Constantijn Huygens, Jr.

Constantijn Huygens Jr.
Constantijn Huygens Jr., self portrait (1685)
Born	10 March 1628 The Hague, Dutch Republic
Died	October 1697 The Hague
Residence	Netherlands, France, England
Nationality	Dutch
Fields	Astronomy Optics
Alma mater	University of Leiden
Known for	Aerial telescope, diaries

Constantijn Huygens Jr., Lord of Zuilichem (1628–1697) was a Dutch statesman and poet, mostly known for his work on scientific instruments (sometimes in conjunction with his younger brother Christiaan Huygens). But, he was also a chronicler of his times, revealing the importance of gossip. Besides he was an amateur draughtsman of landscapes.

Constantijn was the eldest son of Sir Constantijn Huygens, a poet and statesman and Suzanna van Baerle. He was taught at home by his father and private tutors. In 1637 his mother died. Around 1640 the family was depicted by Adriaen Hanneman. Along with his brother Christiaan, he began his studies at Leiden university in 1645 studying Law and also taking some liberal Arts courses. These studies included the works of Classical authors on history, philosophy, and science, including mathematics from Frans van Schooten.

In 1649-1650 he accompanied Adriaen Pauw to England and toured through Belgium, France, Switzerland and Italy. In 1655 Constantijn moved to Paris. He joined the circle around Honoré Fabri. In the Hague he also was visiting the salon, organized by the wife of François Caron. In 1668 he married Susanna Rijckaert (1642-1712), a rich woman from Amsterdam. In April 1676, during his stay in Zemst he was visited by David Teniers the Younger. In 1680 Constantijn Jr. visited Celle and moved out of his father's house. It is not sure if it had to do with Abraham de Wicquefort or Sophia Dorothea of Celle. To stop the gossip his father wrote a poem Cluijs-werck.

When William III of England became stadtholder in 1672 Constantijn Jr. had been appointed as his secretary. Constantijn participated in the campaigns against the French, in the Glorious Revolution, but did not attend the crowning. He described the Battle of the Boyne. During the Nine Years' War, Constantijn left for the Southern Netherlands each spring, returning to London each autumn. Constantijn became friends with or wrote about the Groom of the Stole William Bentinck, Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle, William Nassau de Zuylestein, Everhard van Weede Dijkvelt, Coenraad van Beuningen and Adrian Beverland. When William Blathwayt surpassed him as secretary, Constantijn was frustrated and in 1695 he received permission to return to the Dutch Republic.