Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft

• Illustration — Working table of Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, often abbreviated to P.C. Hooft (pron), was born in Amsterdam as scion of the patrician Hooft family and son of burgemeester (mayor) Cornelis Hooft. He was also uncle to statesmen and burgomasters Cornelis and Andries de Graeff. In 1598, in preparation for his career as a merchant, his father sent him to France and Italy, but Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft was more interested in art and was deeply impressed by the Italian Renaissance. In 1609, he was appointed bailiff of Muiden and the Gooiland. He founded the Muiderkring, a literary society located at his home, the Muiderslot, the castle of Muiden, in which he got to live due to his appointment as sheriff of Muiden. Among the members were the poets and playwrights Constantijn Huygens, Maria Tesselschade, G.A. Bredero and Joost van den Vondel, as well as the Portuguese singer Francisca Duarte. Hooft, Bredero, and Vondel were also founders of the First Nederduytsche Academy.

Hooft was a prolific writer of plays, poems and letters, but from 1618 onwards he concentrated on writing a history of the Netherlands (Nederduytsche Historiën), inspired by Roman historian Tacitus. His focus was primarily on the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain and though he tried to be as impartial as possible, he did succeed. As a poet, he was influenced by his Renaissance contemporaries in France and Italy.

• Illustration — Granida (and Daifilo) by Gerard van Honthorst • Geeraerdt van Velsen (1613) • Achilles en Polyxena (1614) • Theseus en Ariane (1614) • Granida (1615) • Warenar (1616) • Baeto, oft oorsprong der Holanderen (1626)

• Emblemata amatoria: afbeeldingen van minne (1611)

• Nederduytsche Historiën (1642-1656)

• Illustration — Sculpture of P.C. Hooft in the castle Muiderslot • Illustration — Sculptor Frits Sieger with bust of P.C. Hooft. Amsterdam; 22 March 1947 • Illustration — Gable stone of P.C. Hooft above his former house.Eduard Colinet, 1881

The authorities additionally record the heading Pieter Cornelissen Hooft. His recorded language was Dutch. He was the child of Cornelis Hooft. He married Christina van Erp and Leonora Hellemans. One child is recorded: Arnout Hellemans Hooft. Other recorded relations include Louis De Geer.