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Oxford History of Early Modern Europe
The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477–1806
Jonathan Israel's 1,231-page blockbuster forms the inaugural volume of a new series, the Oxford History of Early Modern Europe, and offers a comprehensive, integrated account of the northern part of the Netherlands over almost 350 years… The Dutch Republic represents the fruit of 12 years of research, contemplation and writing, and brims over with interesting detail.
— The New York Times Book Review
Israel performs the great service of charting a path through this literature and presents a coherent and comprehensive picture of the Dutch Republic… Comprehensive in scope and yet so clearly and carefully written that it could serve as a textbook for graduate history courses. Because it is so thoroughly researched and up-to-date, it is also the kind of indispensable handbook that deserves a place on every early modernist's bookshelf.
— American Historical Review
— The New York Times Book Review
Israel performs the great service of charting a path through this literature and presents a coherent and comprehensive picture of the Dutch Republic… Comprehensive in scope and yet so clearly and carefully written that it could serve as a textbook for graduate history courses. Because it is so thoroughly researched and up-to-date, it is also the kind of indispensable handbook that deserves a place on every early modernist's bookshelf.
— American Historical Review
1231 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 1995
83 people are currently reading
2580 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan I. Israel
55 books160 followersJonathan Irvine Israel is a British writer on Dutch history, the Age of Enlightenment and European Jews. Israel was appointed as Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, in January 2001. He was previously Professor of Dutch History and Institutions at the University of London.
In recent years, Israel has focused his attention on a multi-volume history of the Age of Enlightenment. He contrasts two camps. The "radical Enlightenment" founded on a rationalist materialism first articulated by Spinoza. Standing in opposition was a "moderate Enlightenment" which he sees as profoundly weakened by its belief in God. In Israel’s highly controversial interpretation, the radical Enlightenment is the main source of the modern idea of freedom. He contends that the moderate Enlightenment, including Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau, made no real contribution to the campaign against superstition and ignorance.
In recent years, Israel has focused his attention on a multi-volume history of the Age of Enlightenment. He contrasts two camps. The "radical Enlightenment" founded on a rationalist materialism first articulated by Spinoza. Standing in opposition was a "moderate Enlightenment" which he sees as profoundly weakened by its belief in God. In Israel’s highly controversial interpretation, the radical Enlightenment is the main source of the modern idea of freedom. He contends that the moderate Enlightenment, including Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau, made no real contribution to the campaign against superstition and ignorance.
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April 11, 2017
The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness and Fall, 1477-1806, by Jonathan Israel, is a book about the rise, dominance, and destruction of the Dutch Republic. This state lasted for over 200 years, and at one time was in a dominant position over global trade. Historical states like Holland, Friesland, the Gelderlands and such existed in the area before the rise of the Republic, and each had strong historic and political autonomy and a strong sense of culture and independence. They often competed for primacy in Maritime and river trade with the Baltic and Germany. South Netherlands (modern Belgium) in the 15th century was the centre of power in the region, with cities like Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels dominating the textile industries, and dominating trade with France and Spain. The area was controlled by the French house Valois-Burgundy under the Burgundian state. In this period, Holland began to exert greater influence over the rest of the Dutch states, with Hollander Dutch gaining ground throughout the Netherlands. This was due to Hollands relative isolation and autonomy from France and Burgundy, and its central position as the largest state in the North Netherlands.
The region was inherited by house Hapsburg, and ruled from Austria, in 1482. The Hapsburg's pursued a more authoritative policy of control in the region, looking at the Netherlands as both a valuable area for taxation and a bastion to defend against an alarmingly powerful French crown. This form of more central control irked many in the North, and led to increasingly uncooperative political machinations from Holland and other Dutch states. The rise of Dutch Humanism, a subtle critique of the Catholic church, the growing interests of Dutch merchants over landed nobility, and the initiation of the Protestant Reformation in Europe all had a major impact on the region. The Dutch humanist influence, which espoused a more tolerant view of other religions, and greater forms of religious freedom for the individual, laid the framework for a Calvinist takeover in the North. Calvinist interests, supported by the house Orange-Nassau under William the Silent, eventually succeeded in overthrowing pro-Hapsburg city councils in the North, and caused unrest in the South. In 1579, the North constructed the Union of Utrecht, connecting the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guilders, Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe (etc.) signed the Union of Utrecht, seeking collective political integration to promote security, and then in 1581, the North succeeded from the Hapsburg's, kicking off the Eighty Years War for succession from Spain (the area had passed to the Spanish branch of the Hapsburg family).
This period was one of turmoil in the North, as internal and external forces competed for interest in the Netherlands. The Dutch considered a number of option, first setting up a kingdom of sorts internally, then looking for either French or English protection through greater political ties through the promotion of a French or English Duke. All options were rejected ultimately, and the Netherlands settled on a Republican system (think Rome not the US). Power was split between multiple factions, with either a powerful Stadholder controlling the state in semi-dictatorial fashion, or the heads of each of the seven provinces forming a countervailing force dedicated to provincial autonomy. These political disputes were often disruptive to the Dutch Republic, and led to many instances of paralyzing political deadlock. The Treaty of Munster, for example, was boycotted by a number of provinces (Zeeland, Gelderland etc.) due to the negative impact peace would have on their economies. This was a common theme throughout the Dutch Republic, and often led to boycotted peace measures, renounced truces and internal political upheaval as each province sought to maximize its own interests above a centralized Dutch Republic.
