- VU University Amsterdam Faculty of Law, De Boelenlaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam
Leiden University, Department of History. Postbus 9515, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Universiteit Leiden, History, Faculty Memberadd
- Medieval History, Early Modern History, Maritime History, European History, Diplomacy, International Relations, and 12 moreInternational Law, History, Political Economy, Global History, International Law and Diplomacy, History of International Law, History and Theory of International Law, History of Piracy, Insularity, History of Diplomacy, Maritime Archaeology, and Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology Historyedit
Being a rather marginal topic for a long time, the field of premodern maritime conflict and maritime violence has raised the attention of scholars in the past years. New approaches, influenced from cultural and economic history, have... more
Being a rather marginal topic for a long time, the field of premodern maritime conflict and maritime violence has raised the attention of
scholars in the past years. New approaches, influenced from cultural and economic history, have studied the practices of conflict management and the dynamic perception of licit and illicit practices in the maritime realm. As such, these micro-studies of maritime conflict management open new perspectives to understand economic and social structures at
sea and on land and its dynamics in a broader sense. In this context, the conference organized by Louis Sicking (Amsterdam/Leiden)
and Philipp Höhn (Halle) was the final in a series of conferences and workshops, which were part of the NWO funded project „Maritime Conflict Management in Atlantic Europe, 1200–1600“ led by Sicking.
The aim of the conference was to bring together scholars
working on the Baltic and the Atlantic in order to compare and to combine the growing field of conflict management studies with new
approaches focusing on the semantics of maritime violence.
scholars in the past years. New approaches, influenced from cultural and economic history, have studied the practices of conflict management and the dynamic perception of licit and illicit practices in the maritime realm. As such, these micro-studies of maritime conflict management open new perspectives to understand economic and social structures at
sea and on land and its dynamics in a broader sense. In this context, the conference organized by Louis Sicking (Amsterdam/Leiden)
and Philipp Höhn (Halle) was the final in a series of conferences and workshops, which were part of the NWO funded project „Maritime Conflict Management in Atlantic Europe, 1200–1600“ led by Sicking.
The aim of the conference was to bring together scholars
working on the Baltic and the Atlantic in order to compare and to combine the growing field of conflict management studies with new
approaches focusing on the semantics of maritime violence.
Research Interests:
Piracy holds a special place within the field of international law because of the universal jurisdiction that applies: any state may seize a pirate ship on the high seas and decide upon the penalties to be imposed, as is currently the... more
Piracy holds a special place within the field of international law because of the universal jurisdiction that applies: any state may seize a pirate ship on the high seas and decide upon the penalties to be imposed, as is currently the case with Somali and West African pirates. Unlike today, piracy was the norm in pre-modern times. Maritime trade and piracy went hand in hand. At the same time, kings and emperors recruited their admirals from among pirates. This raises the question of how princes, states and cities distinguished between legal and illegal violence at sea. How did they deal with maritime conflict among themselves and among their respective subjects and citizens?
This article puts maritime conflict management in a European, global and long term perspective while avoiding anachronistic and teleological approaches. Finally, it argues that pre-modern conflict management is relevant to understand maritime security in the twenty-first century.
This article puts maritime conflict management in a European, global and long term perspective while avoiding anachronistic and teleological approaches. Finally, it argues that pre-modern conflict management is relevant to understand maritime security in the twenty-first century.
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From the late Middle Ages onwards, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas.... more
From the late Middle Ages onwards, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Conflict resolution at sea has mostly been studied through the lens of the history of diplomacy and international law. Of late the emphasis has shifted to the process of conflict resolution itself. . Conflict management has a wider meaning than conflict resolution, as the concept includes alternative modes of dealing with conflicts that do not necessarily involve resolving them. Beyond classical issues such as naval warfare, piracy and privateering, medievalists and early modernists exploring the worlds of the Atlantic, the North Sea and the Baltic have increasingly devoted attention to processes of conflict settlement and conflict avoidance. As a result, the vast diversity of formal judicial procedures and informal or private paths of settlements has come to light. As research on conflict management continues to flourish, its maritime dimension still deserves more attention. The current conference aims at focusing on the maritime perspective, and proposes an actor and dispute-centered approach. How did maritime violent actors justify their acts (for example feuding or war) and how did they negotiate property rights? How did victims of maritime conflicts claim compensation or reparation? How and to what extent did they get support from authorities and polities? How did individual actors and public institutions negotiate disputes which transcended jurisdictional boundaries (for example those involving reprisal and piracy)? What strategies, arrangements and agreements were resorted to in order to achieve resolution of those conflicts, and to what effect? So far, students of the maritime dimension, have studied either the Atlantic, the North Sea region or the Baltic, creating separate historiographies. But historically, these regions represent closely entangled seascapes. After all, maritime conflicts did not end at geographical borders. Actors like the Hansards, English, or merchants from the Low Countries traded in the three maritime arenas and stood in complex relationships, characterized by conflict and cooperation.
