Johan_Maurits Johan Maurits From Sterwiki Missing imageJohanmaurits.JPG John Maurits Duke Maurits van Nassau-Siegen (-) was a Dutch humanist that governed Dutch Brazil (1637-1644). In Brazilian historybooks he is usually called prince Maurits, although he wasn't a prince. The Mauritshuis in The Hague are named after him, as is also a museum that preserves some works of art Maurits had brought with him to Recife. His government of Dutch Brazil has become quite a legacy, mainly because of his enlightened humanist approach. Famous for the artist and scientist he brought abroad, he also started a city council in which Catholics, Protestants, and Jews took place together. Besides this tolerance, he also wanted Recife to grow and imposed some sort of social housing project. He clashed with the Heeren XIX of the Dutch West India Company (WIC), because he spent too much money. There was a difference of insight: Maurits wanted to colonize the area with more Dutchmen and take over the agricultural strategic points, like the sugarmills. The Heeren XIX wanted only to have a trade monopoly and weren't interested in governing the region. In 1644 they called Maurits back to the Dutch Republic. Ten years later the Portugese succeeded in winning back the region with the help of a slave revolt and the help of the Catholic sugar planters. Quelle "Johan_Maurits" : Wikipedia.org Main page for "Johan_Maurits"