Graeff, Cornelis De
† 04-05-1664

Initials	C.
First name	Cornelis
Prefixes	DE
Last name	GRAEFF
Last reported address	Heerengracht (216).
Burial notes	(o.)
Biography	Doopkapel nr. 1 Cornelis was a merchant and administrator of the VOC, and from 1639 a member of the city council and in 1643-1662 mayor ten times (by turn as magnificus, or chairing mayor with the deciding vote) in the difficult times of the First Stadtholderless Period. He began as a captain at the schutterij, and it was his company that was painted in 1642 by Jacob Adriaenszoon Backer (to be seen in the Rijkmuseum Amsterdam). In 1645 Cornelis became an advisor of the States of Holland and West Friesland. In 1648 De Graeff was one of the main figures behind the building of a new city hall on the Dam, that was inaugurated in 1655. He reached the height of his power as chairing mayor of Amsterdam, together with Johan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen. He never went to church, only for political reasons. It was probably due to his influence that Nieuwe Kerk was built without a tower. He was the patron of Vondel and Jan Vos and commissioned eight paintings from Govert Flinck for the city hall.

Buried beneath this stone

Oude kerk OA id	4048
Oude kerk Adlib Person priref	3732