Justinus Colyer

Justinus Colyer ( – 28 December 1682) was a Dutch politician and diplomat, who represented the Dutch Republic at the Sublime Porte. Early life Colyer was born in The Hague, in the Netherlands around 1624. He was the son of David Robertson (also known as Colyer) and Clara van der Poll. After his mother's death, his father married Jean Bruce (a daughter of John Bruce of Airth and Margaret Elphinstone). From his father's second marriage, he had a younger-half brother, Sir Alexander Colyear, 1st Baronet (father of David Colyear, 1st Earl of Portmore). His maternal grandparents were Cornelis van der Poll and Cornelia de Bije. His paternal grandparents were Helen and Jacobus Colyear (who assumed the surname Robertson and were said to be cadets of the House of Robertson of Struan). Career Colyer was named ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in 1668, only the second official Dutch ambassador in Constantinople because the Dutch declined to appoint an official successor when Cornelius Haga down in 1639. Between 1639 and 1668, several Dutch diplomats resided in Constantinople, but none were granted the official position of ambassador.