Background
Botany was born on 29 July 1911 in Dordrecht, as one of three sons of Maria Theresia Frederica Creemers and Lourens Botany, a German language teacher.
Botany was born on 29 July 1911 in Dordrecht, as one of three sons of Maria Theresia Frederica Creemers and Lourens Botany, a German language teacher.
From 1923 to 1930 he went to the "Gemeentelijk Gymnasium" highschool in Apeldoorn, and studied Indonesian law at Utrecht University from 1930 to September 1936.
He served as Minister of Education, Culture and Science from 24 July 1963 until 14 April 1965 in the Marijnen cabinet. He also followed an education at the "School voor Reserve-Officieren der Bereden-Artillerie" (English: School for Reserve-Officers of the Horse-Artillery) in Ede. From 1936 to 1942 Botany was sent out for the civil service to the Dutch East Indies and would serve with the east-Asian service in Batavia, Purwakarta and Soekaboemi.
During World World War II he was in active service from 1940 to 8 March 1942 in the rank of reserve-first lieutenant of the horse-artillery.
Afterwards he was a Japanese warprisoner at camps in Java, Birma and Thailand, until 30 September 1945, and worked on the Burma Railway. After the war he returned to the Netherlands in 1946, where he functioned in several functions related to the Dutch East Indies.
Botany served as State Secretary of the Interior, in charge of matters concerning Netherlands New Guinea, from 23 November 1959 until 24 July 1963 in the De Quay cabinet. He finally served as Minister without portfolio in charge of matters concerning development aid, from 14 April 1965 until 5 April 1967, in the Cals and Zijlstra cabinets.
After his membership of the cabinet he was named Dutch ambassador in Ottawa, Canada in September 1967, serving from 17 January 1968 until July 1973.
He consequently was named ambassador in Vienna, Austria, and permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from July 1973 until 1 August 1976. Chairman "Academie Leken Missie Actie" (English: Academy Non-religious Mission Action), 1959 Honorary national advisor for development aid, since 1976 Chairman National Committee in preparation of the United Nations-conference on Science and Technology for Development Chairman Dutch delegation at the board of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Chairman Foundation National Committee international year of the child 1979 They had seven children. He is the father of Ben Botany, who would become minister of foreign affairs
He was shortly a member of the House of Representatives from 2 July until 24 July 1963 when he became Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Marijnen cabinet.