Jan Joseph Godfried
Baron van Voorst tot Voorst
Jan Joseph Godfried, Baron van Voorst tot Voorst Sr. (16 September 1846 – 17 January 1931) was a Dutch politician and lieutenant-general of the Dutch army. President of the Senate of the Netherlands (1914-1929). Born into a hereditary military family. In 1870, he completed the basic military course of the battalion in Kampen. He was in military service, from 1904 to 1908 he was a colonel, commander of the grenadier and jäger regiments. In 1914, he was awarded the military rank of lieutenant general. He was a member of the Roman Catholic State Party. In 1908, he was elected senator from South Holland and remained so until the end of his life. Since 1907, he held the title of special adjutant to Queen Wilhelmina. He was a member of the boards of trustees of a number of public and charitable organizations, including being the chairman of the Association of Veteran Officers of the Dutch Army. Since 1911 - bailiff of the Order of Malta of the Netherlands.
The Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers is a regiment of infantry in the Dutch Royal Army. It was established in 1829 and frequently modified thereafter. royal decree (KB) No. 104 of 7 July 1829 ordered “the creation of a Detachment (=3 battalions) of Grenadiers and two battalions of Chasseurs”. They must serve “under the King's eye”, which means that they are stationed where the King reigns. Thus, in Brussels in August 1830, they caught the first blow of the Belgian uprising. For several centuries, Grenadiers and hunters have existed. Invention of the hand grenade in the 17th century creates the need for large, strong Grenadiers as a 'grenade launcher'. Bear hats should protect them from Saber-cutting, and front colorful uniforms should make them look even bigger. After the successful deployment of fast, mobile units with good marksmanship qualities in the war of the Austrian Succession in the 18th century, fighters are introduced everywhere. Green uniforms help them adapt to
the environment as hunters. Thus, Grenadiers and hunters are already originally selected military craftsmen. Because they guard princes and generals as bodyguards, they also become ‘gardists’. The garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers continues a tradition of various garderegiments that have existed throughout Dutch history. From the time of William I of Orange, there were Electoral troops that functioned as the bodyguard, or guard, of the stadtholders. In addition to Dutch Guardsmen, all stadtholders also employed Swiss mercenaries as bodyguards. The Dutch guards, the Stadtholder's Guard on foot existed until the flight of stadtholder William V of Orange-Nassau to England in 1795. In 1688, the guard followed William III of Orange-Nassau on foot to England, where the guard played an important role in William III of Orange-Nassau's victory over the Irish during the Battle of the Boyne. In Napoleonic times, King Louis Napoleon Bonaparte had his own royal guard. Upon the incorporation of the Netherlands into the first French Empire in 1810, this guard was incorporated into Napoleon's Imperial Guard as the 3rd regiment. Until 1829, Swiss Guards have been employed by Oranges.
The van Voorst tot Voorst family is an old Dutch noble family from the province of Overijssel. The family has been noble since at least the 14th century ("Uradel"). The first documented ancestor is Fredericus van Hekeren van der Ese (in 1327). His son Frederik van Heeckeren van der Eze (1320 – c. 1386) was the head of the Heeckerens faction during the War of the Guelderian Succession.[1] Through his marriage with Lutgardis van Voorst, whose ancestors owned both the castle Rechteren near Dalfsen as well as the castle Voorst near Zwolle, the surname van Voorst entered the family. In 1432, Frederik's grandson, Frederik van Hekeren genaamd van Rechteren († 1462), married Cunegonde van Polanen. Their son, Zeger van Hekeren genaamd van Voorst, became the ancestor of the present-day family van Voorst tot Voorst. Zeger's brother, Otto van Hekeren genaamd van Rechteren († 1478), became the ancestor of the counts of van Rechteren. During the 19th and 20th century, the family produced several high-ranking officers of the Dutch Army, Commissioners of the
Queen, diplomats, as well as members of the House of Representatives and Senate. Members carry the title of baron. One branch belongs to Belgian nobility: the children from the second marriage of Franciscus baron van Voorst tot Voorst (1884 – 1955) with jkvr. (Belgian: viscountess) Antoinette van Aefferden (1895 – 1976) were incorporated into the Belgian nobility based on a royal decree of 1814.
Awards: Sash and star of the Military Order of William (Militaire Willems-Orde), Stars of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (De Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw) and the Order of Orange-Nassau (Orde van Oranje-Nassau).
