The Dutch province of Holland has solicited much research in the context of the link between war ... more The Dutch province of Holland has solicited much research in the context of the link between war and political development, an important theme in early modern historiography. During the Dutch Revolt in the late sixteenth century it became the core and financial bedrock of a new, powerful, and very prosperous polity: the Dutch Republic. Why Flanders and Brabant, larger and traditionally wealthier, failed where Holland succeeded and were retaken by King Philip II’s army has never been explained. One difference was the structurally narrower political base in Brabant and Flanders; compared to Holland fewer people had a part and stake in the government. But the main problem in the former provinces was a structural lack of finances. From 1578 the war was right on top of them, which made the collection of newly introduced taxes impossible and attempts at administrative reorganization fruitless. War destroyed the tax base in Brabant and Flanders, while Holland’s taxes were the foundation of...
This article analyses the failed Dutch Religious Peace of 1578 through the lens of security. As W... more This article analyses the failed Dutch Religious Peace of 1578 through the lens of security. As Wayne te Brake recently argued in Religious War and Religious Peace in Early Modern Europe, creating security for all parties is key for an effective religious peace. In the sixteenth century, communal security was deemed a collective responsibility. In practice this meant that religious peace – suppressing and preventing violence and threats between Protestants and Catholics – was framed as a matter of preserving the common peace. Theological questions were dissimulated or kept out of peace settlements. In 1578, the religious peace proposed that Catholics and Calvinists were to live in the Netherlands side by side, each allowed to worship publicly. Some 27 Dutch towns introduced this religious peace. Yet the municipal magistrates mostly did so reluctantly and generally declined to share political power, thus contributing to its failure. Moreover, there were different, conflicting concept...
An analysis of the court of Maurice of Nassau. What did it look like? How did it function? Who h... more An analysis of the court of Maurice of Nassau. What did it look like? How did it function? Who had access to the Stadholder and why? Primary source material unfortunately turned out to be quite scarce.
Willem van Oranje en Breda. Officier en 'Grand Seigneur', 2014
Looks at William of Orange as a sixteenth-century warrior noble. Wilst not brilliant he was not t... more Looks at William of Orange as a sixteenth-century warrior noble. Wilst not brilliant he was not the useless fish out of water some have made him out te be either. He learned forming and leading an army in the 1550s. Contemporaries certainly respected his military capabilities.
Heiligerlee. Strijd in een landschap van glorie en nederlaag, 2021
Analyses Louis of Nassau's invasion in Groningen in 1568 as part of a larger plan, whilst using c... more Analyses Louis of Nassau's invasion in Groningen in 1568 as part of a larger plan, whilst using contemporary frames regarding planning and strategy.
Dutch historian Robert Fruin in 1895 concluded that the siege of Haarlem (1572-1573) was decisive... more Dutch historian Robert Fruin in 1895 concluded that the siege of Haarlem (1572-1573) was decisive for the fate of the rebellious Netherlands, even more so than the succeeding siege of Alkmaar. I discovered this too late to include in this article. It is close the the central conclusion of this article, which uses contemporary strategic culture as a frame. Defensive warfare was attritional, grinding down the enemy's resources, money and will to fight. Lenghty sieges were very effective in this. Haarlem was eventually taken by the Habsburg troops after nearly eight months, but at enormous cost in men, morale and money. It was a Pyrrhic victory that contributed significantly to the Habsburg failure at Alkmaar and the survival of the rebellion.
Militair Rechtelijk Tijdschrift/ Netherlands Military Law Review, 2007
This article deals with military justice in the Netherlands in roughly the second half of the 16t... more This article deals with military justice in the Netherlands in roughly the second half of the 16th century. It analyses the disappearance of the cooperative landsknecht system of military justice and its replacement with garrison courts-martial. The change occurred in the rebel territories between circa 1572 and 1600. The driving force was the desire to curb excesses against the civilian population.
The Dutch province of Holland has solicited much research in the context of the link between war ... more The Dutch province of Holland has solicited much research in the context of the link between war and political development, an important theme in early modern historiography. During the Dutch Revolt in the late sixteenth century it became the core and financial bedrock of a new, powerful, and very prosperous polity: the Dutch Republic. Why Flanders and Brabant, larger and traditionally wealthier, failed where Holland succeeded and were retaken by King Philip II’s army has never been explained. One difference was the structurally narrower political base in Brabant and Flanders; compared to Holland fewer people had a part and stake in the government. But the main problem in the former provinces was a structural lack of finances. From 1578 the war was right on top of them, which made the collection of newly introduced taxes impossible and attempts at administrative reorganization fruitless. War destroyed the tax base in Brabant and Flanders, while Holland’s taxes were the foundation of...
