John de Witt

If the combination of superb political skills and a powerful intelligence were enough to make a 'philosopher-king' such as Plato dreamed of, the Dutch 'Grand Pensionary' John de Witt (1625-72) would fit the prescription as well as any statesman in history. Manoeuvring among the powers of Europe in the period of France's growing ascendancy, and facing the bitter commercial and political rivalry of ...