Pieter Dircksz Graeff

Pieter Dircksz Graeff (* 1574 in Amsterdam, † 27 July 1645 ibid) was a descendant of the Dutch regent family De Graeff. The Lord of Engelenburg was born as the third son of Dirk Jansz Graeff and Agniet Pietersdr van Neck.^[2]

A document with the places visited by Pieter Dircksz Graeff in 1613 on his journey to the Holy Land^[1]

Life

Pieter Dircksz Graeff remained unmarried. In contrast to his Protestant family, he may was a follower of the catholic Religion.^[3] In Amsterdam he lived in a town house on the Fluweelenburgwal. In 1620 he bought the castle of Engelenburg (near Herwijnen at Gelderland) together with the associated manor^[4] from Jonker Willem Johansz van Gent.^[5] On December 30 of that year he was enfeoffed with this knightly court (Ridderhofstad) and seigniory.^[6] After his death, the husband of his niece Christina de Graeff (1609-1679), Jacob Bicker, was bequeathed the rights to the estate.^[7]

In 1613 he had made a journey to the Holy Land.^[8] In Jerusalem he received a document, which was prepared by the Franciscan friar Angelus a Messana, and which describes his visit to Christie's tomb. The document also includes the names of a number of the religious sites he visited there.^[9] Today the same is in the Amsterdam City Archives of the De Graeff family.^[10] He also traveled the historic caravan route from Jerusalem to Cairo with the Swiss Hans Jakob Ammann and two Italian travel companions.^[11] His burial place is in the Oude kerk.^[12] In his book Ammann named him "Edel und Vest Herr Peter Graffe" (noble and firm lord Peter Graffe).^[13]

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of origin

Coat of arms as Lord of Engelenburg. Since 1620, Graeff, as owner of the lordship of Engelenburg, has increased this with a blue Heart shield, charged with a silver castle, from which emerges a rising silver angel with outspread wings.

Pieter Dircksz Graeff's ancient coat of arms was quartered and showed the following symbols:

• field 1 (left above) the silver shovel on a red background of their paternal ancestors, the Herren von Graben
• field 2 (right above) it shows a silver falcon on a blue background. The origin of the falcon lies in the possession of the Valckeveen estate (later the Valckenburg estate) in Gooiland
• field 3 (left below), same as field 2
• field 4 (right below), same as field 1
• helmet covers in red and silver
• helm adornment shows an upright silver spade with ostrich feathers (Herren von Graben)
• motto: MORS SCEPTRA LIGONIBUS AEQUAT (DEATH MAKES SEPTRES AND HOES EQUAL)

Since 1620, Graeff, as owner of the lordship of Engelenburg, has increased this with a blue Heart shield, charged with a silver castle, from which emerges a rising silver angel with outspread wings.

Trivia

• Pieter Dircksz Graeff (Pieter Dircksz de Graeff van Engelenburg) was mistakenly named as mayor of Amsterdam (as were other people in his family).^[14] He was not a member of the Vroedschap, the council or any other municipal government office.^[15]
• There is a painted portrait of Graeff with his coat of arms.^[16]