Barents, Christiana Michiel (1489-1539)
Christiana Michiel Barents (Christiana Barentsdochter), born ca. 1489, married the medical doctor Mathijs van der Donck. She was baptized in 1534 by Jan Smeetgen (Smeitgen) of Maastricht. A zealous disciple of David Joris, she fled to England with Anneken Jans. In November 1538 both returned to visit David Joris. During their wagon journey from Ijsselmonde to Rotterdam, they sang a spiritual song which became their undoing. When they later waited for a connection to Delft, they were both arrested. They were interrogated on 24 December, following which their confession led to the arrest of numerous followers of David Joris in Delft. On 24 January 1539 both women were executed by drowning. Christiana's daughter Anna Mathijs van der Donck experienced the same fate on 11 June 1539, at Utrecht.
Bibliography
Kühler, W. J. Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche Doopsgezinden in de Zestiende Eeuw. Haarlem, 1932: 227.
Mellink, A. F. De Wederdopers in de Noordelijke Nederlanden. Groningen, 1953: 225, 399, 401.
Horst, Irvin B. Anabaptism and the English Reformation to 1558. Nieuwkoop, 1966: 36.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 57-58. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.
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APA style: Zilverberg, S. B. J. (1987). "Barents, Christiana Michiel (1489-1539)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B372.html>
