The Dutch Republic in the Seventeenth Century
Substantially revised second edition of the leading textbook on the Dutch Republic, including new chapters on language and literature, and slavery.
The Dutch Republic and the Civilisation of the Seventeenth Century
The Dutch Republic in the Seventeenth Century
The Dutch are 'the envy of some, the fear of others, and the wonder of all their neighbours'. So wrote the English ambassador to the Dutch Republic, Sir William Temple, in 1673. Maarten Prak offers a lively and innovative history of the Dutch Golden Age, charting its political, social, economic and cultural history through chapters that range from the introduction of the tulip to the experiences of immigrants and Jews in Dutch society, the paintings of Vermeer and Rembrandt, and the ideas of Spinoza. He places the Dutch 'miracle' in a European context, examining the Golden Age both as the product of its own past and as the harbinger of a more modern, industrialised and enlightened society. A fascinating and accessible study, this 2005 book will prove invaluable reading to anyone interested in Dutch history.
The Dutch Republic in the Seventeenth Century
The Dutch Republic emerged from the epic revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule in the late sixteenth century and almost immediately became a major political force in Europe. Leslie Price - an acknowledged expert in the field - shows how this extraordinary new state, a republic in a Europe of monarchies, was able to achieve such successes despite the burdens of the Eighty Years War with Spain, which only came to a definitive end in 1648.
The Dutch Republic in the Seventeenth Century
The Dutch Republic emerged from the epic revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule in the late sixteenth century and almost immediately became a major political force in Europe. In this book, Leslie Price--an acknowledged expert in the field--shows how this extraordinary new state, a republic in a Europe of monarchies, was able to achieve such successes despite the burdens of the Eighty Years War with Spain, which only came to a definitive end in 1648. The engine behind these achievements was the phenomenal growth of the Dutch economy which, within a few decades, had become the most powerful in Europe. This book offers a concise but penetrating survey of the major features of Dutch history in this period, challenging previous interpretations and showing how the economic boom of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries produced a vigorous society that was able to combine religious pluralism with relative political stability and rapid social change with a remarkable vitality.