This conference will foster an exchange between scholars working on these three areas of research, allowing for a comparative and long-term perspective. This may reveal connections between the three seascapes and shed a useful light on the multiplicity and complexity of the various paths chosen for the management of disputes.
This conference will foster an exchange between scholars working on these three areas of research, allowing for a comparative and long-term perspective. This may reveal connections between the three seascapes and shed a useful light on the multiplicity and complexity of the various paths chosen for the management of disputes.
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Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Confl icts, 1200–1600. Lisbon, 25-26 October 2018 In the Middle Ages, maritime con ict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, speci c institutions were... more
Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Confl icts,
1200–1600. Lisbon, 25-26 October 2018
In the Middle Ages, maritime con ict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, speci c institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Recent historiography emphasises that late-medieval merchants, together with consuetudinary law and common legal practices, relied on the legal autonomy of municipal governments to resolve maritime and commercial con icts. For highly urbanised areas like the Low Countries, it has been argued that urban legal autonomy played a decisive role in inter-urban competition to attract foreign merchants, thus stimulating economic growth in the most successful cities.
However, in other regions of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula and in England for instance, the situation was di erent. Certain cities – like Lisbon and London – rose to dominance without facing competition from other cities. Some of these cities were highly dependent, from a judicial standpoint, from the crown’s intricate bureaucracy. So, how were maritime con icts resolved in port cities under the authority and control of central governments or the crown? And how to explain that places not involved in urban competition, which sometimes lacked autonomy in judicial matters, could economically expand? In addition, the role of central governments in highly urbanised regions, including the Italian city states and the Low Countries, will also be discussed from the perspective of maritime con ict management. is seminar on Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Confl icts, 1200–1600 aims at exploring these questions in a broad, comparative perspective, by looking at how disputes were managed and settled both in Atlantic Europe, more speci cally in the Iberian Peninsula, and around the Mediterranean in the later Middle Ages.
1200–1600. Lisbon, 25-26 October 2018
In the Middle Ages, maritime con ict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, speci c institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Recent historiography emphasises that late-medieval merchants, together with consuetudinary law and common legal practices, relied on the legal autonomy of municipal governments to resolve maritime and commercial con icts. For highly urbanised areas like the Low Countries, it has been argued that urban legal autonomy played a decisive role in inter-urban competition to attract foreign merchants, thus stimulating economic growth in the most successful cities.
However, in other regions of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula and in England for instance, the situation was di erent. Certain cities – like Lisbon and London – rose to dominance without facing competition from other cities. Some of these cities were highly dependent, from a judicial standpoint, from the crown’s intricate bureaucracy. So, how were maritime con icts resolved in port cities under the authority and control of central governments or the crown? And how to explain that places not involved in urban competition, which sometimes lacked autonomy in judicial matters, could economically expand? In addition, the role of central governments in highly urbanised regions, including the Italian city states and the Low Countries, will also be discussed from the perspective of maritime con ict management. is seminar on Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Confl icts, 1200–1600 aims at exploring these questions in a broad, comparative perspective, by looking at how disputes were managed and settled both in Atlantic Europe, more speci cally in the Iberian Peninsula, and around the Mediterranean in the later Middle Ages.
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** UPDATE ** Confirmed keynote speakers: * Michel Bochaca (La Rochelle) * David Igual (La Mancha) * Bart Lambert (York) * Pierre Prétou (La Rochelle) * Louis Sicking (U. Leiden) * Final call: applications must be sent by 15... more
** UPDATE **
Confirmed keynote speakers:
* Michel Bochaca (La Rochelle)
* David Igual (La Mancha)
* Bart Lambert (York)
* Pierre Prétou (La Rochelle)
* Louis Sicking (U. Leiden)
* Final call: applications must be sent by 15 June *
In the Middle Ages, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Recent historiography emphasises that late-medieval merchants, together with consuetudinary law and common legal practices, relied on the legal autonomy of municipal governments to resolve maritime and commercial conflicts. For highly urbanised areas like the Low Countries, it has been argued that urban legal autonomy played a decisive role in inter-urban competition to attract foreign merchants, thus stimulating economic growth in the most successful cities. However, in other regions of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula and in England for instance, the situation was different. Certain cities – like Lisbon and London – rose to dominance without facing competition from other cities. Some of these cities were highly dependent, from a judicial standpoint, from the crown's intricate bureaucracy. So, how were maritime conflicts resolved in port cities under the authority and control of central governments or the crown? And how to explain that places not involved in urban competition, which sometimes lacked autonomy in judicial matters, could economically expand? In addition, the role of central governments in highly urbanised regions, including the Italian city states and the Low Countries, will also be discussed from the perspective of maritime conflict management. This seminar on Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Conflicts, 1200–1600 aims at exploring these questions in a broad, comparative perspective, by looking at how disputes were managed and settled both in Atlantic Europe, more specifically in the Iberian Peninsula, and around the Mediterranean in the later Middle Ages. The seminar will include invited keynote presentations by European scholars. The full programme will soon be published online. Paper proposals We welcome paper proposals for a twenty-minute presentation on topics related to the call. We encourage papers related to merchant conflicts and their resolution in central courts, legal strategies, merchants and governments' diplomatic exchanges, among other approaches.
