Lievin Cruyl

Lieven Cruyl, or Lievin Cruyl (name variations: Levin Cruijl, Lievin Cruijl, Levin Cruyl, Livinus Cruylius, Cruylius Livinus) (1634, Ghent – before 1720, Ghent) was a Flemish priest, architect, designer and engraver. The drawings and etchings he made during his extended stays in Italy and Paris contributed to the development of the topographical views known as veduta.

Life

The details about his life are not always clear, including with respect to his birth and death dates and the periods of his overseas residences. He studied theology, architecture, drawing and etching in Leuven. He was a priest in Wetteren near Ghent from 1660 to 1664. He was involved as an architect in the completion of the Saint Michael's Church, Ghent, the construction of which had been interrupted because of the iconoclastic troubles of the 16th century. He made a design for the unfinished western tower in a Brabantine Gothic style in 1662. The design was finally not implemented due to cost concerns.

Lieven

The Lievens (Latvian Līveni; Swedish Liewen) are one of the oldest aristocratic families of Baltic Germans. Caupo's grandson, Nicholas, was the first to spell his name Lieven.

History

They claim descent from Caupo of Turaida (Latvian, Kaupo), the Livonian quasi rex who converted to Christianity in 1186, when Bishop Meinhard attempted to Christianize the region. Henrici Chronicon Lyvoniae tells that Caupo in winter 1203-1204 went to Rome with Theodoric, a Cistercian Monk (who was to become the founder of the Swordbrothers, then the first bishop of Estonia). They were received by the Pope Innocent III who backed up their plans to Christianize Livonia.

According to feudal records, the Lieven ancestor Gerardus Līvo (1269) and his son Johannes (1296) entered service as vassals to the archbishop of Rīga. One of Caupo's daughters married an ancestor of the barons, then Earl Ungern-Sternberg.

Family members

Reinhold Liewen, the Swedish governor of Oesel (Saaremaa), in 1653 was made a baron together with his brother, whose son Lieutenant-General Baron Hans Heinrich von Liewen accompanied Charles XII in all his campaigns and expeditions. Among Reinhold's descendants, one branch settled in Courland and was recognized in 1801 as in the Holy Roman Empire. Johann-Christoph von Lieven was the first member of the family to gain distinction in the Russian service: he served as Governor of Arkhangelsk under Catherine the Great and as General of Infantry under Emperor Paul.