Simon van Slingelandt

Simon van Slingelandt, lord of the manor of Patijnenburg[1][2] (14 January 1664, in Dordrecht – 1 December 1736, in The Hague) was an influential Dutch politician and diplomat during the 18th century.

He served as the Grand Pensionary of Holland, the most important political position in the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, from 17 July 1727 until his death on 1 December 1736.

Van Slingelandt additionally embarked on a mission to overcome the financial and administrative impasse with which the Republic was left in the wake of the War of the Spanish Succession.

To address this issue, he initiated a comprehensive set of reform measures targeting the fragmented nature of the state apparatus, military command, and army finances.

Despite all the challenges he faced, Slingelandt, with the help of Treasurer Jacob Hop, successfully protected the state from bankruptcy and maintained its international reputation.