Confirmed keynote speakers:
* Michel Bochaca (La Rochelle)
* David Igual (La Mancha)
* Bart Lambert (York)
* Pierre Prétou (La Rochelle)
* Louis Sicking (U. Leiden)
* Final call: applications must be sent by 15 June *
In the Middle Ages, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Recent historiography emphasises that late-medieval merchants, together with consuetudinary law and common legal practices, relied on the legal autonomy of municipal governments to resolve maritime and commercial conflicts. For highly urbanised areas like the Low Countries, it has been argued that urban legal autonomy played a decisive role in inter-urban competition to attract foreign merchants, thus stimulating economic growth in the most successful cities. However, in other regions of Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula and in England for instance, the situation was different. Certain cities – like Lisbon and London – rose to dominance without facing competition from other cities. Some of these cities were highly dependent, from a judicial standpoint, from the crown's intricate bureaucracy. So, how were maritime conflicts resolved in port cities under the authority and control of central governments or the crown? And how to explain that places not involved in urban competition, which sometimes lacked autonomy in judicial matters, could economically expand? In addition, the role of central governments in highly urbanised regions, including the Italian city states and the Low Countries, will also be discussed from the perspective of maritime conflict management. This seminar on Central Governments and the Resolution of Maritime Conflicts, 1200–1600 aims at exploring these questions in a broad, comparative perspective, by looking at how disputes were managed and settled both in Atlantic Europe, more specifically in the Iberian Peninsula, and around the Mediterranean in the later Middle Ages. The seminar will include invited keynote presentations by European scholars. The full programme will soon be published online. Paper proposals We welcome paper proposals for a twenty-minute presentation on topics related to the call. We encourage papers related to merchant conflicts and their resolution in central courts, legal strategies, merchants and governments' diplomatic exchanges, among other approaches.
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Les journée d'histoire maritime consacrées à l'histoire du gouvernement des hommes en mer sont issues d'un partenariat unissant l'Université de la Rochelle, la Corderie Royale, le SHD Rochefort et le Musée national de la Marine. Maritime... more
Les journée d'histoire maritime consacrées à l'histoire du gouvernement des hommes en mer sont issues d'un partenariat unissant l'Université de la Rochelle, la Corderie Royale, le SHD Rochefort et le Musée national de la Marine. Maritime Conflict Management in Atlantic Europe, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Universiteit Leiden, Universidad de la Laguna, Universidad de Cantabria (Santander), Nova Lisboa.
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From the late Middle Ages, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Conflict... more
From the late Middle Ages, maritime conflict has developed hand in hand with international trade. Over time, specific institutions were established to address disputes arising from violence or mishap at sea and in coastal areas. Conflict resolution at sea has mostly been studied through the lens of the history of diplomacy and international law. Of late the emphasis has shifted to the process of conflict resolution itself. There is a detailed interest in the different actors and institutions involved alongside in-depth case studies. Conflict management has a wider meaning than conflict resolution, as the concept includes alternative modes of dealing with conflicts that do not necessarily involve resolving them. Beyond classical issues such as naval warfare, piracy and privateering, medievalists and historians exploring the worlds of the early modern Mediterranean and Atlantic have increasingly devoted attention to processes of conflict settlement and conflict avoidance, while also looking into the vast diversity of formal judicial procedures and informal or private paths of settlements. As research on conflict management continues to flourish, its maritime dimension still deserves more attention, however, as the overall emphasis is mainly on state formation and should be qualified, therefore, as land-oriented. The current conference aims at focusing on the maritime perspective, and proposes an actor and dispute-centered approach. How did victims of maritime conflicts claim compensation or reparation? How and to what extent did they get support from authorities and polities? How did individual actors and public institutions negotiate disputes which transcended jurisdictional boundaries (for example those involving reprisal and piracy)? What strategies, arrangements and agreements were resorted in order to achieve resolution of those conflicts, and with what effectiveness? So far, students of the maritime dimension, have mainly studied either the Mediterranean or Atlantic region, creating separate historiographies. This conference will foster an exchange between scholars working on these two areas of research, allowing for a comparative and long-term perspective. This may reveal connections between the two seascapes and shed a useful light on the multiplicity and complexity of the paths chosen for the management of disputes. Papers on these themes in English or French will be welcomed. Paper proposals (abstract in 150 words and a CV on one page) to be sent before 1 July 2017 to l.h.j.sicking@hum.leidenuniv.nl and to anne.wegener-sleeswijk@univ-paris1.fr
