Emanuel van Meteren
Encyclopedia
Emanuel van Meteren or Meteeren (September 6, 1535 – April 11, 1612) was a Flemish historian and Consul for "the Traders of the Low Countries
" in London
. He was born in Antwerp, the son of Sir Jacobus van Meteren
, financier and publisher of early English
versions of the Bible
, and Orrilia Ortellius, of the famous Ortellius family of mapmakers, and nephew of the famous cartographer Abraham Ortelius
.
Van Meteren was a unique historian. He was not merely a chronicler of the events of his time, but also a powerful and wealthy man who influenced those events.
In 1581 he was the Consul representing Dutch merchants in London. In that year he harbored Christiaen, the fourth secretary of William the Silent, Prince of Orange while he was being pursued by enraged Spaniards. He related the surrounding events in his work Album.
To help thwart the plots of the Spanish
Ambassador at the Court of Queen Elizabeth
, William the Silent enlisted one Willem Janszoon van Hoorn, the captain of the Sea Beggar, to pretend to accept a bribe from the Spanish Ambassador and enter into a conspiracy to surprise the English garrison at Flushing
. To avoid trickery Don Bernardino de Mendoza
had insisted on having the captain's small son as a hostage. Since trickery was indeed intended, the captain was desperate as to what might befall his son. The Prince of Orange promised him on his word of honour that he would have the boy kidnapped from the Spanish Embassy in London and safely conveyed home. Christiaen (later called "The Elder") was commissioned to redeem at all costs the Stadtholder
's given pledge. Van Meteren made some arrangements with the Secretary of State, Sir Francis Walsingham
, who was in charge of security for the embassy. Nevertheless Christiaen and the boy narrowly escaped the pursuit of the enraged Spaniards who scoured the banks of the Thames for him and the boy. Van Meteren was successful in concealing them and effecting their escape.
In 1599 van Meteren wrote a book titled Belgische ofte Nederlandsche Historie van onzen Tijden, detailing the events of the first part of the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands
and Spain
. Some of the accounts detail events that van Meteren actually witnessed. For instance he was with the Prince of Orange during the siege of Zaltbommel
by the Spaniards.
After Henry Hudson
returned from his second voyage he related to van Meteren that there had been a mutiny in 1609, originating in quarrels between Dutch and English sailors. Van Meteren had access to Hudson's journals, charts and logbooks, and recorded these events in Historie der Nederlanden.
He also chronicled the adventures and demise of the French merchant François Le Fort
.
Van Meteren is also the author of Historia Belgica.
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
" in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was born in Antwerp, the son of Sir Jacobus van Meteren
Jacobus van Meteren
Sir Jacobus van Meteren was the financier and printer of early English versions of the Bible. He was involved in the printing of an edition of Tyndale's New Testament in 1535 . The Coverdale Bible of 1535 may also have been his work...
, financier and publisher of early English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
versions of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, and Orrilia Ortellius, of the famous Ortellius family of mapmakers, and nephew of the famous cartographer Abraham Ortelius
Abraham Ortelius
thumb|250px|Abraham Ortelius by [[Peter Paul Rubens]]Abraham Ortelius thumb|250px|Abraham Ortelius by [[Peter Paul Rubens]]Abraham Ortelius (Abraham Ortels) thumb|250px|Abraham Ortelius by [[Peter Paul Rubens]]Abraham Ortelius (Abraham Ortels) (April 14, 1527 – June 28,exile in England to take...
.
Van Meteren was a unique historian. He was not merely a chronicler of the events of his time, but also a powerful and wealthy man who influenced those events.
In 1581 he was the Consul representing Dutch merchants in London. In that year he harbored Christiaen, the fourth secretary of William the Silent, Prince of Orange while he was being pursued by enraged Spaniards. He related the surrounding events in his work Album.
To help thwart the plots of the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Ambassador at the Court of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, William the Silent enlisted one Willem Janszoon van Hoorn, the captain of the Sea Beggar, to pretend to accept a bribe from the Spanish Ambassador and enter into a conspiracy to surprise the English garrison at Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
. To avoid trickery Don Bernardino de Mendoza
Bernardino de Mendoza
Bernardino de Mendoza was a Spanish military commander, a diplomat and a writer on military history and politics.- Life and works :Bernardino de Mendoza was born in Guadalajara, Spain around 1540...
had insisted on having the captain's small son as a hostage. Since trickery was indeed intended, the captain was desperate as to what might befall his son. The Prince of Orange promised him on his word of honour that he would have the boy kidnapped from the Spanish Embassy in London and safely conveyed home. Christiaen (later called "The Elder") was commissioned to redeem at all costs the Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
's given pledge. Van Meteren made some arrangements with the Secretary of State, Sir Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
, who was in charge of security for the embassy. Nevertheless Christiaen and the boy narrowly escaped the pursuit of the enraged Spaniards who scoured the banks of the Thames for him and the boy. Van Meteren was successful in concealing them and effecting their escape.
In 1599 van Meteren wrote a book titled Belgische ofte Nederlandsche Historie van onzen Tijden, detailing the events of the first part of the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Some of the accounts detail events that van Meteren actually witnessed. For instance he was with the Prince of Orange during the siege of Zaltbommel
Zaltbommel
Zaltbommel is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as "Bomela" in the year 850. Zaltbommel first received city status in 1231, which status was renewed in 1316....
by the Spaniards.
After Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
returned from his second voyage he related to van Meteren that there had been a mutiny in 1609, originating in quarrels between Dutch and English sailors. Van Meteren had access to Hudson's journals, charts and logbooks, and recorded these events in Historie der Nederlanden.
He also chronicled the adventures and demise of the French merchant François Le Fort
François Le Fort
François Le Fort was a merchant, native to Vitry, France, who became a member of the Antwerp city council in the 16th century as Master of the Barber's Guild.-External links:*...
.
Van Meteren is also the author of Historia Belgica.