Religion played a major role in the Republic as well. Calvinism emerged as the religion of choice in the North, but violent iconoclasm against the Catholic church, and the political support of the House Orange, alienated more neutral parties (as well as Catholics). The south Netherlands emerged as a separate political entity in this time due to its staunch Catholicism, which ultimately led to a greater reliance on continued Spanish dominance. The North, however, began to eclipse the South as the economic centre of the region, with Spanish blockades against the North ultimately promoting Dutch overseas dominance in the bulk goods trade (fish, salt, timber, grain) with the Baltic, and the emergence of competing "rich trades" (spices, silks, coffee, sugar etc.) as the Dutch sought trade growth in the East and West Indies. The Dutch succeeded in supplanting Portuguese dominance of the spice trade in Asia, eventually controlling ports in Indonesia and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and made inroads in the West by setting up fur trading posts in modern New York, and in the valuable sugar trade in the Caribbean and South America. Maritime trade dominated Dutch thinking throughout its history, and was the main focal point for foreign policy. Although the Dutch fought numerous wars with Spain and Portugal (and a few with England, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden for good measure), they largely sought to promote free trade to encourage existing Dutch interests and negate the threat of competition from nations willing to pursue mercantilism policies instead.
The Dutch collapse was came due to the Dutch pursuit to contain the growing threat of France. The Republic forged alliances with both old friends (Denmark, England) and old enemies (Denmark, England and Spain) to try and contain French interests in the South Netherlands, prop up the Spanish Hapsburg's in the region, and combat the growing French trade in its spheres of interest. This was successful for a time, but ended in failure as Napoleonic forces entered and dissolved the Republic, forming first the short lived Batavian Republic, and later the Kingdom of the Netherlands (which survives to this day). Before that, Dutch trade primacy was largely being compressed by both Prussian emergence in the East, and English encroachment overseas. The Dutch lost many of their trade posts and colonies to England after the dissolution of the Republic, ceding first their North American interests, and then their colonies in South Africa, Ceylon, and parts of Indonesia and Africa, to the English. This led to a massive deflation of Dutch trade primacy, and the beginnings of English dominance over global trade which would last for two centuries itself.
This is an extremely concise description of a dense book on the Dutch Republic. Israel has taken into account many aspects of Dutch culture, society, and political and economic factors that led to Dutch primacy and collapse. Aspects of traditional (historically) Republicanism, humanism and Dutch art and architecture are mixed with in depth accounts of Dutch political struggles, the internal politics of the House Orange, and provincial Machiavellian maneuvering. The economic factors of Dutch primacy are explored, but briefly, and instead the book focuses more on the political aspects of each period in the Republic's history, and why historical events played out as they did. Israel has written a massive tome on Dutch Republic politics which is interesting, and an excellent historical account of the rise of a very interesting political anomaly in European history. Easily recommended to anyone interested in deeper European history, or looking for a big, chunky history book to sink into.
The region was inherited by house Hapsburg, and ruled from Austria, in 1482. The Hapsburg's pursued a more authoritative policy of control in the region, looking at the Netherlands as both a valuable area for taxation and a bastion to defend against an alarmingly powerful French crown. This form of more central control irked many in the North, and led to increasingly uncooperative political machinations from Holland and other Dutch states. The rise of Dutch Humanism, a subtle critique of the Catholic church, the growing interests of Dutch merchants over landed nobility, and the initiation of the Protestant Reformation in Europe all had a major impact on the region. The Dutch humanist influence, which espoused a more tolerant view of other religions, and greater forms of religious freedom for the individual, laid the framework for a Calvinist takeover in the North. Calvinist interests, supported by the house Orange-Nassau under William the Silent, eventually succeeded in overthrowing pro-Hapsburg city councils in the North, and caused unrest in the South. In 1579, the North constructed the Union of Utrecht, connecting the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guilders, Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe (etc.) signed the Union of Utrecht, seeking collective political integration to promote security, and then in 1581, the North succeeded from the Hapsburg's, kicking off the Eighty Years War for succession from Spain (the area had passed to the Spanish branch of the Hapsburg family).
This period was one of turmoil in the North, as internal and external forces competed for interest in the Netherlands. The Dutch considered a number of option, first setting up a kingdom of sorts internally, then looking for either French or English protection through greater political ties through the promotion of a French or English Duke. All options were rejected ultimately, and the Netherlands settled on a Republican system (think Rome not the US). Power was split between multiple factions, with either a powerful Stadholder controlling the state in semi-dictatorial fashion, or the heads of each of the seven provinces forming a countervailing force dedicated to provincial autonomy. These political disputes were often disruptive to the Dutch Republic, and led to many instances of paralyzing political deadlock. The Treaty of Munster, for example, was boycotted by a number of provinces (Zeeland, Gelderland etc.) due to the negative impact peace would have on their economies. This was a common theme throughout the Dutch Republic, and often led to boycotted peace measures, renounced truces and internal political upheaval as each province sought to maximize its own interests above a centralized Dutch Republic.
