GRO'TIITS, fluao, or DE GROOT, was b. at Delft, April 10, 1583. His father, Jan de Groot, was burgomaster of the town, and also curator of the university of Leyden. In his 11th year he entered the university of Leyden, where he enjoyed the advantage of studying under Joseph Scaliger. In his 15th year he took his degree. In the follow ing year he accompanied Olden Barneveldt, the grand-pensionary, on his embassy to France, where, notwithstanding his extreme youth, his talents and conduct gained him the favor of Henry IV. On his return he began to practice as a lawyer; and in 1607 was appointed fiscal-general, and in 1613 council-pensionary at Rotterdam. But the disputes between the remonstrants and their opponents were now at their height in Holland; Olden Barneveldt had the misfortune to be the protector of the former, and Grotins also supported them by his writings and favor. These religious, or rather the strifes had, however, a political significance also; and the consequence was, that both Olden Barneveldt and Grotius were arrested, tried, and condemned by the dom inant party under prince Maurice {see BARNEvvEmyr): Olden Barnevnidt was beheaded in 1619, and Grotius sentenced to iinprisoment for life in the castle of lovenstein. Ho escaped, however, by the contrivance of his wife, who Managed to have him carried out of the castle in a chest used for the conveyance of books and linen, while she remained in prison in his stead. Her devotion was applauded even by his stern masters, and she was set at liberty.
For some time Grotius wandered about in the Catholic portions of the Netherlands, and finally escaped to France, where Louis XIII. bestowed upon him a pension of 3,000 livres; but not paying sufficient court to Richelieu. he lost the king's favor, and in 1631 his pension was withdrawn. A friendly letter from prince Frederick of Orange induced him to return to his native country; but by the intrigues of his enemies, sen tence of perpetual exile was soon passed upon him. He now removed to Hamburg, and while there, he received invitations from the kings of Denmark, Poland, and Spain; but the protection promised him by the chancellor Oxenstiern, and queen Christina's taste for literature, induced him to enter the Swedish service in 1634. As ambassador at the French court (1635-1645), he gained universal respect. On his return to Sweden, he passed through his native country, and was received in Amsterdam with the most distinguished honor. Equally flattering was his reception by the Swedish queen; but the literary dilettantism of Christina's court did not suit so serious and solid a scholar, whose thoughts were always of the broadest and most forecasting nature. Besides, the
climate of Sweden did not agree with him, and he was probably anxious to spend the evening of his life in his native land. In consequence, he sent in his resignation of office to the queen, who, when she found that nothing could induce him to stay, pre sented him with a sum of 10,000 crowns and some costly plate, besides at his disposal a vessel to conduct him down the Baltic to Lubeck. A storm compelled him to land on the coast of Pomerania. While proceeding towards Ltibeck, lie was seized with a fatal illness, and died at Rostock, Aug. 28, 1645. To the talents of a most able statesman Grotins united deep and extensive learning. He was a profound and enlight ened theologian—perhaps the best exegete. of his day, a distinguished scholar, an acute philosopher, a judicious historian, and a splendid jurist., Altogether, he was what Menage called him, " a monster of erudition." His metrical translations from the Greek authors also display superior poetical powers, he was one of the best modern writers of Latin verse, and likewise composed poems in the Dutch language. In spite of his broken, wandering and checkered career, Grotius found time to write a great variety of works. The first was the Mare Liberum, in which he defended the freedom of the Dutch East India trade. His chief work, however, is that entitled De Jure Belli et Pacts, which has been translated into all the languages of Europe. It may be considered as the basis of international law, and has long been used as a text-book on the subject in many universities. Among his other works we may mention Annales et Historiie de Rebus Belgieis (Amsterdam, 1657). written in a style that equals Tacitus for concise and pointed power; Annotations in Testainentum (Paris, 1644); Annotationes in Novum, Testamentunr (Paris, 1644); De Satisfaction Christi; and Da Veritate Religionis Christiante (Leyden, 1627), translated even into several oriental languages, and remarkable for its clear arrangement, vigorous logic, and eloquent style. It is reckoned the best " apology " for Christianity in modern times.—Compare Butler, Life of Grotius (London, 1826); De Vries, Huig de Groot en, Maria van Reigersbergen (Amsterdam, 1827); Creuzer, Luther .uncl _Hugo Grotius (Heidelberg, 1846).