Research Interests: History, Medieval History, Early Modern History, Atlantic World, Mediterranean Studies, and 9 moreCross-Cultural Studies, History of International Relations, Conflict Resolution, History of International Law, Conflict Management, History of the Mediterranean, Atlantic history, History of Diplomacy, and Early Modern Atlantic World (1500-1815)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2049677X.2017.1314605 This article discusses how merchants or skippers suffering losses aimed to get redress for damages in trading and shipping from or with Holland and Zeeland in the fourteenth and early... more
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2049677X.2017.1314605
This article discusses how merchants or skippers suffering losses aimed to get redress for damages in trading and shipping from or with Holland and Zeeland in the fourteenth and early fifteenth century within the context of Anglo–Dutch trade and diplomacy. In accordance with legal doctrine both the English king and the Count of Holland considered reprisal as an ultimate remedy. Both rulers used the possibility of reprisal as a means of pressure within Anglo–Dutch diplomacy. Their willingness to support their subjects went beyond the issue of damage redress as it also enabled them to have more control over their subjects. When reprisal was eventually issued, rulers on both sides of the Channel carefully supervised and controlled its procedures. Even though rulers were prepared to support victims via diplomacy and, ultimately, reprisal, they did consider individual interests in the functioning of the wider political and economic interests of their countries.
This article discusses how merchants or skippers suffering losses aimed to get redress for damages in trading and shipping from or with Holland and Zeeland in the fourteenth and early fifteenth century within the context of Anglo–Dutch trade and diplomacy. In accordance with legal doctrine both the English king and the Count of Holland considered reprisal as an ultimate remedy. Both rulers used the possibility of reprisal as a means of pressure within Anglo–Dutch diplomacy. Their willingness to support their subjects went beyond the issue of damage redress as it also enabled them to have more control over their subjects. When reprisal was eventually issued, rulers on both sides of the Channel carefully supervised and controlled its procedures. Even though rulers were prepared to support victims via diplomacy and, ultimately, reprisal, they did consider individual interests in the functioning of the wider political and economic interests of their countries.
Research Interests: Diplomatic History, Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution, Conflict Management, Economic history/Trade history/Oriental trade, and 7 moreHistory of Anglo-Dutch Relations, Fourteenth-Century History, History of the Low Countries, The history of the Low Countries in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Reprisal, Maritime trade, and Damage Redress
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Although maritime life is characterized by endemic violence, given an environment hostile to man and beyond the authority of the State, its importance to economic and social life has led to public and private initiatives aiming to ensure... more
Although maritime life is characterized by endemic violence, given an environment hostile to man and beyond the authority of the State, its importance to economic and social life has led to public and private initiatives aiming to ensure the development of maritime activities and the defence of interests involved. Past conflicts most often related to natural and human damage, due to the harshness of the marine environment. Nature's adverse impact resulted from a lack of technical means to deal with the dangers of the sea. Economic constraints and uncertainties affected commercial activities and fishing. It was not uncommon for victims to convert into aggressors and vice versa. Another cause of conflict was to be found in the disputes between ship masters and their crews, between ship owners and charterers or between those who financed maritime and commercial activities (ship owners and financiers) and those who realized them (ship masters, merchants). One solution to this situation of conflict, although hardly successful, was the establishment of maritime jurisdictions with coercive powers. The authorities, supported by the most notable groups in the maritime sector, were concerned with safeguarding the political and economic interests of the various kingdoms. From this point of view, they employed the military, judicial, legislative and diplomatic means proper to the 'modern state'. What was the role of monarchs in resolving maritime conflicts? What methods did they apply in order to stimulate or force the reiteration of the damages of their subjects or inhabitants or those who traded in their jurisdictions? To promote or impose reparation for damages suffered by their subjects as well as by foreigners who traded within their jurisdiction?