Religion played a major role in the Republic as well. Calvinism emerged as the religion of choice in the North, but violent iconoclasm against the Catholic church, and the political support of the House Orange, alienated more neutral parties (as well as Catholics). The south Netherlands emerged as a separate political entity in this time due to its staunch Catholicism, which ultimately led to a greater reliance on continued Spanish dominance. The North, however, began to eclipse the South as the economic centre of the region, with Spanish blockades against the North ultimately promoting Dutch overseas dominance in the bulk goods trade (fish, salt, timber, grain) with the Baltic, and the emergence of competing "rich trades" (spices, silks, coffee, sugar etc.) as the Dutch sought trade growth in the East and West Indies. The Dutch succeeded in supplanting Portuguese dominance of the spice trade in Asia, eventually controlling ports in Indonesia and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and made inroads in the West by setting up fur trading posts in modern New York, and in the valuable sugar trade in the Caribbean and South America. Maritime trade dominated Dutch thinking throughout its history, and was the main focal point for foreign policy. Although the Dutch fought numerous wars with Spain and Portugal (and a few with England, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden for good measure), they largely sought to promote free trade to encourage existing Dutch interests and negate the threat of competition from nations willing to pursue mercantilism policies instead.
The Dutch collapse was came due to the Dutch pursuit to contain the growing threat of France. The Republic forged alliances with both old friends (Denmark, England) and old enemies (Denmark, England and Spain) to try and contain French interests in the South Netherlands, prop up the Spanish Hapsburg's in the region, and combat the growing French trade in its spheres of interest. This was successful for a time, but ended in failure as Napoleonic forces entered and dissolved the Republic, forming first the short lived Batavian Republic, and later the Kingdom of the Netherlands (which survives to this day). Before that, Dutch trade primacy was largely being compressed by both Prussian emergence in the East, and English encroachment overseas. The Dutch lost many of their trade posts and colonies to England after the dissolution of the Republic, ceding first their North American interests, and then their colonies in South Africa, Ceylon, and parts of Indonesia and Africa, to the English. This led to a massive deflation of Dutch trade primacy, and the beginnings of English dominance over global trade which would last for two centuries itself.
This is an extremely concise description of a dense book on the Dutch Republic. Israel has taken into account many aspects of Dutch culture, society, and political and economic factors that led to Dutch primacy and collapse. Aspects of traditional (historically) Republicanism, humanism and Dutch art and architecture are mixed with in depth accounts of Dutch political struggles, the internal politics of the House Orange, and provincial Machiavellian maneuvering. The economic factors of Dutch primacy are explored, but briefly, and instead the book focuses more on the political aspects of each period in the Republic's history, and why historical events played out as they did. Israel has written a massive tome on Dutch Republic politics which is interesting, and an excellent historical account of the rise of a very interesting political anomaly in European history. Easily recommended to anyone interested in deeper European history, or looking for a big, chunky history book to sink into.
August 21, 2025
The monumental volume covers the history of the Netherlands from the establishment of Habsburg rule to the end of the Batavian Republic under Napoleon. The focus is, however, on the Dutch Republic or the United Provinces in its heyday, for which Israel uses the term "Golden Age" (Gouden Eeuw) which recently has come into disrepute, which has to do with the one weak point of the book.
Israel, from later works primarily known as a historian of ideas, focuses on the political history which is, however, inextricably linked to religion in the context of the Low Countries, from the Reformation as the contentious issue between the Habsburgs and most of the Dutch speaking population (actually primarily in Flanders), to the conflict between lax and strict Calvinists in the Republic, which overlapped with the conflict between patricians (primarily in Holland) and the House of Orange with its often populist supporters. Both socioeconomic and cultural history are given due attention though, the former as the conditions of the political conflicts and achievements, the latter as their consequences.
That being said it is clear that a large part of the book is dedicated to the persistent conflict over he question whether the United Provinces should be a real republic, as the patriciate in the large cities preferred, or whether power should be centralized in the hand of the Orange stadholders which would then lead to a quasi monarchy. This fundamental conflict which sometimes resulted in violent confrontations and the persecution of opponents affected all other aspects of politics and public life and politics: ecclesiastical matters, education, military and not least foreign policy where the trade interests of the cities often conflicted with what the stadholders saw as their interest in the European game of powers.
Israel thus shows that the the Dutch Republic was anything but the idyll as which many perceive it based on the wealth of the citizenry and the orderliness of the cities displayed in Golden Age painting. But he highlights as well that the achievement of this polity in the fields of economy, culture and education were astonishing in comparison with all other European nations of the time until the early 18th century. The country was more urbanized and more technologically advanced than any other, even lower ranks of society had a relatively high standard of living. The universities, in particular Leiden, were the leading institutions of their kind and attracted students from all over Protestant Europe. The sciences and publishing flourished, and Israel shows that the Netherlands made an important, albeit today often forgotten contribution to early Enlightenment thought. Israel highlights as well that there were limits to freedom and tolerance, and that the Netherlands can only can be considered relatively more progressive in this respect. The ideas of the most important enlightenment thinker, Spinoza, could only be published with caution, the same applies to other more radical thinkers. The Reformed (public as he writes) Church remained the unquestioned state religion throughout the period. Dissident Protestants and even more Catholics and Jews never enjoined equal rights. The Dutch Republic is the country in early modern Europe that might appear most appealing to a contemporary word view, but still it was an early modern society.
When it comes to foreign policy Israel demonstrates how much it was entangled with those parts of the Low Countries which remained under Habsburg rule (mostly those areas which should become Belgium)* and North-Western Germany (Münster, Cologne, Ostfriesland). It becomes quite clear that contemporary concepts of borders cannot be applied in the period under discussion, as the Dutch Republic had a line of fortress town stretching from Flanders to the Emsland in contemporary Germany. The relation of this micro-level entanglement with the European rivalries is well explained as are the relations to the "super powers" Britain, France and finally Prussia.
