Joost van den Vondel (1587 – 1679) was a Dutch author, poet and playwright. He is considered the most prominent Dutch poet and playwright of the 17th century. His plays are still frequently performed; his play Gijsbrecht van Aemstel (1637), for example, was performed annually on New Year's Day from 1637 to 1968, and remains one of the Netherlands most famed plays.