Willem Kieft

E9654

Willem Kieft was a 17th-century Dutch colonial administrator best known for his controversial and often brutal governorship of New Netherland, which included initiating Kieft's War with local Native American tribes.

Aliases (1)

Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf colonial administrator
governor
human
activeIn 17th century
appointedBy Dutch West India Company
authorityOver colonists in New Netherland
relations with Native American tribes in New Netherland
birthPlace Dutch Republic
birthYear c. 1597
causeOfDeath shipwreck of the Princess Amelia
conflict Dutch–Native American conflicts in New Netherland
Kieft's War
controversy massacres of Native Americans during Kieft's War
countryOfCitizenship Dutch Republic
deathDate 1647-09-27
deathPlace off the coast of Wales
employer Dutch West India Company
endTime 1647 (term as Director of New Netherland)
ethnicGroup Dutch
governedCity New Amsterdam
governedTerritory New Netherland
historicalReputation associated with brutality toward Indigenous peoples
controversial leader
languageSpoken Dutch
mannerOfDeath died in shipwreck
memberOf Dutch colonial administration
notableFor conflicts with Native American tribes
controversial policies toward Indigenous peoples
governorship of New Netherland
initiating Kieft's War
occupation colonial governor
merchant
partOf Dutch colonial empire
policy military raids on Native American settlements
taxation of Native American tribes
positionHeld Director of New Netherland
Governor of New Netherland
predecessor Wouter van Twiller
regionOfActivity New Netherland
North America
religion Calvinism
residence New Amsterdam
New Netherland
shipwreckedOn Princess Amelia
startTime 1638 (term as Director of New Netherland)
successor Peter Stuyvesant


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