The decay of the Republic the 18th century is dealt with a bit more cursorily. Israel shows that in spite of the absolute decline of the economy, the Netherlands retained a relative edge over rest of Europe throughout the first decades. But finally many belonging to the skilled workforce left the country. This gap could bot be filled by the immigration of low-skilled workers from the Habsburg territories and Germany.** An important effect of this migration was the strong increase of the Catholic share of the population. Finally Israel highlights, how the crisis had in a relatively short period lead to very contradictory political reactions, first the strongest concentration of power in the hand of the House of Orange, with the Republic becoming a monarchy without a crown, the then the Patriotic revolution of the 1780s, inspired by the American Revolution and a precursor of the French Revolution, but easily crushed by the Prussians. The final chapters deal with how earlier conflicts in the Republic and the Habsburg territories informed responses to the French Revolution and occupation. Parallel to the decline of the North the Southern Low countries experienced an economical resurgence. Due to the close connection which had been established with Britain and because of easily accessible coal, these territories were among the first in continental Europe where the Industrial Revolution took off.
Nonetheless the book has one weakness. I am definitely not the wokest guy around, but the treatment of Dutch colonialism, or more generally global activities, is disappointing. Although Dutch colonialism is not the (exclusive) basis of Dutch wealth in the 17th century, rather one of the results of earlier economic and technological achievements,*** one should take to higher degree into account how Dutch colonialism affected other parts of the world than Israel does in he chapter dedicated to this issue. While he dedicates much attention to ecclesiastical matters in the West Indies, the Cape and Batavia (Jakarta), one does not learn much on slave trade and slave labor, or on the brutal enforcement of the spice monopoly in the Moluccas, the perhaps darkest spots in the history of the Netherlands.**** He does either not mention any kind of abolitionism. If there was none, as opposed to Britain, then that should have been remarked in the chapters on political thought.
But apart from these aspects others are neglected, or better ignored, as well. That Taiwan ("Formosa") is today a Chinese majority country is due to the encouragement of Chinese immigration under the rule of the East India Company in the 17th century, and throughout Japan's period of seclusion the Netherlands were the only Western country having some access to the island empire (and thus Japan's source of information for developments in the West).
A minor formal issue I have with this book is the sequence of chapters in part III (on the interregnum ca. 1648-72) where those dedicated to political developments are preceded by those on socioeconomic history and religious affairs. Thus Israel constantly refers to events that are described in more detail later, which confused me a bit.
These points notwithstanding, I base my overall judgment on the extraordinary erudition displayed in most sections of the book. Even if you consider yourself well informed about early modern history you will learn a plethora of new things and question a lot of your assumptions.
* Actually the book is thus also a quite good introduction to the history of these territories.
** Some contemporary German readers might get unpleasant associations ...
*** Although the eclipse of the colonial trade in the West initiated, as Israel shows, the cascade of negative developments that lead to the economic decline of the Republic.
**** This is a good reason that the term Gouden Eeuw should be reserved to art history.
Israel, from later works primarily known as a historian of ideas, focuses on the political history which is, however, inextricably linked to religion in the context of the Low Countries, from the Reformation as the contentious issue between the Habsburgs and most of the Dutch speaking population (actually primarily in Flanders), to the conflict between lax and strict Calvinists in the Republic, which overlapped with the conflict between patricians (primarily in Holland) and the House of Orange with its often populist supporters. Both socioeconomic and cultural history are given due attention though, the former as the conditions of the political conflicts and achievements, the latter as their consequences.
That being said it is clear that a large part of the book is dedicated to the persistent conflict over he question whether the United Provinces should be a real republic, as the patriciate in the large cities preferred, or whether power should be centralized in the hand of the Orange stadholders which would then lead to a quasi monarchy. This fundamental conflict which sometimes resulted in violent confrontations and the persecution of opponents affected all other aspects of politics and public life and politics: ecclesiastical matters, education, military and not least foreign policy where the trade interests of the cities often conflicted with what the stadholders saw as their interest in the European game of powers.
Israel thus shows that the the Dutch Republic was anything but the idyll as which many perceive it based on the wealth of the citizenry and the orderliness of the cities displayed in Golden Age painting. But he highlights as well that the achievement of this polity in the fields of economy, culture and education were astonishing in comparison with all other European nations of the time until the early 18th century. The country was more urbanized and more technologically advanced than any other, even lower ranks of society had a relatively high standard of living. The universities, in particular Leiden, were the leading institutions of their kind and attracted students from all over Protestant Europe. The sciences and publishing flourished, and Israel shows that the Netherlands made an important, albeit today often forgotten contribution to early Enlightenment thought. Israel highlights as well that there were limits to freedom and tolerance, and that the Netherlands can only can be considered relatively more progressive in this respect. The ideas of the most important enlightenment thinker, Spinoza, could only be published with caution, the same applies to other more radical thinkers. The Reformed (public as he writes) Church remained the unquestioned state religion throughout the period. Dissident Protestants and even more Catholics and Jews never enjoined equal rights. The Dutch Republic is the country in early modern Europe that might appear most appealing to a contemporary word view, but still it was an early modern society.
When it comes to foreign policy Israel demonstrates how much it was entangled with those parts of the Low Countries which remained under Habsburg rule (mostly those areas which should become Belgium)* and North-Western Germany (Münster, Cologne, Ostfriesland). It becomes quite clear that contemporary concepts of borders cannot be applied in the period under discussion, as the Dutch Republic had a line of fortress town stretching from Flanders to the Emsland in contemporary Germany. The relation of this micro-level entanglement with the European rivalries is well explained as are the relations to the "super powers" Britain, France and finally Prussia.
