Charles Ferdinand Bentinck
{{Short description|Surinamese politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Charles Ferdinand Bentinck
| image = Charles Ferdinand Bentinck.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| office = Governor of Suriname
| term_start = May 4, 1809
| term_end = November 8, 1811
| predecessor = John Wardlau Bar
| successor = {{ill|Pinson Bonham|nl}}
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1764|8|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = The Hague, Dutch Republic
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1811|11|8|1764|8|20}}
| death_place = Paramaribo, Surinam
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = military officer, governor
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| party =
}}
Charles Ferdinand Bentinck (20 August 1764 – 8 November 1811) was an Anglo-Dutch military officer and colonial governor. He served as Governor of Suriname from 1809 until his death in 1811.
Biography
Bentinck was born in The Hague, Dutch Republic on 20 August 1764.{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=92}} He was a grandson of Willem Bentinck van Rhoon, and a relative of William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland.{{cite web|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/learn/research/the-slavery-connections-of-bolsover-castle.pdf |title=Slavery connections of Bolsover Castle (1600-c.1830) |date=July 2010 |author=Susanne Seymour and Sheryllynne Haggerty |publisher=University of Nottingham|page=71}} In 1795, after the Batavian Revolution, he moved to Great-Britain where his grandfather lived. In 1804, he was a Major in the 2nd Yorkshire Regiment.{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=92}} The colony of Surinam had been taken by Britain, and it was decided to appoint a former Dutch citizen as the new governor.{{sfn|Wolbers|1861|pp=558-559}}
On 2 May 1809, Bentinck arrived in Surinam, and was installed Governor of Suriname the next day.{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=91}} He was liked by the colonists.{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=93}}{{cite book|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/boeken/view?query=charles+Bentinck+suriname&objectsearch=Bentinck&coll=boeken&identifier=MMKB21:034962000:00063 |title=Beknopte geschiedenis van de kolonie van Suriname |year=1928| page=57 |author=J. Bueno Bibaz |location=Suriname|language=nl}} and solved complaints of the Free Negro Corps about their lack of pay,{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=95}} and complaints of the Ndyuka people who had not received their promised gifts.{{sfn|Wolbers|1861|p=560}} The British government was worried, and in 1810, dispatched Brigadier general {{ill|Pinson Bonham|nl}} to the colony.{{sfn|Einaar|1934|p=100}} During his tenure, the Centrumkerk was built,{{sfn|Wolbers|1861|p=563}} and the first census was held, because earlier estimations were deemed unreliable.{{cite book|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/benj004ency01_01/ |last1=Benjamins |first1=Herman Daniël|last2=Snelleman |first2=Johannes |title=Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië|year=1917|via=Digital Library for Dutch Literature|language=nl|publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers|location=Leiden|page=665|access-date=6 February 2022|quote=5,345 free people and 54,108 slaves. Amerindians and Maroons were not counted}}
Bentinck died on 8 November 1811, at the age of 47. After his death, a financial chaos and a large deficit was revealed.{{sfn|Wolbers|1861|p=564}} In 1814, a marble tomb was constructed in the Centrumkerk in his honour, however it was lost in the 1821 fire.{{cite journal|url=https://brill.com/view/journals/nwig/10/1/article-p214_24.xml?language=en |title=Iets over J.F. de Friderici|last1=Kalff|first1=S.|year=1929|journal=New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids|volume=10|language=nl|location=Leiden|publisher=Brill|doi=10.1163/22134360-90001284|page=225|access-date=6 February 2022|doi-access=free}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite thesis|url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/boeken/view?coll=boeken&identifier=MMKB05:000034067:00092 |title=Bijdrage tot de kennis van het Engelsch tusschenbestuur van Suriname, 1804-1816 |page=92 |last=Einaar |first=Johan Friederich Egbert |author-link=Jo Einaar |year=1934| location=Leiden |publisher=Dubbeldeman|language=nl}}
- {{cite book|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/wolb002gesc01_01/wolb002gesc01_01_0011.php |title=Geschiedenis van Suriname |author=Wolbers |first=J. |year=1861 |publisher=S. Emmerling |location=Amsterdam|isbn=90-6033-091-9|language=nl}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bentinck, Charles Ferdinand}}
Category:Politicians from The Hague
Category:Governors of Suriname
Category:18th-century British Army personnel