Grotius, Hugo

or Huig van Groot , a celebrated Dutch jurist and theologian, born at Delft; studied at Leyden under Scaliger, and displayed an extraordinary precocity in learning; won the patronage of Henri IV. while on an emba y to France; practised at the bar in Leyden, and in 1613 was appointed pensionary of Rotter dam; he became embroiled in a religious dispute, and for supporting the Arminians was sentenced to imprisonment for life; escaped in a book chest (a device of his wife), fled to Paris, and was pensioned by Louis XIII.; in 1625 he published his famous work on international law, "De Jure Belli et Pacis"; from 1634 to 1645 he acted as Swedish amba ador at Paris; his acute scholarship is manifested in various theological, historical, and legal treatises; his work "De Veritate Religion is Christian a;" is well known (1583-1645).