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Maritime Conflict Management in Atlantic Europe, 1200-1600. Partners: Leiden University, VU University Amsterdam, University of Cantabria in Santander, University of San Cristobal de La Laguna in Canary Islands, University of La Rochelle... more
Maritime Conflict Management in Atlantic Europe, 1200-1600. Partners: Leiden University, VU University Amsterdam, University of Cantabria in Santander, University of San Cristobal de La Laguna in Canary Islands, University of La Rochelle and University Nova of Lisbon. More content will follow soon
Research Interests: History, Maritime History, Atlantic World, Naval History, Law of the Sea, and 4 moreHistory of Piracy, History of International Law (or Law of Nations), Atlantic history, and History of Commerce, History of Genoa, History of the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Studies, and Maritime History, Trade routes, Mediterranean, Ports, Port cities, Islands
Maritime conflict resolution, particularly as manifested in the law of maritime warfare, has long played an important role in the history of diplomacy and international law. What significance did maritime conflict resolution have in... more
Maritime conflict resolution, particularly as manifested in the law of maritime warfare, has long played an important role in the history of diplomacy and international law. What significance did maritime conflict resolution have in shaping the standards of international law in medieval and early modern Europe? How did diplomacy figure into the processes of maritime conflict resolution? This workshop aims to shed light on these questions from two distinct yet related perspectives: that of the aggressor and the victim on the one hand, and that of the political entities to which they belonged on the other. How did victims of maritime conflicts claim and obtain damages or demand compensation or reparation? To what extent could they rely on their own polities or the polities of their aggressors? What sort of efforts did public authorities make to protect their subjects or citizens beyond the boundaries of their jurisdiction? How prepared were they to provide opportunities for redress to foreign victims of maritime violence committed by their own subjects and citizens? How did different political authorities and polities negotiate disputes of maritime diplomacy which transcended jurisdictional boundaries (particularly those involving reprisals and piracy), and what strategies, arrangements and agreements did they employ in attempting to achieve resolution of those conflicts? Addressing these questions calls for a reappraisal of the presumed boundaries between that traditionally known as private and public international law. Doing so will unveil connections and entanglements between private parties and public authorities, demonstrating the importance of both for the development of maritime conflict resolution. As a result, this workshop aims to offer new insights and enrich our understanding of the role of maritime conflict resolution and legal practice within the wider context of maritime diplomacy. Louis Sicking (VU Amsterdam/National Maritime Museum/Leiden University)
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in: R. Kubben ed., Ginder 't Vreêverbont bezegelt. Essays over de betekenis van de vrede van Breda 1667 (Breda 2015) 178-187
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Au début de l’épohque moderne, les forces navales de l’Empire des Habsbourg et de l’Angleterre pouvaient être considérées comme des exemples de la primauté d’une marine de mercenaires temporaires d’une part, et d’une marine de guerre... more
Au début de l’épohque moderne, les forces navales de l’Empire des Habsbourg et de l’Angleterre pouvaient être considérées comme des exemples de la primauté d’une marine de mercenaires temporaires d’une part, et d’une marine de guerre permanente d’autre part. Déjà, en Angleterre, pendant le règne du premier Tudor, le roi Henri VII (1485-1509), une marine de guerre permanente se développa et devint la force maritime la plus grande du pays. Son successeur Henri VIII (1509-1547) stimula encore da..
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This book investigates how the rulers of the Habsburg world empire developed and implemented a central maritime policy for the Netherlands and appointed an admiral of the sea or admiral-general for that purpose. It also explains why the... more
This book investigates how the rulers of the Habsburg world empire developed and implemented a central maritime policy for the Netherlands and appointed an admiral of the sea or admiral-general for that purpose. It also explains why the Habsburgs were eventually unable to gain control of the maritime affairs of the Netherlands, in spite of the support of the powerful Burgundian Lords of Veere, who occupied the central position of admiral from 1491 to 1558. From their power base on the island of Walcheren in Zeeland, known as the key to the Netherlands at the time because of its central location between Holland, Flanders, Antwerp and the sea, they held an ideal vantage point for exercising the admiralship. The result not only offers an illuminating insight into the organisation of the war fleet, maritime trade and fishery, privateering and prize law in the Habsburg Netherlands, but also puts the maritime success of the later Dutch Republic in a new perspective.
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The importance of islands in maritime and global history is not yet understood in a comparative and long term perspective. This article aims to contribute to understanding the role of islands for the establishment, preservation and... more
The importance of islands in maritime and global history is not yet understood in a comparative and long term perspective. This article aims to contribute to understanding the role of islands for the establishment, preservation and extension of maritime connections in medieval and early modern Europe, and beyond. Recognising that the nature of pre-modern source material complicates a systematic comparative approach to pre-modern island history, it aims to contribute to this approach by studying the dichotomy of insularity, a concept which combines the two seemingly opposing aspects of isolation and connectivity. Using a variety of examples, mainly but not exclusively from Europe, this dichotomy will be considered for five topics relevant to the relations between islands and the outside world: the role of islands as anchorages, as trading posts, the insular economy, the significance of islands for sea power, and power projection from islands on the mainland (peraia).
