Career
The origin of the family was in Bruges, but had moved to Middelburg and Amsterdam after 1585. The family lived near the port, on Oude Schans 74/76, in a house called The Two Tigers. Hieronimus several children.
In 1633 he invested in digging peat near Smilde.
In 1635 Rans bought property in the Schermer, when the polder was drained. In 1638 he was involved in whaling.
In 1644 he owned a mansion in the Purmer. In 1656 Constantin married Hester Hartsinck in Batavia.
In March 1659 he arrived in Cape Colony and met with January van Riebeeck and Johan Bax (van Herentals).
He was successively chief of Tonkin, 1665–1667, opperhoofd on Deshima, 1667–1668, extraordinary council in Batavia (1668), director of Bengal (1669–1673), ordinary council (1675) in Batavia, opperhoofd in Deshima 1683-1684, and again from 1686-1687. Ranst owned a painting by Rembrandt van Rijn with the adoration of the three kings. Ranst belonged to the 250 wealthiest families in the Netherlands during the Golden Age.
He died in Amsterdam.
In 1717 the mansion on Herengracht was rented out to czar Peter the Great during his 2nd visit.