicker, his family and the city grew even greater as the end of the Eighty Years' War drew nearer. Amsterdam's trade interests pointed in the direction of peace and she was able to push through under Bicker's leadership. The position of the Bicker family was then more powerful than any generation of mayors before or after them. river near Welna estate during William II's attack on Amsterdam. Attack on Amsterdam After the peace treaties and the reduction of the land forces, the political opposition to the House of Orange and in particular to the new stadtholder William II, who wanted to make the city of Amsterdam docile in 1650 by means of a coup d'etat, deepened. In May 1650 he supported a proposal that suggested military cutbacks to encourage peace efforts. On 30 July 1650 the brothers Andries (old-burgomaster) and burgomaster Cornelis Bicker who passed on the news to Bicker's nephew (via his brother, the former burgomaster Andries) Gerard Bicker, then the bailiff or drost of Muiden. Gerard set off for Amsterdam immediately and after receiving the news Cornelis and Andries together with burgomaster Joan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen raised the bridges, shut the gates and deployed artillery. The attack failed but after the attack burgomaster Cornelis de Graeff passed on a message from William II that Cornelis and Andries Another painting of Blick dates to 1654 and is attributed to Govert Flinck - this work was praised by Vondel. His wife was also painted by David Bailly. ==Bicker family==

The Bicker family was one of the oldest patrician families of Amsterdam and belonged to the leading regent-oligarchy. The Bickers were the most powerful family in Amsterdam and decisively determined the fortunes of the city. They were a major trading family involved in the pelt trade with Muscovy and supplying ships and silver to Spain. Laurens Bicker was one of the first to trade on Guinea and seized four Portuguese ships in 1604. The Bicker-De Graeff family-faction became the strongest competitor in the years after the Dutch uprising. They controlled Amsterdam's city government and the province of Holland for half a century. Both families were powerful and influential between the earlier 17th century and the Rampjaar 1672 during the height of the Republic's power. Through their work on the Amsterdam City Council and the Dutch East India Company, the Bickers gained enormous influence on politico-economic self-determination in the young Dutch Republic due to the city's position of economic power within the Republic. Gerrit was a wealthy patrician, politician (burgomaster in 1603), international grain merchant and beer brewer. and threw his work in the Amsterdam Vroedschap and as one of the founders of the East India Company, he was able to launch the careers of his sons, grandchildren and nephews. Cornelis' oldest brother Andries Bicker ruled the city administration for a long time and was mainly supported and carried by him and their other two brothers Jacob and Jan Bicker, his uncle Jacob Dircksz de Graeff and his cousin Cornelis de Graeff. The Bicker brothers had a firm grip on world trade, trading on the East, the West, the North and the Mediterranean. ==References==