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De voorgeschiedenis van de Republie
1. See, for instance, S. Phillips, ‘The Outer World of the European Middle Ages’, in S. B. Schwartz (ed.), Implicit Understandings: Observing, Reporting, and Reflecting on the Encounters between Europeans and Other Peoples in the Early... more
1. See, for instance, S. Phillips, ‘The Outer World of the European Middle Ages’, in S. B. Schwartz (ed.), Implicit Understandings: Observing, Reporting, and Reflecting on the Encounters between Europeans and Other Peoples in the Early Modern Era (Cambridge, 1994), pp.23-63; M. Pelletier (ed.), Les îles du mythe à la réalité. Congrès national des societies historiques et scientifiques 123e (Paris, 2002). 2. G. Tolias, ‘L’insulaire. Cosmographie maritime et expansion européenne à la Renaissance’, in C. Hofmann, H. Richard and E. Vagnon (eds.), L’âge d’or des cartes marines. Quand l’Europe découvrait le monde (Paris, 2012), pp.90-7. 3. See, for instance, S. Pinet, Archipelagoes: Insular Fictions from Chivalric Romance to the Novel (Minneapolis, 2011); T. Jørgensen and G. Jaritz (eds.), Isolated Islands in Medieval Nature, Culture and Mind. The Muhu Proceedings 2 (Budapest, 2011); C. van Duzer, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps (London, 2013). Islands and maritime connections, networks and empires, 1200–1700: Introduction
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New Diplomatic History in the Premodern Age. An IntroductionThe study of medieval and early modern diplomacy has long been considered one of the most conservative subdisciplines in the field of history. During the last three decades,... more
New Diplomatic History in the Premodern Age. An IntroductionThe study of medieval and early modern diplomacy has long been considered one of the most conservative subdisciplines in the field of history. During the last three decades, however, diplomatic history has undergone profound changes. This introductory article shows how these changes were triggered by developments in other disciplines and happened under the influence of the cultural turn. Until recently most general histories of diplomacy were based on the conceptions of Donald Queller and, more particularly, of Garrett Mattingly. Scholars working on medieval and early modern history have applied new international relations theories and moved away from analyses that were strictly oriented towards diplomatic relations between sovereign territorial states. The cultural turn gave rise to a range of innovations in diplomatic history, leading historians to focus on the diplomatic process and its cultural dimensions rather than on...
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In the sixteenth century the herring fishery was of major economic importance for Flanders, Zeeland and Holland. The herring were caught above all in the North Sea. The fish were originally destined for domestic consumption but the salted... more
In the sixteenth century the herring fishery was of major economic importance for Flanders, Zeeland and Holland. The herring were caught above all in the North Sea. The fish were originally destined for domestic consumption but the salted variant became an important export. Measured in volume, herring was probably the most important export of the Netherlands. Moreover, the herring fishery offered a great deal of employment, not only for fishermen but also for shippers, loaders, merchants and various craftsmen in shipbuilding and salt refining." But the herring fishery was full of risk and danger. The size of the herring stock, weather and security at sea all determined to a large extent the quality and volume of the catch. This essay deals with the herring fishery in times of war and tension. In the period before the Dutch Revolt, which broke out in 1572, the provinces that comprised the territory of the present-day Benelux countries shared the same sovereign. In the first half of the sixteenth century this was the Habsburg Charles V (1500-1558), emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, king of Spain and ruler over many other territories. The emperor and his family had many enemies and were at war most of the time. The wars of the Habsburgs, and the privateering and piracy that were related to those conflicts, were one of the greatest threats to the herring fishery. The period between 1520 and 1560 was exceptionally dangerous because of a series of
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Lennart Bes, Edda Frankot and Hanno Brand (eds.), Baltic Connections: Archival Guide to the Maritime Relations of the Countries around the Baltic Sea (including the Netherlands) 1450-1800. Vol. 1, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany; Vol.... more
Lennart Bes, Edda Frankot and Hanno Brand (eds.), Baltic Connections: Archival Guide to the Maritime Relations of the Countries around the Baltic Sea (including the Netherlands) 1450-1800. Vol. 1, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany; Vol. 2, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands; Vol. 3, Poland, Russia, Sweden. "The Northern World, 36"; Leiden and Boston: Brill [www.brill.nl]. 2007. xxxvi + 2320 pp., illustrations, individual volume indices. €315, US $450, cloth; ISBN 978-90-04-16429-1 (set).
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... generous support. Louis Sicking, Harry de Bles, Erlend des Bouvrie 6 K. Berg, TN Devig, 0. Kock Johansen and H. Ulven, Norwegian maritime explorers and expeditions over the past thousand years (Oslo 1999) Page 20. New ...
