BARON VAN DER CAPELLEN,

GODERD ALEXANDER GERARD PHILIP,

Lord of Berkenwoude-en-Achterbroek

by Geert van Uythoven

Born in Utrecht on 15 December 1778, son of Alexander Philip van der Capellen and Maria Taets van Amerongen.

Losing his father when nine years old, and therefore entrusted for his education to the Walloon vicar Pierre Chevalier. Studied at the University of Utrecht, becoming a lawyer. Also attending the University of Göttingen. Promoted to Doctor of Law in 1803.

Batavian Republic

In 1803 he was appointed Secretary of the Departemental Audit-Office in Utrecht. In 1805 the head of state, Raadspensionaris Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck, appointed him a member of the Council of Finances of the same department.

Kingdom of Holland

King Louis Bonaparte made good use of Van der Capellen’s qualities, in 1806 appointing him to Assessor of the Landdrost, a year later to General Secretary of the Utrecht Department. His brightness did not escape the attention of his superiors. In 1808, King Louis send him to Eastern Friesland, as a Commissary to take over government of this territory as well as the manors Jever, Varel and Kniphausen; becoming Landdrost of the department East-Friesland created out of this territories, which was united with the Kingdom of Holland. He did his job well, and managed to merge these territories with Holland without problems, while at the same time gaining the trust of the inhabitants.

He became an intimate friend of King Louis, who in 1809 appointed him Privy Council, after that he became Minister of Public Worship and Home Affairs. In this position, together with his colleagues Cornelius Rudolphus Theodorus Krayenhoff, and Jean Henri Appelius, he advised King Louis to defend the Kingdom of Holland against the advancing French troops of Napoleon. But after the border fortresses had been surrendered by orders of King Louis, and the greater part of the country already occupied by the French, he just as strongly opposed the defence of the capital Amsterdam.

French Empire

This signalled the end of King Louis, who went in exile. Van der Capellen refused to serve under French rule, but was forced to remain minister until the introduction of the French organisation on 1 January 1811. In addition, he refused to accept the Order of the Reunion. During 1811 he and his wife joined King Louis during his exile in Graz, staying with him for about a year. Because of family business, he had to return to Holland, which caused the suspicious King Louis to end their friendship. Van der Capellen, disgusted with the ruthlessness and force with which the Netherlands departments were ruled by the French, left Holland again in September 1813. He moved to Manheim, immediately returning to Holland when he heard about the revolution that had taken place. In the meanwhile, King Louis Bonaparte had tried to contact him again. But Van der Capellen, suspecting that King Louis would try to use him to regain his Dutch throne, was convinced that the House of Orange would be the rightful and best choice for an independent nation.

The Netherlands

Immediately after his return, Van der Capellen was appointed General Commissary of the Department of the Zuiderzee, and after that Secretary of State for Trade and Colonies. In May 1814 he was send to Brussels, to act as Commissary of the Netherlands with the Governor-General, Baron de Vincent, who held the authority in the Belgian provinces. When these provinces fell to William of Orange on 1 August 1814 Van der Capellen became Secretary of State, and head of the Belgian Ministry. In October of that same year he was appointed General-Commissary and Governor-General of the Dutch East-Indies.

The political events delayed his departure to the Dutch East-Indies. In January 1815, he was send to the Congress of Vienna entrusted with a secret mission for the Netherlands to join the secret treaty between France, Great Britain and Austria, to oppose the demands of Russia and Prussia. Officially, he had to ensure the rights of the House of Orange-Nassau on their hereditary German territories. He did not completely succeed in this latter mission, as the Nassau hereditary territories were exchanged against Luxemburg. Returning in March, at the news of the return of Napoleon in France he immediately resumed his post in Brussels. He remained calmly on his post during the panic of the 18th.

Dutch East-Indies

Finally, in October 1815 Van der Capellen left for the Dutch East-Indies, to take over those colonies from the British again. The British were reluctant to give up such profitable colonies, and the taking over was delayed until 19 August 1816. Van der Capellen had to cope with many risings of local tribes during the initial years of his rule, but managed to subdue these rather quickly. His way of ruling the Dutch East-Indies, not forgetting the needs and prosperity of its inhabitants, ensured a relative peace over the next years. The results of his tactful policy was rewarded with granting him the Grand Cross of the Orde van den Nederlandschen Leeuw. However, financial problems of the colony forced Van der Capellen to close a huge loan in Calcutta, against 9%. This loan, and the high interest rate, were rejected by King William I, and Van der Capellen was forced to leave the Dutch East-Indies

Later years

Returning in the Netherlands in June 1826 he did not receive a warm welcome. His exploits were neglected and he received the blame for everything that had went wrong. Van der Capellen decided to keep a low profile, hoping that time would be on his side. Recognition came finally in 1829. He was appointed President Curator of the University of Utrecht. Regaining the trust of King William I, he was offered government of Luxemburg, and the embassy in St. Petersburg. He rejected both. In 1838 he was appointed to ambassador at the English Court, present at the crowning of Queen Victoria to represent King William I. When King William II came to the throne in 1840, it was Van der Capellen who was send to Queen Victoria to bring the news.

Even at a relative high age, in 1841 he was offered the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Foreign affairs. He rejected both, stating that he could not serve in those functions as long as the constitution was not revised. For the same reason he refused to become a senator of the 1st Chamber of the States-General. He accepted to become Lord High Chamberlain to King William II, as this was a honorary post only.

Later on also refusing the post of Ambassador in Londen he lived a quiet life, alternated with visits to Paris, to be with King Louis Philippe of whom he was a personal friend. Present in the French capital during the rising in 1848, he was hit by a stone on his head when watching the riots through a window. Shocked by what he had seen and experienced he returned to the Netherlands to his house in Vollenhove. Depressed and in a fit of insanity, he made an end to his own life on 10 April 1848, 69 years old. He was survived by his faithful wife, Jacoba Elisabeth van Tuyl van Serooskerken. They had no children.

© Geert van Uythoven