Isaac Dorislaus facts for kids
Isaac Dorislaus (born 1595 in Alkmaar, Holland; died May 2, 1649, in The Hague, Holland) was a Dutch historian and lawyer. He became an important official during the time of Oliver Cromwell's rule in England. Dorislaus first came to England as a history professor. His talks often seemed to criticize kings who had too much power. People thought he was trying to make King Charles I of England look like a bad ruler.
Even though his ideas were quite strong, not much was done to stop him. Later, Dorislaus became a chief legal advisor for the army during the first English Civil War. He had talked a lot about people's old freedoms, but he soon tried to bring in strict military laws. This was to help find and deal with supporters of the King, known as Royalists. Dorislaus is remembered for his small part in the special court that tried King Charles I. He is also known for being killed by Royalists while on a diplomatic trip in his home country.
Parliament, which was England's government at the time, sent Dorislaus to Holland as an ambassador. Just a few days after he arrived, Royalists murdered him. They wanted revenge for the death of King Charles I.
Early Life and Ideas
Isaac Dorislaus came from a strong Calvinist family, a type of Protestant religion. He studied at Leiden University in Holland. He then moved to England and became the very first history professor at the University of Cambridge.
From the start, Dorislaus questioned if kings truly had the right to rule without limits. He also supported the idea of people rebelling against unfair rulers. For example, he spoke about England's history before the year 1066. He said that Anglo-Saxon people had democratic freedom before the Norman conquerors took it away. He also supported the Dutch people's fight for freedom against Spain.
His ideas seemed to promote a republic, where the people rule, and even suggested that kings could be removed. Many believed his words were aimed at King Charles I of England. The King was thought to be too friendly with Catholics and not doing enough for England against powerful foreign enemies. Even though he clearly criticized the King, Dorislaus faced little trouble. His university degree was delayed, but that was about it.
In 1629, he joined a group of legal experts called the College of Advocates. Later, he worked with the court. He served as a judge in the army during the Bishops' Wars in 1640 and again in 1642. This was when the army was led by the Earl of Essex.
Even though he once argued for freedom from too much power, Dorislaus changed his views. Once he had power himself, he tried to remove legal protections for people accused of crimes. He helped prepare the serious charges against King Charles I. However, he did not play a major role in the actual trial.
Working for the Commonwealth
In 1648, Dorislaus became a judge in the High Court of Admiralty, which dealt with sea-related legal cases. He was then sent on an important diplomatic trip to Holland. The English government believed Holland had benefited from England's Civil War.
Dorislaus died before the First Anglo-Dutch War began. This war was fought between Cromwell's Puritan government and Holland, who were also Protestants, over trade disagreements. While he was in The Hague, representing the Commonwealth of England, he was murdered. A group of Royalists, led by Walter Whitford, killed him. They did this mainly because of his involvement in the trial of King Charles I.
Dorislaus's death upset Cromwell's friends but made Royalists very happy. His death also caused problems between England and Holland. The English government accused the Dutch of letting Whitford escape. In reality, Whitford had fled to the Spanish Netherlands with help from the Portuguese Ambassador. This made it almost impossible for the Dutch to catch him.
Isaac Dorislaus was buried in Westminster Abbey, a famous church in London. In 1661, his remains were moved to St. Margaret's churchyard nearby.
See also
- List of regicides of Charles I
- List of unsolved murders