The decay of the Republic the 18th century is dealt with a bit more cursorily. Israel shows that in spite of the absolute decline of the economy, the Netherlands retained a relative edge over rest of Europe throughout the first decades. But finally many belonging to the skilled workforce left the country. This gap could bot be filled by the immigration of low-skilled workers from the Habsburg territories and Germany.** An important effect of this migration was the strong increase of the Catholic share of the population. Finally Israel highlights, how the crisis had in a relatively short period lead to very contradictory political reactions, first the strongest concentration of power in the hand of the House of Orange, with the Republic becoming a monarchy without a crown, the then the Patriotic revolution of the 1780s, inspired by the American Revolution and a precursor of the French Revolution, but easily crushed by the Prussians. The final chapters deal with how earlier conflicts in the Republic and the Habsburg territories informed responses to the French Revolution and occupation. Parallel to the decline of the North the Southern Low countries experienced an economical resurgence. Due to the close connection which had been established with Britain and because of easily accessible coal, these territories were among the first in continental Europe where the Industrial Revolution took off.
Nonetheless the book has one weakness. I am definitely not the wokest guy around, but the treatment of Dutch colonialism, or more generally global activities, is disappointing. Although Dutch colonialism is not the (exclusive) basis of Dutch wealth in the 17th century, rather one of the results of earlier economic and technological achievements,*** one should take to higher degree into account how Dutch colonialism affected other parts of the world than Israel does in he chapter dedicated to this issue. While he dedicates much attention to ecclesiastical matters in the West Indies, the Cape and Batavia (Jakarta), one does not learn much on slave trade and slave labor, or on the brutal enforcement of the spice monopoly in the Moluccas, the perhaps darkest spots in the history of the Netherlands.**** He does either not mention any kind of abolitionism. If there was none, as opposed to Britain, then that should have been remarked in the chapters on political thought.
But apart from these aspects others are neglected, or better ignored, as well. That Taiwan ("Formosa") is today a Chinese majority country is due to the encouragement of Chinese immigration under the rule of the East India Company in the 17th century, and throughout Japan's period of seclusion the Netherlands were the only Western country having some access to the island empire (and thus Japan's source of information for developments in the West).
A minor formal issue I have with this book is the sequence of chapters in part III (on the interregnum ca. 1648-72) where those dedicated to political developments are preceded by those on socioeconomic history and religious affairs. Thus Israel constantly refers to events that are described in more detail later, which confused me a bit.
These points notwithstanding, I base my overall judgment on the extraordinary erudition displayed in most sections of the book. Even if you consider yourself well informed about early modern history you will learn a plethora of new things and question a lot of your assumptions.
* Actually the book is thus also a quite good introduction to the history of these territories.
** Some contemporary German readers might get unpleasant associations ...
*** Although the eclipse of the colonial trade in the West initiated, as Israel shows, the cascade of negative developments that lead to the economic decline of the Republic.
**** This is a good reason that the term Gouden Eeuw should be reserved to art history.
October 25, 2012
I am not a big fan of historians who simply gather facts and desperately avoid to see any meaning in history. But putting events and facts together to create a greater picture, for those who would later venture to seek some meaning and instruction in a specific time period and a specific historic circumstances, is still a necessary occupation. We all profit from it, provided we do not fall prey to the delusion that history can be learned without its meaning for us today. Prof. Israel does a wonderful job in gathering the facts and organizing them in a larger context, thus painting a dynamic picture of the Dutch society between 1477 and 1806. The book is huge but it is worth reading, for those who want to learn about the history of the Reformed doctrine and its practical applications, or for those who want to study the rise of modern capitalism in its very birthplace, or for those who want to learn about the initial steps of the rise of the modern world in general. It's a great reading, both for pleasure, and for academic wealth of information and moral instruction.
August 19, 2008
A masterwork which covers a lot of aspects of the Dutch republic before, during and after its golden age. I'm from Holland myself and picked this book up because I find a lot of people don't have a clue about their country's history and I'm happy I did so.
The author focuses not only on politics and warfare, but also on art, religion, the various institutions, the role citizens and militia played, nobels, and economics. It's very clever written and very, very broad in context.
After reading this book you're more able to place art, architecture, etc. in a better context and get a better grasp on contemporary institutions and the way politics work. Also it gives a better view on early modern history in Europe and the powers which played a role in establishing the sociaties we enjoy today and their relationships.
The author focuses not only on politics and warfare, but also on art, religion, the various institutions, the role citizens and militia played, nobels, and economics. It's very clever written and very, very broad in context.
After reading this book you're more able to place art, architecture, etc. in a better context and get a better grasp on contemporary institutions and the way politics work. Also it gives a better view on early modern history in Europe and the powers which played a role in establishing the sociaties we enjoy today and their relationships.
July 26, 2021
Ok, for detail, this book is unmatched. Superuseful. It is not easily portable.
January 6, 2022
A monumental history of the Dutch Republic during its politically formative period. It's a wonderful resource if one is intensely interested in Dutch history, and the history of northern Europe. I was excited to learn about a number of important developments in the period, including the formation of viable republics and the transition away from monarchies, the Reformation, and Dutch views of freedom and liberal thought.
