John William, Baron Ripperda

John William, Baron Ripperda (real name: Johan Willem), and afterwards duke of Ripperda, lord of Jensema, Poelgeest and Koudekerk (7 March 1684, Oldehove – 5 November 1737, Tétouan), was a political adventurer and Spanish Prime Minister.

According to a story which he himself set going during his adventures in Spain, his family was of Spanish origin. But there does not appear to be any foundation for this assertion. His father, Baron Ludolph Luirdt Ripperda tot Winsum, was a Dutch military commander. In fact, the Ripperdas were one of the oldest and most influential noble families in Groningen, with origins going back to East Frisia. He was born a Roman Catholic and attended a Jesuit School in Cologne, he conformed to Dutch Calvinism in order to obtain his election as delegate to the states-general from Groningen.

In 1715 he was sent by the Dutch government as ambassador to Madrid. Saint-Simon says that his character for probity was even then considered doubtful. The fortune of Jean Orry, Alberoni and other foreigners in Spain, showed that the court of Philip V offered a career to adventurers. Ripperda, whose name is commonly spelt de Riperdá by the Spaniards, devoted himself to the Spanish government, and again professed himself a Roman Catholic. He first attached himself to Alberoni, and after the fall of that minister he became the agent of Elizabeth Farnese, the restless and intriguing wife of Philip V. Though perfectly unscrupulous in money matters, and of a singularly vain and blustering disposition, he did understand commercial questions, and he had the merit of having pointed out that the poverty of Spain was mainly due to the neglect of its agriculture. But his fortune was not due to any service of a useful kind he rendered his masters. He rose by undertaking to aid the queen, whose influence over her husband was boundless, in her schemes for securing the succession to Parma and Tuscany for her sons.

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