Jean Deutz
Jean Deutz | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Amsterdam, Dutch Republic |
| Died | August 1673 |
| Occupation(s) | Trader, financier, banker |
| Known for | Close alliance with Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt; Imperial Factor for the Mercury in Amsterdam |
Jean Deutz (born November 29, 1618, Amsterdam – died August 1673) was a prominent Dutch trader, financier, and banker who maintained a close alliance with his brother-in-law, the Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt.
Family
Originating from Cologne, the Deutz family relocated to Amsterdam in the early 1600s. Jean was the son of Johan Deutz (1581–1638), a merchant specializing in East Indian goods, and Elisabeth Coymans (1595–1653).
Jean initially engaged in the trade of wool and silk. In 1654, he wed Geertruid Bicker (1634–1702), daughter of Jan Bicker and Agneta de Graeff van Polsbroek. Through this marriage, he introduced Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt to his sister-in-law Wendela Bicker; their marriage subsequently intertwined Deutz with Holland’s foremost Republican families—the Bickers, De Graeff, and De Witt lineages. His brothers-in-law included notable figures such as arms merchant Jacob Trip, politician Pieter de Graeff, and civil servant Gerard Bicker (I) van Swieten.
Jean and Geertruid had three children:
- Jean Deutz van Assendelft (1655–1719), who married Maria Boreel
- Agneta Deutz (1657–1678), who married her cousin Cornelis de Graeff (1650-1678)
- Isabella Deutz (1658–1694), who married Diederik Hoeufft
Following the death of Wendela Bicker in 1668, Deutz together with Pieter de Graeff assumed guardianship over their nieces and nephews, including Johan de Witt Jr., overseeing the family’s estates.
Career
Deutz cultivated a strong bond with De Witt, frequently visiting him in Amsterdam and at Den Eult, a countryside residence near Baarn gifted by De Witt's in-laws. Acting as a trusted financial consultant, Deutz provided funding for the Republic’s military campaigns under his brother-in-law’s guidance. In 1659, upon De Witt's recommendation, Emperor Leopold I granted him exclusive rights to distribute imperial Austrian mercury throughout Northern Europe, appointing him as Imperial Factor for the Mercury in Amsterdam. This mercury was sourced from Idrija (present-day Slovenia) and exported to Venice and Amsterdam. Additionally, De Witt aided Deutz in negotiating a trade agreement with the Spanish Crown, which required mercury supplies for its silver mines in Mexico. By 1669, Deutz had secured a monopoly by acquiring all shares from Venetian rivals. After his passing, his widow Geertruid managed the enterprise and extended loans to Emperor Leopold I during the Great Turkish War and the War of the Spanish Succession.