I must say that I was surprised at how themes of religious intolerance, struggles between belief, dogma and science, trade wars, and authoritarian rule certainly rhymed with what I'm seeing today. It confirmed once again that I understand today better by reading about the past.
BTW, it among the longest books I've ever read, and hence a major effort, or rather, labor of intellectual love. It is 1130 pages!
I must say that I was surprised at how themes of religious intolerance, struggles between belief, dogma and science, trade wars, and authoritarian rule certainly rhymed with what I'm seeing today. It confirmed once again that I understand today better by reading about the past.
BTW, it among the longest books I've ever read, and hence a major effort, or rather, labor of intellectual love. It is 1130 pages!
September 1, 2018
Took me almost a half year to finish reading the book. Good but not perfect overview of the Dutch Republic History.
In spite of an amount of page, there is still some lack of depth in story telling. I.e. colonial empire, social, spiritual, educational, political life plots are not equally balanced in the text.
The author kept jumping from one personality to another and consequently sometimes, to collect a whole picture about particular individual it was required to go from chapter to chapter.
And also the snobbish style of quoting French people in the English book about Dutch history in French. Kept Google Translate opened in front to read the book.
Looking for another book separately about Dutch Colonial Empire.
In spite of an amount of page, there is still some lack of depth in story telling. I.e. colonial empire, social, spiritual, educational, political life plots are not equally balanced in the text.
The author kept jumping from one personality to another and consequently sometimes, to collect a whole picture about particular individual it was required to go from chapter to chapter.
And also the snobbish style of quoting French people in the English book about Dutch history in French. Kept Google Translate opened in front to read the book.
Looking for another book separately about Dutch Colonial Empire.
August 30, 2015
At 1200 pages, is this a long read? Yes. But my take away is that if you think you understand the creation of the modern world without a thorough knowledge of Dutch history, then you are mistaken.
March 27, 2020
Took me 6 months to read this huge tome, but well worth it. Very detailed and thoroughly researched. It could’ve used a few more chapters on colonial life, but overall great great book.
January 6, 2013
Excellent book about the Dutch Republic but quite a time investment for the 1130 pages. Still probably the best English language book written on this period together with Simon Schama's 'The Embarassment of Riches'
July 22, 2013
Een uitstekend boek, waarmee je als Nederlander een veelomvattend relaas in handen hebt over de Gouden Eeuw, met de nadruk op de politiek. Ik heb er een half jaar over gedaan, dus nu over naar iets luchtigers, maar daarna ga ik deel twee zeker lezen!
September 23, 2020
When I read this just after it came out in the nineties I realized I never had considered Dutch history from an outsider's perspective. Maybe it would anyway be better, if non-natives would write the history books about a country.
May 31, 2012
One of the best books on Dutch history you can imagine, both in composition and detail.
September 30, 2013
A very good (though extremely long) book on the rise and fall of the Dutch. Israel does an awesome job showing the best defense is a good economic offense (for the most part).
December 22, 2013
Gave me a clear and pleasantly written view on the roots of my own country.
March 28, 2016
Na anderhalf jaar eindelijk uit! Hoera!
Read
August 31, 2019I read this book. Boy, did I.
October 1, 2022
Understanding the history of the Dutch Republic is essential to understanding the history of modern Europe as well as the history of modern empire and colonialism. The Golden Age of the Dutch Republic - the time where the Netherlands was at its height of power - succeeds the earlier Portuguese and Spanish period and precedes the later British and French period. Indeed, in important ways, the Dutch period is both an outgrowth of the earlier period and a contributor to the later period, particularly through the Glorious Revolution of William III of Orange and the influence of Dutch institutions upon British ones in the 1690s and early 1700s.
Israel's "The Dutch Republic" is one of the most detailed histories of a country and a period that I have read. At over 1100 pages, it covers the origins of the Netherlands in its late Burgundian past and during the Burgundian period, through the revolt and Eighty Years War of 1568-1648, through the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, and through the age of decline in the 18th century, until the Netherlands ceased to exist as a republic under Napoleon (to be replaced later on with the current Dutch monarchy). The history is divided into four sections, with chapters in each section covering the important historical event, the society of the period, the religious history, art and architecture, and intellectual life. While the focus is mostly on standard political and economic history, the book therefore covers a wider span and gives you a better understanding of the society of the different periods.
I found the history around Grotius and the Oldenbarnevelt regime particularly interesting, as well as the chapters on intellectual life. Having recently visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I also found the chapters on art and architecture enjoyable - though more pictures of the architecture as well as of the art would have been helpful - and enjoyed reading about some of the paintings I had seen at the Rijksmuseum. While the book focuses on the history of the Dutch Republic, I appreciated that it also covered important aspects of the history and relationship with the Spanish (and later, Austrian) Netherlands (roughly preceding modern Belgium and Luxembourg).
From an American perspective, the history of the Dutch Republic presents fascinating parallels. Just as the United States gained independence from the British Empire, so did the Dutch Republic gain independence from the Spanish Habsburg empire. The Netherlands was also one of only a very few European republics (the others including Venice and Genoa) in a sea of monarchies.
