Constantijn Huygens
A towering intellectual of the Dutch Golden Age who served princes, penned witty verse, composed music, and fathered a scientific revolution.
1596–1687 (age 91)·Dutch poet and composer·Birthday: September 4
Biography
Constantijn Huygens was the ultimate Renaissance man in a lace collar. As the trusted secretary to two Princes of Orange, he was a diplomatic powerhouse at the heart of the Dutch Republic's political life. Yet his court duties were just one facet of a brilliantly refractive mind. He wrote thousands of poems in Dutch, French, and Latin, his verse ranging from witty epigrams to profound meditations on faith and science. He was a skilled musician who composed and corresponded with the likes of John Donne. His most lasting contribution, however, may have been as a patron and parent: he educated his sons, Christiaan and Constantijn Jr., to be brilliant observers of the world, launching one into the cosmos as the discoverer of Saturn's rings.
#1 When Constantijn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1596
Constantijn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1596Born
1601Started school
1609Became a teenager
1612Could drive
1614Could vote
1617Turned 21
1626Turned 30
1636Turned 40
1646Turned 50
1656Turned 60
1666Turned 70
1676Turned 80
1687Died at 91
Key Achievements
- Served as the principal secretary and trusted advisor to two Stadtholders of the Dutch Republic, Frederick Henry and William II.
- Authored a vast body of poetry that helped shape Dutch literary language during the Golden Age.
- Designed his own country house, Hofwijck, which stands as an example of Dutch Classical architecture.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished lutenist and composer who wrote the first Dutch treatise on the instrument.
Huygens corresponded with some of the greatest minds of Europe, including René Descartes and the artist Rembrandt.
He fathered the famous scientist Christiaan Huygens, who discovered Titan and Saturn's rings.
““The world is my country, science my religion.””
