| Commentary | The jeweler and merchant Hans Thijsz., born in Antwerp in 1556, spent some time in Dantzig before settling in Amsterdam in or about 1584 (Gelderblom, Zuid-Nederlandse kooplieden, pp. 272, 315). On 28 June 1594, Johan Tijsz., from Antwerp, assisted by his father Christoffel Tijsz., was betrothed to Catharina Boel, from Antwerp, assisted by her father Augustijn Boel (DTB 403/113). Hans Tysz. (de oude) was the father of Hans Tysz. de soon, a buyer at two Orphan Chamber auctions (see R 27698 of Montias2). He was a merchant and jeweler, who invested 12,000 f. in the first subscription for shares in the V.O.C. in 1602 and 34,500 f. in the second in 1612. . He freighted a ship with his father-in-law Augustijn Boel and Aert Tholinck on 31 July 1597 (GAA, Extracten). He is identical with Johan Thijs, jeweler, who had an account of 2 folios at the Wisselbank (Van Dillen, Het oudste aandeelhoudersregister, pp. 122 and 259). On 19 February 1599, Hans van Grol, 39, declared at the request of Hans Thijsz., that the requirant's sister Anna Thijs had married Bartholomeus Peltier in Franckenthal on 2 June 1588 (Extracten). Hans's wife, Catharina Boel, was buried on 13 June 1606 (DTB 1043/8). On 25 August 1605, Hans Tys (signs Johan Thijs) and Francoijs Thijs, brothers, in the name of their sister Anne Thijs, widow of Bartolemeus Peltier, gave a procuration to Pauwels Bosschaert (probably the merchant, not the pastry baker of R 27456) to come to an agreement regarding an inheritance and a lawsuit (NA 101, fol. 63vo, Not. Bruyningh, Extracten). Between 1595 and 1610, the jeweler Hans Thijsz. sold 60,000 f. of jewelry on the Russian market (Wijnroks, Handel tussen Russland en de Nederlanden 1560-1640, p.317). On 1 November 1610, Hans Thysz., merchant in Amsterdam, and Nicolaes Coop (the cythermaker and innkeeper of R 30624), acting in the name and on behalf of Pieter Paul Rubens signed a contract whereby Hans Tijsz. sold to Rubens a house and bleaching works that he owned in Antwerp (for 8,960 f.) The transfer of the house and bleaching works were to take place in Antwerp, in the presence of Doctor Andries Bacher, counsellor and physician of His Highness the Prince of Brunswyck, and by Hans Thijsz. or his representatives The contract also specified that Rubens would have to paint a painting for Thijsz. and instruct (leeren en onderwysen) a son of his (unnamed), in the art of painting (A. Bredius, Een onbekend Rubens-document, Oud Holland 30(1912), pp. 216-7). On 9 March 1611, Magdalena Thijs was cited as the wife of Andries Bacher, doctor in medicine of His Princely Highness of Brunswijck (which helps explain the role of the Prince's counsellor and physician in the transfer of the house in Antwerp). Magdalena was the daughter of Christoffel Thijsz. I and of Martha Gilles, and thus the sister of Hans Thijsz. de oude. Also cited in the document, which concerned the division of property owned by the family within and outside Antwerp, were the brothers of Magdalena and Hans, named Dr. Anthonio Thijs, who was a doctor in theology, and Francoijs Thijs, who, like Hans Thijsz. de oude, was a jeweler. By agreement, Francoijs Thijs sold Hans Thijs a house in Brabant proceeding from the inheritance for 4,000 f. (NA 123, fol. 146-7, Notary Bruyningh, Extracten). Hans Thijsz. himself died in Hoorn. His remains were brought to Amsterdam and were buried on 24 September 1611, coming from the Rouense Kaij naest daer het stroij te coop is. 8 f. were paid on his behalf (DTB 1043/106). Later that year, the Orphan Chamber appointed Denijs de Maistres, the granduncle of the children (the uncle of Hans Tijsz. de oude), Jan van Wely (of R 21219 of Montias2), and Augustyn Tijsz., the children's brother of