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Research Interests: History, Ottoman History, Imperial History, Habsburg Studies, History of Hungary, and 8 moreEarly modern Ottoman History, Ottoman-Habsburg relations, History of the Spanish-Habsburg Netherlands, History of Diplomacy, Charles V, Suleyman the magnificent, Historical Studies, and History of Hungary and the Habsburg Monarchy
Introduction In Dye cronijcke van Zeelandt (The Chronicle of Zeeland) the author Jan Reygersbergh notes that in 1527 the emperor Charles V presented Adolf of Burgundy with an unknown island. This eminent nobleman was also lord of Beveren,... more
Introduction In Dye cronijcke van Zeelandt (The Chronicle of Zeeland) the author Jan Reygersbergh notes that in 1527 the emperor Charles V presented Adolf of Burgundy with an unknown island. This eminent nobleman was also lord of Beveren, Veere and Flushing. Between 1517 and his death in 1540 he held the post of admiral of the Low Countries. According to the above-mentioned Chronicle, Adolf of Burgundy equipped two ships which he sent at his own expense in search of the unknown island, that apparently lay somewhere in the New World. The ships, under the command of Hendrik of Veere, spent more than a year on their quest, only to return empty-handed-no island. To avoid the reproach that all their efforts had been fruitless, they loaded the ships' holds with a great variety of wares. 1 The gift of the unknown island and the quest in search of it, fire the imagination. For this is the first recorded voyage of discovery from the Low Countries to the New World. Thus it is not altogether surprising that several historians of a later date have written accounts of the lord ofVeere's unfortunate American expedition. Directly or indirectly they all base their narrative on Dye cronijcke van Zeelandt, of which the first edition was published in 1551. Fifty years later, Jan Fran~ois Ie Petit incorporated the facts mentioned above in his chronicle of the Northern Netherlands.2 While the gift and the voyage of discovery remain utterly devoid of context in both Reygersbergh's and Le Petit's accounts this being completely appropriate for the style of the chronicle the eighteenth-century historians Jacobus Ermerins and Jan Wagenaar place the events in a broader historical setting. Ermerins, town secretary of Veere, who published several volumes relating the history of the old port ofVeere and its lords, regards the presentation of the unknown island as an easy method employed by the emperor in order to earn the gratitude and loyalty of Adolf of Burgundy. He recounts: "The [emperor] knew the secret of nourishing the hopes of his courtiers: he presented the Lord Adolf with a certain island, which even had it [the island] been able to be found, belonged to the emperor as little as it belonged to Lord Ado1E"3 So wrote the clearheaded town secretary. The historian Wagenaar presents the Veere expedition to America in the context of the discovery of Mexico (New Spain) beginning in 1519, and the imports of precious metals from the New World, which also spurred the Netherlanders to undertake voyages of discovery. Apart from Hendrik of Veere's 1527 expedition, Wagenaar also mentions Anthonis Mulok's 1528 voyage as the first "Netherlander" who, sailing from the harbor of Zierikzee in Zeeland, led a successful trading expedition to the Cape Verde Islands.4 Finally, the nineteenth-century Belgian historian Alexandre
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Zuiderzee towns in the Baltic. ‘Vitten’ and ‘Vögte’ – Space and urban representatives in late-medieval ScaniaThe Scania peninsula in the southwest of present-day Sweden was one of the most important trading centres of medieval Northern... more
Zuiderzee towns in the Baltic. ‘Vitten’ and ‘Vögte’ – Space and urban representatives in late-medieval ScaniaThe Scania peninsula in the southwest of present-day Sweden was one of the most important trading centres of medieval Northern Europe due to the seasonal presence of immense swarms of herring which attracted large numbers of fishermen and traders. Streching back from the beach of Scania were the so-called vitten, which the traders, grouped by region or city, held as their own, legally autonomous trade settlements, from the Danish King. Initially, these were seasonal trading colonies that were occupied only for the duration of the fair, which began in August and ended in November. In the late Middle Ages the vitten developed into miniature towns, modest off-shoots from the traders‘ mother city. The presence on a small peninsula (c 50 km2) of so many fishermen and merchants who did business together and came from different cities could easily have led to tensions and conflict. ...
