Johan de Witt

Profession: Statesman and Advisor of Holland

Nationality:

Biography: De Witt was a Dutch political figure during what has come to be called the Dutch Golden Age; when during the 1600s, the Dutch were a major commercial and naval power.

During this period, De Witt was a singly powerful politician; one descended from an influential family and whose brother Cornelis de Witt was also a prominent figure at the time.

While De Witt controlled the Dutch parliament for over 20 years, France and England invaded in 1672; it was anger over the apparent ease with which this had happened that led a mob to lynch both of the De Witt brothers in The Hague.

Born: September 24, 1625
Birthplace: Dordrecht, Netherlands
Star Sign: Libra

Died: August 20, 1672 (aged 46)
Cause of Death: Along with his brother de Witt was shot by members of The Hague's civic militia and left to the mob who strung up their naked, mutilated bodies on a public gibbet. The Orangist mob then ate their roasted livers in a cannibalistic frenzy.