majority age (25 or older) (the son of the deceased), as guardians over the children of Hans Tyssen and Catharina Boel (WK 5073/513, fol. 132). De Maistres was the brother-in-law of the very wealthy Jan Calandrini. He invested 3000 f. in V.O.C. shares and had an account of 3 folios at the Wisselbank in 1612 and of 5 folios in 1615 (Van Dillen, Het oudste aandeelhoudersregister, p. 186). Anthonije Tysz., who signed the receipt for the proceeds of the present sale when he was 19 years old, was one of the guardians of Augustijn Penijn (R 27716). He, along with Hans Thijsz. de jonge of R 27698 and Francoijs Thijsz., were still of minor age when their father Hans Thijsz. de oude, died in 1611. He was betrothed to Elisabeth de Bacher on 23 January 1621. Elisabeth de Bacher was the daughter of Magdalena Thijs (the sister of Hans Thijsz. de oude and thus his cousin) and of Andries Bacher. After the death of Andries Bacher, Magdalena Thijs remarried with Paulus Boel (a cousin ?), widower of Sara Pelletier (I. van Eeghen, Rubens en Rembrandt kopen van familie Thijs, Maandblad Amstelodamum, 64(1977), p. 62). On 14 June 1622, Constantijn l'Empereur (on whom see below) and Catharina Thijs had their son Joannes baptized in the N.K. in the presence of Dr. Anthony Thysz. (DTB 40/172). The betrothal act seems to have taken place six years later (see below). Johannes Thijsz. would later found the Biblioteca Thijsiana in Leyden. On 22 February 1627, Antoni Thijsz., from Dantzig, 32 years old, widower of Elisabeth Bachers, assisted by Anthones Thyskens, professor of theology in Leyden, his uncle, living on the Breestraet, was betrothed to Magdalena Beltes, from Amsterdam, 27, no living parents (DTB 432/66). Magdalena Beltes (or Beltens) was the daughter of Pieter Beltens de oude who had died in 1626. The daughter of Hans Thijsz. de oude, named Catharina Thijs, from Dantzig, 19 years old, was betrothed to Constantinus l'Empereur Oppick, from Bremen, widower of Weijntje de Witt, on 25 July 1628 (DTB 433/59). L'Empereur was professor of Hebrew and Greek, at first in Harderwyck, and, after 1627, at Leyden University. He was the son of Antoine l'Empereur (1552-1615) and of Sara van der Meulen (1552-1618) , the sister of the rich and distinguished merchant Daniel van der Meulen (Luuc Kooijmans, Vrienschap en de kunst van overleven, p.22). Catharina Thijs I, the wife of Constantin l'Empereur, must not be confused with her cousin of the same name, Catharina Thijs II (the daughter of Francoijs Thijsz. and Hedwige de Bacher), who married Samuel van Swol (of R 8150) and, after his death, Dr. Allard Cloeck (1588-1645). Christoffel Thijsz., the brother of Catharina I, was baptized in Amsterdam on 30 September 1603. On 9 June 1630, Anthonij Thysz. and Magdalena Beltis had their daughter Levina baptized in the O.K. in the presence of Constantinus Lempruer and Joffr. Constantia Coymans (DTB 6/175). Constantia Coymans was the wife of Pieter Beltens de jonge, the brother of Magdalena Beltens. On 9 May 1632, Anthonij Thijsz. and Magdalena Beltens had their son Anthonij baptized in the O.K. in the presence of Jaques Beltis and Abigael Thijssen (perhaps a sister of Christoffel Thijsz.) (DTB 6/336). In 1634, Magdalena Beltens, widow of Anthonij Thijsz., remarried with Anthonij's cousin Christoffel Thijsz. (the son of Francoijs Thijsz.) On 25 October 1637, Christoffel Thijs and Magdalena Beltens had their son Christoffel baptized in the N.K. in the presence of Samuel de Bacher (DTB 42/49). Samuel de Bacher was the son of Dr. Andries de Bacher. Christoffel Thijsz., in the name of his wife Magdalena Beltens, and Pieter Belten de jonge sold their jointly possessed house on the St. Anthonybreestraet to Rembrandt in 1639. |
