Frans Van Aarsens, a Dutch diplomatist, born at the Hague in 1572, died in 1641. In 1599 he was appointed ambassador at the French court, and concluded (1609) the truce of 12 years between the United Provinces and Spain. He was afterward ambassador to Venice, and sent on numerous special missions, and in 1640 went to England to negotiate the marriage between William prince of Orange and the princess Mary. He was originally a protégé and partisan of Barneveldt, but turned against him and was the chief instrument in his destruction.