Hudde, Jan

1. Dates

Born: Amsterdam, April or May 1628. He was baptized on 23 May.

Died: Amsterdam, 15 April 1704

Dateinfo: Dates Certain

Lifespan: 76

2. Father

Occupation: Merchant, Aristocrat

Gerrit Hudde, a merchant and patrician.

Considering Hudde's career, the father must have been affluent at the very least, and Hudde must have inherited an adequate estate.

3. Nationality

Birth: Dutch

Career: Dutch

Death: Dutch

4. Education

Schooling: Leiden

He studied law in Leiden about 1648. Here he met mathe- matics through Schooten. There is no mention of a degree.

5. Religion

Affiliation: Calvinist by assumption

6. Scientific Disciplines

Primary: Mathematics

Subordinate: Optics

His contribution to mathematics came entirely during the years 1654-63. There is no evidence that he did any further work in mathematics after 1663.

He was also interested in optics. He produced microscopes with spherical lenses and worked with Spinoza on the construction of telescopic lenses. His correspondence with Spinoza indicates that he composed a Dioptrica.

7. Means of Support

Primary: Personal Means, Magistrate

After 1663 Hudde devoted himself to the service of Amsterdam as a member of the city council, a juror, and chancellor. He was chosen one of four Burgomaters in 1672, and held the office as often as the law allowed (two years out of three) until his death. He was also Chancellor and deputy of the admiralty.

Hudde was influential enough to determine academic appointments in Leiden and Amsterdam.

8. Patronage

Type: None

9. Technological Involvement

Types: Instruments, Applied Mathematics

See above.

He worked on the calculation of the value of annuities, and he composed an essay on the calculation of the burden of a ship.

10. Scientific Societies

Memberships: None

Sources

1. Nieuw Nederlandsch Biographisch Woordenboek.
2. Karlheinz Haas, "Die mathematischen Arbeiten von Johann Hudde (1628-1704) Bürgermeister von Amsterdam," Centaurus, 4 (1956), 235-84.

Compiled by:

Richard S. Westfall

Department of History and Philosophy of Science

Indiana University

Note: the creators of the Galileo Project and this catalogue cannot answer email on geneological questions.