One would think that this history would have been instructive to the Founding Fathers, but the Founders appear to have been less interested in the Dutch as an example, and instead viewed them as a corrupt power in decline and as a polity too fractured in its structure to be useful as a model (see Federalist 20). (At the same time, Dutch financing and support did prove helpful during the American Revolution). Indeed, the history of the Dutch Republic is one of a continuous push and pull between periods of fractured politics and periods of more central leadership under the Prince of Orange, which attenuated and somewhat overcame the fractured politics of the provinces. Amsterdam was often dominant, but by itself never quite dominant enough to unite the provinces. Unfortunately, conservative and centralizing tendencies following the Napoleonic Wars resulted in the Netherlands elevating the House of Orange to monarchical status instead of embracing its republican roots.
Israel's "The Dutch Republic" is one of the most detailed histories of a country and a period that I have read. At over 1100 pages, it covers the origins of the Netherlands in its late Burgundian past and during the Burgundian period, through the revolt and Eighty Years War of 1568-1648, through the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, and through the age of decline in the 18th century, until the Netherlands ceased to exist as a republic under Napoleon (to be replaced later on with the current Dutch monarchy). The history is divided into four sections, with chapters in each section covering the important historical event, the society of the period, the religious history, art and architecture, and intellectual life. While the focus is mostly on standard political and economic history, the book therefore covers a wider span and gives you a better understanding of the society of the different periods.
I found the history around Grotius and the Oldenbarnevelt regime particularly interesting, as well as the chapters on intellectual life. Having recently visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, I also found the chapters on art and architecture enjoyable - though more pictures of the architecture as well as of the art would have been helpful - and enjoyed reading about some of the paintings I had seen at the Rijksmuseum. While the book focuses on the history of the Dutch Republic, I appreciated that it also covered important aspects of the history and relationship with the Spanish (and later, Austrian) Netherlands (roughly preceding modern Belgium and Luxembourg).
From an American perspective, the history of the Dutch Republic presents fascinating parallels. Just as the United States gained independence from the British Empire, so did the Dutch Republic gain independence from the Spanish Habsburg empire. The Netherlands was also one of only a very few European republics (the others including Venice and Genoa) in a sea of monarchies.
One would think that this history would have been instructive to the Founding Fathers, but the Founders appear to have been less interested in the Dutch as an example, and instead viewed them as a corrupt power in decline and as a polity too fractured in its structure to be useful as a model (see Federalist 20). (At the same time, Dutch financing and support did prove helpful during the American Revolution). Indeed, the history of the Dutch Republic is one of a continuous push and pull between periods of fractured politics and periods of more central leadership under the Prince of Orange, which attenuated and somewhat overcame the fractured politics of the provinces. Amsterdam was often dominant, but by itself never quite dominant enough to unite the provinces. Unfortunately, conservative and centralizing tendencies following the Napoleonic Wars resulted in the Netherlands elevating the House of Orange to monarchical status instead of embracing its republican roots.
February 8, 2018
With it's roughly 1150 pages it is a extensive read, but absolutely essential in understanding the rise and decline of the Dutch Republic and its enormous contributions to political thought, commerce, philosophy, art and science.
A truly fascinating view of the shifting forces that shaped and reshaped the Dutch Republic time and time again, with detailed explanations of the political fractions and citizen's attitudes as a reaction to the rapidly changing world around them.
A delicate exposition of the relations between the Northern Netherlands, the South Netherlands (now Belgium) France, Britain, the Habsburg empire and the ascending Prussian Empire.
A must read for people interested in the politics and culture of the Early Modern Period.
A truly fascinating view of the shifting forces that shaped and reshaped the Dutch Republic time and time again, with detailed explanations of the political fractions and citizen's attitudes as a reaction to the rapidly changing world around them.
A delicate exposition of the relations between the Northern Netherlands, the South Netherlands (now Belgium) France, Britain, the Habsburg empire and the ascending Prussian Empire.
A must read for people interested in the politics and culture of the Early Modern Period.
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April 23, 2018Too much detail for me. It is fairly accessible take in small doses; but the sheer scale is massive and the narrative occasionally becomes a confusing mix of names and factions with the dramatic events lost in the middle.
Impressive, and maybe something to return to if I ever get familiar with dutch history, politics and religion.
Impressive, and maybe something to return to if I ever get familiar with dutch history, politics and religion.
September 6, 2021
Incredibly detailed and broad in scope, but a bit too dry for my taste.
December 28, 2021
Encyclopedic coverage of the subject but dry as a desert.
October 6, 2023
This book had a tremendous amount of information but I wanted more on global politics in the colonies such as New Netherlands, Cape Colony, and Batavia.
May 28, 2019
Ik ben in de ban van “De Republiek”. Het beste geschiedenisboek uit mijn persoonlijke bibliotheek van geschiedenisboeken. Het boek besteedt veel aandacht aan het gedetailleerd beschrijven van situaties en doet dat thematisch waardoor de geschiedenis helpt uit te leggen waarom Vlaanderen en Nederland toch zo sterk van elkaar verschillen of verschillend zijn geworden. Voor mij en misschien ook voor anderen zijn de laatste 3 hoofdstukken van deel III over de kunst en cultuur, het intellectuele leven het koloniale rijk iets te uitgebreid; ze vervolledigen in ieder geval het verhaal van deze boeiende geschiedenis. En dat geldt ook voor enkele hoofdstukken van het vierde deel zoals dat over de samenleving en zeker van de kerken. De auteur maakt van het boek een werk met een sterk encyclopedisch karakter wat de leesbaarheid niet vereenvoudigt voor de “eenvoudige” liefhebber van Geschiedenis. Maar zoals ook op de cover staat is dit “een boek van ongewone omvang en reikwijdte met een vitale verhaaltrant en een analytische diepte die ons van bewondering vervult”. Dit is een “must read” voor elke geschiedenisliefhebber.