This article analyses the failed Dutch Religious Peace of 1578 through the lens of security. As W... more This article analyses the failed Dutch Religious Peace of 1578 through the lens of security. As Wayne te Brake recently argued in Religious War and Religious Peace in Early Modern Europe, creating security for all parties is key for an effective religious peace. In the sixteenth century, communal security was deemed a collective responsibility. In practice this meant that religious peace – suppressing and preventing violence and threats between Protestants and Catholics – was framed as a matter of preserving the common peace. Theological questions were dissimulated or kept out of peace settlements. In 1578, the religious peace proposed that Catholics and Calvinists were to live in the Netherlands side by side, each allowed to worship publicly. Some 27 Dutch towns introduced this religious peace. Yet the municipal magistrates mostly did so reluctantly and generally declined to share political power, thus contributing to its failure. Moreover, there were different, conflicting concept...
An analysis of the court of Maurice of Nassau. What did it look like? How did it function? Who h... more An analysis of the court of Maurice of Nassau. What did it look like? How did it function? Who had access to the Stadholder and why? Primary source material unfortunately turned out to be quite scarce.
Willem van Oranje en Breda. Officier en 'Grand Seigneur', 2014
Looks at William of Orange as a sixteenth-century warrior noble. Wilst not brilliant he was not t... more Looks at William of Orange as a sixteenth-century warrior noble. Wilst not brilliant he was not the useless fish out of water some have made him out te be either. He learned forming and leading an army in the 1550s. Contemporaries certainly respected his military capabilities.
Heiligerlee. Strijd in een landschap van glorie en nederlaag, 2021
Analyses Louis of Nassau's invasion in Groningen in 1568 as part of a larger plan, whilst using c... more Analyses Louis of Nassau's invasion in Groningen in 1568 as part of a larger plan, whilst using contemporary frames regarding planning and strategy.
Dutch historian Robert Fruin in 1895 concluded that the siege of Haarlem (1572-1573) was decisive... more Dutch historian Robert Fruin in 1895 concluded that the siege of Haarlem (1572-1573) was decisive for the fate of the rebellious Netherlands, even more so than the succeeding siege of Alkmaar. I discovered this too late to include in this article. It is close the the central conclusion of this article, which uses contemporary strategic culture as a frame. Defensive warfare was attritional, grinding down the enemy's resources, money and will to fight. Lenghty sieges were very effective in this. Haarlem was eventually taken by the Habsburg troops after nearly eight months, but at enormous cost in men, morale and money. It was a Pyrrhic victory that contributed significantly to the Habsburg failure at Alkmaar and the survival of the rebellion.
Militair Rechtelijk Tijdschrift/ Netherlands Military Law Review, 2007
This article deals with military justice in the Netherlands in roughly the second half of the 16t... more This article deals with military justice in the Netherlands in roughly the second half of the 16th century. It analyses the disappearance of the cooperative landsknecht system of military justice and its replacement with garrison courts-martial. The change occurred in the rebel territories between circa 1572 and 1600. The driving force was the desire to curb excesses against the civilian population.
This is a lecture held at the IXth Conference of Spanish, Belgian and Dutch historians at Nijmege... more This is a lecture held at the IXth Conference of Spanish, Belgian and Dutch historians at Nijmegen on 27th May 2016. The conference dealt with The Institutions of the Habsburg Low Countries (XVI-XVIII c.). It is unpublished. Please do not use or quote without the author's permission.
400+ Yıllık Hatır / 400+ Jaar Vriendschap Mehmet Tütüncü / Erik Swart / Bülent Arı, 2019
Its a book about the ahitname (or with old term Capitualtion) from 1612 given By Sultan Ahmed I t... more Its a book about the ahitname (or with old term Capitualtion) from 1612 given By Sultan Ahmed I to the Dutch republic. This ahitname has been nominated by Dutch National Archives as one of the Top pieces and is now in exhibition until 5th january 2020, on the the exhibition Hall of Dutch national archives in the Hague. On the occasion of this nomination an publication of this book under my editorship with cooperation of Erik Swart and Bulent Ari has been published. The book contains after an introduction of Ottoman Ducth relations a facsimile of the document, transcription into Latin of the Ottoman text, Modern Dutch translation and a modern Turkish translation. The book is available with sending an email to next email adress sotapublishing@gmail.com
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