Hans Niehorster

Pieter Paul Hans Niehorster (1380-1457) was the second president of the Brunanter Republic. Niehorster was born in Antwerp to a cloth merchant and his wife (of Frankfurter origin). He came to Brunant in 1419 to open up another market for his uncle's shipping business. Niehorster was charged with building the port of Grijzestad and was soon a major supplier of the Dutch and the independence movement. Due to his connections he was an important official within the old republic, and served as the main adviser on trade to the government. In 1439 he was elected president by the Republican Estates. He served until 1457, hen he died of old age.