Nicasius de Sille
Encyclopedia
Dr. Nicasius de Sille was a 16th-century statesman from Belgium who served as a Special Ambassador from the Netherlands to several nations, and as Secretary to future-Holy Roman Emperor
Matthias
.
He spent his early life studying, eventually becoming a Doctor Juris and practicing at the Superior Court of Mechlin.
. In 1577, he became the Pensionary of Namur, and represented the city at the Assembly of Brussels. The following year he signed the Union of Brussels
.
In 1578, he became Secretary to the Council of State for Archduke Matthias
, who had become Governor-General of the Netherlands as a result of the Dutch revolt
, and Secretary for the General States. After the fall of the Southern Provinces, de Sille removed to Holland where he became Pensionary of Amsterdam while maintaining his duties as Secretary. In 1579, on a mission to secure Mechlin, he was arrested and imprisoned out of revenge, but was released shortly thereafter.
In 1584, de Sille made up the conditions of homage of Prince William
to negotiate with the Earl of Leicester
pertaining to control of the Netherlands. Later that year Nicasius was sent as a Deputy to the States-General
, marking the first of repeated terms until his death in 1600.
In 1587, de Sille was sent as a Special Ambassador to England, appearing at the embassy before Queen Elizabeth
. He is mentioned in Elizabeth's "Calendar of State Papers Foreign" on several occasions. Following the successful mission, Nicasius was sent as a Special Ambassador several times to Denmark
, Germany
, and France
. He would also serve twice as a Commissioner of the Army.
De Sille remarried to Johanna de Thrello, and had two daughters:
He died in 1600, receiving a noble burial at the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam.
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Matthias
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor
Matthias of Austria was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 and King of Bohemia from 1611...
.
Early life
Nicasius was born in Mechlin, Belgium in 1543, the son of Nicolas de Sille and Barbara van der Goes. His grandfather, Antonius de Sille, was a page for Philip, Duke of Burgundy.He spent his early life studying, eventually becoming a Doctor Juris and practicing at the Superior Court of Mechlin.
Political career
In 1576 Nicasius was sent by the state to annex GelderlandGelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
. In 1577, he became the Pensionary of Namur, and represented the city at the Assembly of Brussels. The following year he signed the Union of Brussels
Union of Brussels
There were two Unions of Brussels, both formed in the end of the 1570s, in the opening stages of the Eighty Years' War, the war of secession from Spanish control, which lasted from 1568 to 1648...
.
In 1578, he became Secretary to the Council of State for Archduke Matthias
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor
Matthias of Austria was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 and King of Bohemia from 1611...
, who had become Governor-General of the Netherlands as a result of the Dutch revolt
Dutch Revolt
The Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...
, and Secretary for the General States. After the fall of the Southern Provinces, de Sille removed to Holland where he became Pensionary of Amsterdam while maintaining his duties as Secretary. In 1579, on a mission to secure Mechlin, he was arrested and imprisoned out of revenge, but was released shortly thereafter.
In 1584, de Sille made up the conditions of homage of Prince William
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
to negotiate with the Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
pertaining to control of the Netherlands. Later that year Nicasius was sent as a Deputy to the States-General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
, marking the first of repeated terms until his death in 1600.
In 1587, de Sille was sent as a Special Ambassador to England, appearing at the embassy before 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...
. He is mentioned in Elizabeth's "Calendar of State Papers Foreign" on several occasions. Following the successful mission, Nicasius was sent as a Special Ambassador several times to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He would also serve twice as a Commissioner of the Army.
Marriage and family
On January 31, 1571, he married Genovefere de Romaignan, daughter of Laurens de Romaignan and Philippotte le Noire. Genovefere died the following year, leaving Nicasius a son:- Laurens de Sille, who became Burgomeister of Arnheim and married Walburga Merwyns
De Sille remarried to Johanna de Thrello, and had two daughters:
- Johanna de Sille, who married Sir Daniel van Hofdik, Lord of Middlehamis
- Clara de Sille
He died in 1600, receiving a noble burial at the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam.