Hereditary Prince Research Articles

François de La Mothe Le Vayer and His De l’instruction de Monsieur le Dauphin: The Concepts of the Golden Mean and Public Good

This article investigates into the structure and content of De l’instruction de Monsieur le Dauphin by François de La Mothe Le Vayer. Le Vayer describes the four pillars of the state — religion, justice, finance, and military power — speculating on how thoroughly a hereditary prince of France should study liberal and mechanical arts. He does not recommend the majority of subjects for detailed study, making an exception for rhetoric in the first place and adding three more important subjects: geography, ethics, and physics. In fine arts, according to Le Vayer, the king had better be an experienced connoisseur than a creator. He also describes pretty much in detail the physical activities useful for a king in waiting (swimming, dance, and armed martial arts are recommended, while running is not), as well as possible games and ways of entertainment. A large proportion of the treatise is devoted to proving the harmfulness of astrology, chemistry, and magic. The key principles underlying Le Vayer’s speculations are the “golden mean” and the use of general education as a basis, the elements of which he analyzes separately for applicability in the instruction of a hereditary prince.

Несостоявшийся брак наследного принца Оранского и принцессы Шарлотты Уэльской

Dynastic marriages between reigning Houses of Europe have always played an essential role in the foreign policy of countries, consolidating their cooperation. The defeat of Napoleon by the Russian Emperor Alexander I in the Patriotic War of 1812 proved the feasibility of liberation of Europe from France’s oppression and created favourable conditions for the British Prince Regent George, future king George IV of the United Kingdom, and the Dutch Prince William of Orange, future king William I of the Netherlands, to embark on the realization of a dynastic alliance between their children - Princess Charlotte of Wales and Hereditary Prince William of Orange. However, even though nearly all necessary preparations were made, the British-Dutch dynastic alliance plan collapsed in June 1814 on the initiative of the wayward Princess of Wales. That played into the hands of Alexander I who set sights on the Dutch Hereditary Prince as a prospective spouse for his younger sister Grand Duchess Anna, and the Tsar did not want to yield to England. In the article the author, by using archival sources most of which are of Dutch origin, reveals the mutual interests of the Netherlands and Great Britain which determined the idea of a dynastic marriage, analyses the possible role of Alexander I in its failure that eventually paved the way towards the Russian-Dutch dynastic alliance.

Интересы и роль России в образовании королевства Нидерландов: династический союз с Оранскими как инструмент внешней политики Александра I

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Europe was largely influenced by the French Revolution, which appeared as a major blow to the Westphalian political system. Motivated by its revolutionary ideas with the aim to spread them throughout Europe, to confirm its political and economic hegemony on the continent, the First French Republic and later the First Napoleonic Empire during its numerous wars conquered and controlled most of western countries, including the Netherlands, which later also became a satellite state of France. As a major opponent of France’s aggressive policy of that period and Napoleon’s defeater, Russia and its Emperor Alexander I took a significant part in the postwar settlement of Europe. However, Russia’s key role in liberating European countries, among which the Netherlands, from France’s oppression and in establishing their independence is often omitted and ignored in western historiography. By using archival documents, including Dutch ones, the author’s purpose is to show that due largely to consistent policy of Alexander I towards restoring independence of the Netherlands, in full accordance with Russia’s national interests, to the Emperor Alexander’s personal participation at the Congress of Vienna, a new state was formed in 1815 – the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. An essential instrument of Emperor Alexander’s foreign policy which strengthened the ties between the two countries was the dynastic marriage in February of 1816 of his younger sister Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna with Dutch Hereditary Prince of Orange William who became in 1840 the King of the Netherlands William II.

A Big Prince in His Tiny Realm. Effectiveness of political system of Principality of Liechtenstein - Interview with His Serene Highness Prince Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein1

A Big Prince in His Tiny Realm. Effectiveness of political system of Principality of Liechtenstein - Interview with His Serene Highness Prince Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein1

Second-tier Diplomacy: Hans von Gagern and William I in their Quest for an Alternative European Order, 1813–1818

Second-tier Diplomacy: Hans von Gagern and William I in their Quest for an Alternative European Order, 1813–1818 This article supplements Anglo- or Prussian dominated readings of the Vienna Conference by focusing more on its beginnings, on alternative scenarios of a Dutch-German union and on the process of diplomatic bargaining by secondary agents. Based on new archival material, German-Dutch cooperation in Vienna is traced and placed in a wider context. Vienna did not restore the «conservative order» but negotiated a new outlook on peace and security rooted in the notion of «political equilibrium » and an incipient sense of a Pax Europeana. While the great powers deliberated, two secondary agents in the field of transnational diplomacy and security, the «free-lancing» nobleman Hans von Gagern and the hereditary Prince of Orange, William Frederick, pursued their own alternative version for Europe, both geographically and politically. By analysing their efforts, which in the end proved only partly successful, this paper adds more insight to the dynamic and contested process of creating a new European order and an accompanying security culture.

‘Archimedes in kundigheit, Ulisses in beleit, Achilles in dapperheit’. Het Album Amicorum van Klaas Willem Kiers (c. 1722/1759), ingenieur-modellist van stadhouder Willem IV

The Album Amicorum of Klaas Willem Kiers (c. 1722/1759), military engineer and model maker of the Dutch Stadtholder Willem IV This paper focuses on the importance of the Album Amicorum as a source of biographical information. Presented is the case of Klaas Willem Kiers, an engineer from Groningen, who was employed by the Dutch Stadtholder Willem IV for the fabrication of scientific models for his cabinet of experimental philosophy in The Hague. Kiers also taught the young hereditary prince – the later Willem V – the basic principles of fortification. After the sudden death of the stadholder, Kiers served as a lieutenant- engineer in the Army of the Dutch Republic. At that time he started an Album Amicorum , in which he collected inscriptions from various prominent countrymen. Kiers’ case demonstrates how this source can provide precious information about one’s biography. We can, among others, reconstruct Kiers’ education, his connections at the Stadholderly court and the other social levels in which he operated. Kiers probably used some of these connections to start in 1758 a chemical factory in Amsterdam for the production of soap and saltpetre. In short, Kiers’ album provides a unique testimony of the Dutch scientific culture in the mid-1750s.

Jan van Huysum und der Hof von Mecklenburg-Schwerin

In 1900 Friedrich Schlie published seven letters and a receipt by Jan Huysum from the Schwerin archives in Oud Holland. It was only a fraction of the traces that can be found in Schwerin of van Huysum´s connection with the court of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. This relationship lasted from 1716 when the artist in Amsterdam received the visit of Christian Ludwig, younger brother of the reigning duke, almost until the artist´s death in 1749. The relationship was fueled after Christian Ludwig´s accession to power in 1732 by his eagerness to acquire works by the painter who had since como to fame. In spite of several visits to the artist over a number of years by the hereditary prince and the duke´s chamberlain the three larger works by van Huysum in Schwerin were, in the end, bought at auctions. Only two smaller pendant pieces were ordered directly from the artist by the duke who had to wait for delivery for a considerable number of years. It turned out that the pair was among the last pieces van Huysum painted. The correspondence published without discussion in 1900 only pertains to this order while the present article is aimed at giving the whole scope of the connection of Jan van Huysum to the Schwerin court and the importance of his art there.

In Search of the Viennese African, Angelo Soliman (ca. 1721-96): From Educator of a Hereditary Prince to Stuffed Exhibit

In Search of the Viennese African, Angelo Soliman (ca. 1721-96): From Educator of a Hereditary Prince to Stuffed Exhibit

Oranje's erfgoed in het Mauritshuis

Oranje's erfgoed in het Mauritshuis

Prince Chu Tsai-Yu's Life and Work: A Re-Evaluation of His Contribution to Equal Temperament Theory

In Western accounts of Chinese musical history Chu Tsai-yii1 is one of most frequently mentioned personalities, but unfortunately very few facts have been accurately reported about this eminent musical historian and theorist who flourished toward end of 16th century. Since so far there exist no published translations in Western languages of his many writings, it seems desirable to present most important data of his work and life, particularly because some of his achievements may have had a profound and lasting influence on certain musical developments in Europe. For Chu Tsai-yu has frequently been credited by respectable authors with what is usually called the invention of equal temperament. As we shall see, this claim cannot be considered correct without major qualifications, depending on point of view one takes. It has also been stated with somewhat emotional emphasis that Prince's contribution to music theory represents the crowning achievement of China's two millennia of acoustical experiment and research (Robinson 1962:224). Since achievements of these two millennia, as we have come to realize in last twenty years, have been magnificent in many respects, I must express doubts as to justification of that second claim. More justified, I believe, would be conclusion that Chu was one of most important historians of his nation's music. Chu was born in 1536 in Ho-nei, Honan Province, into a family of high aristocratic standing. He was a descendant, in sixth generation, of Hung Hsi, fourth emperor of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). His father Chu Hou-huan was hereditary Prince of Cheng. Hence, in Western literary sources our scholar is usually referred to as Prince Chu (a title which should be rendered in German as Furst, not as Prinz). As will be seen below, it is questionable whether princely title should always be added to family name.

Hereditary Prince of Scotland Slain after the battle of Pavia

Hereditary Prince of Scotland Slain after the battle of Pavia