His grandfather Gillis Jansz was related to Adriaen Pauw, joined the board of the Admiralty of Amsterdam, and was captain in the civic guard.

In 1649 he was appointed as schepen, in 1652 as member of the vroedschap and in 1657 as administrator of the Dutch East India Company.

He had insulted Dirck Tulp and Lambert Reynst; in total sixteen members of the city council lost their seats, jobs on his advice, including the republican faction De Graeff of Andries, Jacob and Pieter de Graeff and their cousin burgomaster Lambert Reynst.

When Coenraad van Beuningen was sent to England as a diplomat, and Henrick Hooft died, Valckenier was more powerful than ever.

[4] William Temple wrote in Observations upon the United Provinces: "The Turkish sultan was not as powerful in his country, than Valckenier in Amsterdam, (dressing and behaving like a shopkeeper)."