Christiaan Huygens – A family affair - Proeven van Vroeger

the father’s plans for Christiaan fluctuated. The initial plan – Christiaan would accompany his
father on a diplomatic mission to France, offering the former the opportunity to meet his
correspondent Mersenne – was altered when the opportunity arose for Christiaan to
accompany his father’s high-ranking friend, the Count Hendrik of Nassau, 270 on a diplomatic
mission to Denmark.
As the Count’s “most prominent Councillor” (“mijnen voornaemsten Conseiller”)
Christiaan spent ten or twelve days at the splendid court of Frederik III, the new King and
younger brother of the deceased Christian IV. Though in the first few years of his reign
Frederik III (who ruled from 1648 until his death in 1670) was forced to reduce the size of his
Royal household due to the vast national debt that had been created by the great expenditure
of his brother 271 Christiaan arrived at a court of pageantry. Theatre, expensive attire and
especially music, dancing and ballet, had characterized the Danish Court since the 1580s, and
Frederik III used this courtly display as an effective means of creating international
appreciation for the King’s power – a power that in fact had received a blow through the
restrictive terms of his coronation, dictated by the aristocratic council of the realm. 272 During
his stay at the Danish Court he did what according to him was the only occupation there:
“eating and drinking, dancing and playing.” After dinner “we relaxed ins frauwenzimmer where
there were 12 ladies of the Queen and some freuleins, all dressed in French fashion but not a
single one speaking French,” and later on the King and Queen would both dance with the
diplomats and aides – something Christiaan was surprised about. Christiaan later wrote to his
brother Constantijn (who was in Geneva at the time) that the most striking differences with
4943 – A. Rivet to Constantijn Sr. (April 30, 1649) and HUYGENS, C. (1911) BW., Vol. IV, No 4963 –
Hoeufft to Constantijn Sr. (July 24, 1649).
270
Hendrik, Count of Nassau-Siegen (1611 – 1652) served in the Dutch army, often also fulfilling
diplomatic tasks in France and Sweden. HUYGENS, C. (1888) OC., p112, note 1. On the initial plans
to go to Paris: HUYGENS, C. (1911) BW., Vol. IV, No 4787 – M. Mersenne to Constantijn Sr.,
(March 17, 1648). Then, the trip was cancelled, and instead Constantijn Sr. urged Christiaan to
frequent the chamber of lawyers of the Court of Justice. Christiaan rather filled his time with music:
HUYGENS, C. (1888) OC., Vol. I, No. 64 – Christiaan to Constantijn Jr. (Sept 6, 1649). Seemingly
answering on a request of Constantijn Sr. Hendrik of Nassau indicated his willingness to take
Christiaan with him on the mission. Though appreciating Christiaan’s erudition and broadness of talent,
he expressed his appreciation for the fact that law is part of his baggage: Vol. I, No. 65 – Hendrik of
Nassau to Constantijn Sr. (Oct. 16, 1649) and HUYGENS, C. (1911) BW., Vol. IV, No 4984 –
Constantijn Sr. to Count Hendrik of Nassau (Sept. 13/23 1649).
271
JESPERSEN, L. (2002) Court and Nobility in Early Modern Denmark. Scandinavian Journal of
History, 27, 129-42., p135-40
272
OLDEN-JØRGENSEN, S. Ibid.State Ceremonial, Court Culture and Political Power in Early
Modern Denmark, 1536 - 1746. 65-76., p69-72. The limitations on Frederik III’s power would not last
for long. After the strengthening of his court during the 1650s a political revolution in 1660 enabled him
to establish the first ‘real’ absolutist reign in Danish history. OLDEN-JØRGENSEN, S. (2002) State
Ceremonial, Court Culture and Political Power in Early Modern Denmark, 1536 - 1746. Scandinavian
Journal of History, 27, 65-76., p72
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