December 25, 2020
It took me a long time to read this very big and dense book, but I'm glad I read it. I wanted to have better understanding of Dutch history, and this definitely gave me that. It is fairly dry in places, sometimes simply enumerating stuff, but this didn't bother me too much. I did read its four parts separately, reading other books in between - the whole thing in once would have been a bit much. It narrates history, as the title indicates, from Burgundian times in the 15th century until the arrival of Napoleon in the early 19th century, and explains many dimensions of Dutch history in separate chapters for each of the four major parts of the book that describe different time periods. These include (geo)politics, demographics, economics, philosphy and science, art, and everyday life as well. It is highly informative and perhaps a little bit more than I had bargained for, but it gave me a much better perspective on Dutch society and culture - and (epsecially relevent for me) on the important differences in the history of the Northern and Southern Netherlands (today's Belgium).
December 8, 2025
If you want a reference for your Dutch history paper, this is the book for you. It provides a comprehensive history of the birth and heyday of the Dutch Republic. It is indeed "a magnificent doorstop of a book" (according to the review amusingly included on the back cover).
However, reading this book from front to back as a non-academic curious about Dutch history, its comprehensiveness becomes a liability. It is difficult to organize everything in a coherent way when you're covering the political, economic, religious, and cultural history, and the author does not entirely succeed here. The text frequently mentions topics that it hasn't properly introduced yet. And some of the writing is so convoluted, you almost have to diagram sentences to make sense of them.
The author's expertise is clear. He could've used a more careful editor to better organize and convey his expertise to the lay reader.
However, reading this book from front to back as a non-academic curious about Dutch history, its comprehensiveness becomes a liability. It is difficult to organize everything in a coherent way when you're covering the political, economic, religious, and cultural history, and the author does not entirely succeed here. The text frequently mentions topics that it hasn't properly introduced yet. And some of the writing is so convoluted, you almost have to diagram sentences to make sense of them.
The author's expertise is clear. He could've used a more careful editor to better organize and convey his expertise to the lay reader.
February 3, 2023
西雅图图书馆借的1200页的大部头荷兰共和国史。荷兰也叫尼德兰，低地国家之一部分，诞生于战火之中，在战争间隙成为了欧洲最繁华的国家，随后又迅速陨落。宗教改革特别是加尔文宗唤起了荷兰的独立意识，和西班牙的八十年长期战争就此爆发。在战争中看似强大的西班牙始终无法灭掉弱小的荷兰，而荷兰也逐渐成长，造就了“海上马车夫”的十七世纪黄金时代。加尔文宗和阿民念主义的斗争导致了阿民念派遭到迫害，不过荷兰逐渐走向了宗教宽容。荷兰同时具有海洋国家和大陆国家的性质，在海上的商贸、殖民地的兴起和商人寡头制下的“大议长”的职位明显地体现了“海上马车夫”的性质，但是荷兰和西班牙、随后和法国的陆地战争则体现了其大陆国家的性质。黄金时代的荷兰为了和英国争夺商业地位爆发了三次大规模海上战争，各有胜负，但是荷兰最终没有扛过和法国的战争。1672年英法夹击荷兰的“灾难年”终结了从Frederick Henry到de Witt的黄金时代，de Witt的惨死是一个标志，标志着荷兰的文明已经开始走向暴乱。威廉三世中兴了荷兰，英国的光荣革命使得威廉三世的声望达到顶点，也造就了荷兰和英国的联盟。无奈荷兰再次卷入和法国的西班牙王位战争，动荡的局势使得国际资金从阿姆斯特丹转移到了更为安全的伦敦。另外，荷兰由于国土狭小缺乏资源，制造业无法和英国匹敌，贸易一直处于天然商品物物交换的形式，最终荷兰的贸易形式被更为高级的制造业贸易取代。荷兰在多次战争、资金外流和贸易无法升级的多重压力下，最终终结了自生的黄金时代。倘若荷兰是一个存粹的岛国，或者它和英国合并，或许它的命运会更好一些。
July 6, 2022
Reviewers and blurb writers tiresomely, predictably and inevitably dub as "magisterial" all large, long and lengthy history books.
I'm happy to note "The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, (oh, no, an Oxford comma!) and Fall 1477-1806" is a truly magisterial account of the Republic's history.
I bequeath a 4.5 rating. Removal of .5, because more vigilant editing for redundancies could and should have shortened this magisterially worded book by, oh, 300 or so pages.
Nonetheless, highly recommended.
I'm happy to note "The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, (oh, no, an Oxford comma!) and Fall 1477-1806" is a truly magisterial account of the Republic's history.
I bequeath a 4.5 rating. Removal of .5, because more vigilant editing for redundancies could and should have shortened this magisterially worded book by, oh, 300 or so pages.
Nonetheless, highly recommended.
January 29, 2023
3.75 / 5.0
Dense but not tedious. Focus on Inter Country Strife at expense of accomplishments seems a bit unbalanced. Huge amount of detail barely scratches surface of History, but leaves reader exhausted, yet with hundreds of unanswered questions. Even at 1200 pages bit off more than could be treated justly.
Dense but not tedious. Focus on Inter Country Strife at expense of accomplishments seems a bit unbalanced. Huge amount of detail barely scratches surface of History, but leaves reader exhausted, yet with hundreds of unanswered questions. Even at 1200 pages bit off more than could be treated justly.
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