Hans de Ries, (also de Rys, de Reis, de Rycke, le Riche, which may have been his official name), born 13 December 1553, at Antwerp, Belgium, died 14 September 1638, at Alkmaar, Holland, was an important leader of the Dutch Mennonites. Originally, when he found himself at variance with Roman Catholic doctrine, he united with the Reformed church of his native city; but he did not feel at ease among them either, because they carried arms when they went to their religious meetings, and possibly also because of their strictly dogmatic spirit. He was drawn to the Anabaptists, but hesitated to join the congregation at Antwerp, which was rather conservative. Then he became acquainted with the somewhat more liberal spirit of the Waterlander branch in Holland and journeyed to De Rijp in North Holland, where he was baptized upon confession of his faith by Simon Michiels in 1575 or 1576.
Hij was voorganger van de 'Waterlandse Gemeente' te Emden (1593-1598), doopsgezind predikant te Alkmaar (1599), voorheen kassier te Antwerpen; auteur van diverse geschriften. Zoon van Roomse ouders, is meerdere malen getrouwd geweest.
Hans de Ries was eind 1575 of begin 1576 in het noorden van Holland door de doop lid geworden van de Waterlandse fractie binnen het anabaptisme en ook Albrecht Verspeck sloot zich in 1576 bij de Waterlanders aan. Nog in hetzelfde jaar bevonden zij zich allebei in de streek aan de Beneden-Rijn waar zij nieuwe aanhangers probeerden te werven.
(1) Il est marié avec Guertje Jansdochter.
Ils se sont mariés à l'église à Alkmaar.
(2) Il est marié avec Onbekende Vrouw.
Ils se sont mariés à l'église à Emden, Nedersaksen, Duitsland.Source 3
(3) Il est marié avec Elizabeth Akers van der Does.
Ils se sont mariés à l'église en l'an 1577, il avait 23 ans.Source 3