Pieter Philip Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje (born in Colombo, 18 June 1758 – died in Batavia, 30 April 1818) was an illustrious Dutch patriot and influential revolutionary politician at the end of the 18th century. Ondaatje is regarded as a pioneer of Dutch democracy.Patriot and Patrician: To Holland and Ceylon in the Steps of Henrik Hooft ... by H.G.A. HooftN.C.F. van Sas (2004) De metamorfose van Nederland. Van oude orde naar moderniteit, 1750-1900 When Utrecht was besieged by States army troops he allied himself with Rhinegrave von Salm,Eclaircissemens importans Concernant le Complot de l'Enlévement des Papiers de S.A.S. Mgr. le Duc de Brunswick, relaas met bewijsstukken van het complot door Varanchan de St.-Génié en de Rijngraaf van Salm Grumbach om belastende documenten van de hertog van Brunswijk in 1785 in handen te spelen van de auditeur-militair van de Republiek te Maastricht. Gedrukt, 1786DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 58 entrusted with the defence Holland and Utrecht. At the end of 1787 he lived as refugee in Brussels and French Flanders. From 1795 he served the Batavian Republic and in 1806 the Kingdom of Holland. Up to the Hundred Days he worked in Paris.
Life
Ondaatje was the son of Willem Jurgen Ondaatje, a Protestant minister, with a dark complexion, attributed to his own father's and mother's (of respectively) Indian and Portuguese ancestry on the island of Ceylon, from the community known as "burghers". Ondaatje's grandfather, Dr Michael Juri Ondaatchi, was a Chetty (mixed Tamil and Sinhala) physician.DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 55 His mother, Hermina Quint, hailed from Amsterdam where they married in 1757.Trouwinschrijving Willem Jurriaan Ondatie en Harmina Quint, 27-02-1757 In early 1758 the couple arrived at Ceylon where he was aligned to the Wolvendaal Church.Memorials and Times, p. 271
In 1774 Pieter arrived in Amsterdam, where he resided with his maternal grandfather, and became a pupil at the Athenaeum Illustre. In 1778 he relocated to Utrecht to pursue studies in law and theology but shifted his focus to philosophy. In November 1782 he received a degree in philosophy and successfully obtained his PhD from Leiden Law School in January 1787.Memorials and Times, p. 271
Dutch Patriot
In February 1783, influenced by Andrew Fletcher (patriot) and Van der Capelle tot den Pol, Ondaatje played a pivotal role as founder of the local Free corps, which aimed to supplant the orangist schutterij. During this time he was elected as officer and renting a room in the same house as the poet Jacobus Bellamy, who complained about the noisy gatherings in Ondaatje's quarters.Paul Krijnen (2021) Pieter Quint Ondaatje: revolutieleider in Utrecht, p. 21, 25 In the same year :nl:Rijklof Michaël van Goens, the principal mouthpiece of the Orangists, was removed from the oligarchic city council.S. Schama (1977) Patriots and Liberators: Revolution in the Netherlands 1780–1813, p. 84, 89, 90, 94 Additionally, Ondaatje wrote petitions to the vroedschap regarding the rights and duties of the stadtholder concerning the selection of new candidates. On 6 December 1784, he managed to organize the Free corps nationally.H.T. Colenbrander (1898) De patriottentijd. Deel 2: 1784-1786, p. 224 Regular meetings were held in the "stadskelder". It committed the Free corps strive for a "Peoples' government by representation.S. Schama (1977), p. 95 As the leader of the negotiations, Ondaatje asserted to the magistrate the necessity of embracing the general will.S. Schama (1977), p. 95-96 P. Krijnen, p. 35
On 11 March 1785, the populace of Utrecht congregated at the town hall in a massive demonstration. Led by Ondaatje, they boldly entered the hall, where he delivered a passionate speech demanding the resignation of Orangist candidates unless the regenten acceded to their demands.S. Schama (1977), p. 90-91 Faced with this determined stance, the magistrates relented, on the condition that Ondaatje quell the unrest. Ondaatje proclaimed their triumph and urged the people to disperse to their homes. Though the crowd dispersed, subsequent gatherings were prohibited.Schama, S. (1987), p. 84, 86, 89-93. 91 On 3 May 1785, a complaint was filed against him, setting the stage for a trial scheduled on August 2, 1785.Paul Krijnen (2021), p. 37, 38, 40 He defended himself against attacks in the patriot newspaper De Post van den Neder-Rhijn and was visited by Pieter Paulus, a public prosecutor from Rotterdam.S. Schama (1977), p. 93 Ondaatje made the decision to resign from his position in the Free corps and relinquish his role as their representative. After the second national meeting of Free corps in June 1785, it became increasingly clear that the Republic was heading for a civil war.
