De Witt family Cornelis de Witt was a member of the old Dutch patrician family
De Witt. His father was
Jacob de Witt, an influential
regent and burgher from the
patrician class in the city of
Dordrecht, which in the 17th century was one of the most important cities of the dominating province of Holland. De Witt's mother was Anna van den Corput (1599–1645), niece of
Johannes Corputius, an influential Dutch military leader and cartographer. His younger brother
Johan de Witt was
Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1653 to 1672. His uncle
Andries de Witt previously held the position of Grand Pensionary between 1619 and 1621. Through the marriage of one of his other uncles to Margaretha of Nassau, daughter of
Anna Johanna of Nassau-Siegen, De Witt was a distant relative of
William of Orange-Nassau. Another relationship led him to the Tromps,
Maarten and his son
Cornelis Tromp, both admirals of the Netherlands.
Political career In 1648 Cornelis de Witt became a
schepen (councillor) of Dordrecht. He was afterwards appointed to the important post of '''', who combined the functions of chief of police and prosecuting attorney, of
Putten Cornelis de Witt was
mayor of Dordrecht in 1666 and 1667, • Jacob de Witt (1653–1675). Six days after his father's murder, he set out on a journey to Germany, Geneva, Italy (where he received his doctorate in Padua in 1675) and Austria. He was unmarried and died in Vienna the same year, where he is buried. • Johan de Witt (1660–1681); was enrolled at the University of Leiden • Anna de Witt (b. 1667) • Maria de Witt (b. 1669), married to Arend Muys van Holy, mayor of Dordrecht • Wilhelmina de Witt (1671–1702). She married her first cousin (the son of Johan de Witt)
Johan de Witt Jr. (1662–1701), secretary of
Dordrecht == Death ==