Andries Boelens, also: Boelenz,
Boelensz., Andries Boel Dircksz. or Andries Boelen Dircksz, was an alderman and mayor of Amsterdam. In the period from 1496 to 1517 he was mayor fifteen times. The term of his office is the first to be characterized as a period with a rather closed government elite. Because of this he was one of the founders of the Amsterdam oligarchy. Boelens is considered the progenitor of the Amsterdam regents of the Dutch Golden Age such as the De Graeff and Bicker families who largely claimed descent and their political legality from him.
Andries Boelens (1455-1519), longtime burgomaster of Amsterdam and the most illustrious member of the Boelens family
Descendants of Andries Boelens. Overview of the personal family relationships of the Amsterdam regent-dynasties Boelens Loen, De Graeff, Bicker (van Swieten), Witsen and Johan de Witt in the Dutch Golden Age
De Graeff is an old Dutch patrician and noble family,
Wolfgang von Graben and his son Pieter Graeff, founding of the De Graeff family from the House of Graben. Wolfgang von Graben (right) with the old Graben coat of arms and Pieter in front of the city of Amsterdam. (historical sketch by Matthias Laurenz Gräff)
Descendants of Andries Boelens. Overview of the personal family relationships of the Amsterdam oligarchy between the regent-dynasties Boelens Loen, De Graeff, Bicker (van Swieten), Witsen and Johan de Witt in the Dutch Golden Age
Coat of arms Graeff (ancient). The family coat of arms with the silver spade on a red (Von Graben) and silver swan on a blue background (De Grebber) was first documented in 1543 by Jan Pietersz Graeff.
Cornelis de Graeff at Soestdijk, painted by Thomas de Keyser and Jacob van Ruisdael (1656-1660).