By December 1785, tension in the city escalated further. Despite a vigorous campaign by the patriots advocating for the adoption of new democratic urban regulations, the council remained entrenched in traditional governance methods. Faced with this impasse, Ondaatje resolved to take decisive action. On 19 December, he successfully rallied a crowd and led them to the town hall, demanding that the city council implement the democratic regulations within three months. No one would be permitted to leave the building until they had consented to the Patriot's demands.S. Schama (1977), p. 98
Dutch Revolt
Despite internal divisions, they agreed in early August 1786 that the city council should no longer be appointed by the stadtholder but by the Free corps and religion nor property a condition. Amidst intense public interest, the Utrecht city council was removed from power with only seven members retaining their positions.Algemeen Rijksarchief 2.21.057, archief P.A. Dumont-Pigalle, inv. nr. 87: Handelingen en Besluiten van de Algemeene Vergadering der Gewapende Burger-Corpzen Provintialiter gehouden binnen Utrecht op den 1 Augustus 1786 en volgende dagen; H.T. Colenbrander, p. 255 Within a matter of weeks, the free corps elected more patriotically inclined magistrates, who assumed office on 10 October. This marked a historic moment, as Utrecht became the first city in the Netherlands to establish a city government that included representation from Catholic, Mennonite, and other less privileged groups.Schama, S. (1987), p. 101 This government was controlled by representatives of the population and, notably, operated without interference or permission from the Stadtholder.N.C.F. van Sas (2004) De metamorfose van Nederland. Van oude orde naar moderniteit, 1750-1900 However, the Orangist majority in the provincial States refused to acknowledge these regulations and relocated to Amersfoort, while the Patriot minority remained in Utrecht. The city transformed into a fortified camp in anticipation of a potential attack by the stadtholder's forces, which were being organized from Amersfoort.
In May 1787, a total ban on the purchase of weapons was imposed, further infuriating the patriots. All this led to the establishment of the Defense Committee in Woerden to organize the defense of Holland and Utrecht. In the middle of the night Ondaatje arrived at the Battle of Jutphaas. On 7 June Ondaatje was appointed as liaison officer and Johann Friedrich von Salm-Grumbach as commander-in-chief.Inventaris van het archief van de Commissie van Defensie te Woerden, 1787 but was not recognized by all officers,Paul Krijnen: Pieter Quint Ondaatje. Revolutieleider in Utrecht. 2021, p. 56–58Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis der omwenteling in 1787, p. 125M. P. J. Ondaatje: Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje. In: Vaderlandsche letteroefeningen. Jaargang 1869, p. 55 his new powers were legally controversial.Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis der omwenteling in 1787 At the end of July Salm made an attempt conquering Palace Soestdijk and besieging Amersfoort.O. van Nimwegen, Willem V, S. 336 In August 60 French gunners arrived in the city of Utrecht.Hulzen, A. van (1966) Utrecht in de patriottentijd, p. 289
Things really got exciting when a Prussian ultimatum came into effect but Holland refused to give in. On 13 September a Prussian invasion of Holland took place; about 18,000 Prussian soldiers, in three divisions, crossed the border.Memorie voor den Rhijngraaf van Salm, p. 20 In the night of 15 September the Salm-légion, Ondaatje and his armed volunteers and supporters left Utrecht and fled in the direction of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel.Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis der omwenteling in 1787 Ondaatje destroyed the mutual correspondence between the members of the Defense Committee in Woerden.Inventaris van het archief van de Commissie van Defensie te Woerden, 1787
Around 2 October he (and the Rhinegrave?) fled to Hamburg but Ondaatje returned mid November (with bad weather) to Ostend.DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 56 In 1789 he was condemned for Lèse-majesté and declared publicly infamous.C.M. Davies (1870) Memorials and Times of Peter Philip Juriaan Quint OndaatjeSchama, S. (1987), p. 166 The formation of a union between the Republic and the Belgian region was a topic in which Ondaatje was interested, having withdrawn to Ghent with Von Liebeherr in 1790. He settled in Dunkirk as author and printer.DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 55 In 1791 Ondaatje wrote an apology to the Rijngraaf of Salm.Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis der omwenteling in 1787 He added Quint to his last name on request of his late grandfather.
Meanwhile Ondaatje was active in fraternal organisations (Free masons). For him the Rights of Man came first and he laid emphasis on freedom of speech and the people's sovereignty. In July 1792 Ondaatje sought help from Johan Valckenaer and Court Lambertus of Beyma and proposed the formation of a Batavian Legion, assisting in an invasion into the Dutch Republic by general Dumouriez.Joost Rosendaal (2005) Bataven! Nederlandse vluchtelingen in Frankrijk 1787-1795 On 17 February 1793, the French troops and the Batavian Legion crossed the border; Ondaatje was present during the Siege of Breda by Westermann,DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 57 occupied by an army of Sans-Culottes that lacked almost everything.Mémoires du général Dumouriez, Band 2, p. 27, 30, 32, 38, 42, 54 In March the Armée du Nord was ordered to return to Brussels rather than further entering Holland.Mémoires du général Dumouriez, Band 2, p. 61Patricia Chastain Howe (2008) Foreign policy and the French Revolution. Charles-Francois Doyle, Pierre Lebrun, and the Belgian Plan, 1789-1793. Palgrave Macmillan, London, p. 159, 172 From September 1793 Ondaatje was active in Calais as a printer. In the following year he married Christina Hoevenaar, who divorced J.C. Hespe, another revolutionary printer. After the Batavian Revolution they moved to the Hague.Maarten Hell, Hoevenaar, Christina, in: Digitaal Vrouwenlexicon van Nederland URL: DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 58
Batavian Republic
In March 1796, Ondaatje, alongside Samuel Wiselius, Wybo Fijnje, Theodorus van Kooten, and Bogislaus von Liebeherr, was appointed to the Committee tasked with dissolving the Dutch East India Company.Schama, S. (1987) p. 303 As he spoke Portuguese he was sent on a journey to Portugal, aiming to safeguard the East Indian return fleet, which had entered Saint Ubes laden with valuable merchandise, from English interception. In January 1797, he met with Johan Valckenaer in Madrid and returned via Paris.DBNL (1869) Mr. Ph. Jurriaan Quint Ondaatje von M.P.J. Ondaatje, p. 58