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"La France et les Pays-Bas ont été deux puissances coloniales européennes importantes au XIXe siècle. Les relations et rivalités coloniales franco-britanniques et néerlando-britanniques sont relativement bien connues. Par... more
"La France et les Pays-Bas ont été deux puissances coloniales européennes importantes au XIXe siècle. Les relations et rivalités coloniales franco-britanniques et néerlando-britanniques sont relativement bien connues. Par contre les relations coloniales franco-néerlandaises n'ont pas encore été étudiées – dans leur ensemble ou de façon systématique – au même degré. Ce livre, basé avant tout sur des recherches d'archives, contribue à l'étude des relations de la France et des Pays-Bas au xixe siècle outre-mer. Il s'agit des régions du monde où ces deux États avaient des territoires coloniaux limitrophes: en Amérique du Sud avec la Guyane française et le Surinam, aux Caraïbes avec l'île de Saint-Martin, et en Afrique avec la Côte de l'Or. Les questions frontalières dans ces régions sont traitées dans le contexte européen de la politique coloniale et internationale, ainsi que dans leur contexte local. L'ouvrage traite des relations franco-néerlandaises dans ces colonies, mais aussi des interactions avec les esclaves de Saint-Martin, les peuples de la Côte de l'Or (Ashanti, Agni du Sanwi, Fanti et Apolloniens ou Nzema), et les Marrons à l'intérieur des Guyanes, comme les Boni (Aluku) et les Ndyuka."
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Dit tweede deel van het verzameld werk van de Vlaamse rechtsgeleerde Filips Wielant (1441/1442-1520) bevat de eerste uitgave van de zestiende-eeuwse Franse vertaling van de Corte instructie omme jonghe practisienen in civile zaken, beter... more
Dit tweede deel van het verzameld werk van de Vlaamse rechtsgeleerde Filips Wielant (1441/1442-1520) bevat de eerste uitgave van de zestiende-eeuwse Franse vertaling van de Corte instructie omme jonghe practisienen in civile zaken, beter bekend als de Practijke civile. Dit traktaat vormde samen met de Practijke criminele (J. Monballyu ed., Corte instructie in materie criminele. Filips Wielant Verzameld werk I (Brussel 1995)) een leerboek over het procesrecht in burgerlijke en in strafzaken. Het is het eerste praktische handboek over deze materie in de Nederlanden. Het was Wielant, onder meer advocaat en raadsheer bij de Raad van Vlaanderen en raadsheer en vice-president van de Grote Raad van Mechelen, er bovenal om te doen zijn beschrijving zo nauw mogelijk te laten aansluiten bij de concrete rechtspraktijk. Het traktaat valt op door zijn pragmatische karakter en heldere en logische betoog. Oudere uitgaven in het Nederlands waren onvolledig of waren gebaseerd op weinig betrouwbare handschriften van Wielants oorspronkelijke tekst. De nu uitgegeven Franse vertaling uit de zestiende eeuw gaat terug op de laatste Nederlandse redactie uit 1519 die slechts onvolledig is overgeleverd. Voor deze uitgave is gebruik gemaakt van de vier complete Franstalige handschriften. Door systematische vergelijking van deze handschriften is een betrouwbare uitgave gerealiseerd die inhoudelijk nauw aansluit bij de oorspronkelijke Nederlandse tekst. Grote delen van Wielants werk zijn later overgenomen door Joost de Damhouder in diens Praxis rerum civilium. Het belang van Wielants traktaat voor de geschiedenis van het Europese procesrecht rechtvaardigt deze Franse uitgave.
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Research Interests: Maritime History, Naval History, Fisheries, Habsburg Studies, History of The Netherlands, and 13 moreMedieval Flanders, History of the Spanish-Habsburg Netherlands, Charles V, Dutch History, Burgundian Netherlands, Mary of Hungary, Maritime Strategy, Admiralty and maritime law, Seafaring, Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology History, Jan Gossaert, Prize Law, and Maritime trade
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... Contributors are Inês Amorim, James H. Barrett, Christiaan van Bochove, Petra van Dam, Chloé Deligne, Carsten Jahnke, Alison M. Locker, Thomas H. McGovern, Sophia Perdikaris, Marnix Pieters, Peter Pope, Bo Poulsen, Callum M. Roberts,... more
... Contributors are Inês Amorim, James H. Barrett, Christiaan van Bochove, Petra van Dam, Chloé Deligne, Carsten Jahnke, Alison M. Locker, Thomas H. McGovern, Sophia Perdikaris, Marnix Pieters, Peter Pope, Bo Poulsen, Callum M. Roberts, Louis Sicking, Dries Tys, Adri van ...
1 Amphibious warfare, 1000-1700 : concepts and contexts / D. J. B. Trim, Mark Charles Fissel 2 Amphibious operations from the Norman conquest to the crusades of Saint Louis, c. 1500-c. 1250 / Matthew Bennett 3 Amphibious warfare in the... more
1 Amphibious warfare, 1000-1700 : concepts and contexts / D. J. B. Trim, Mark Charles Fissel 2 Amphibious operations from the Norman conquest to the crusades of Saint Louis, c. 1500-c. 1250 / Matthew Bennett 3 Amphibious warfare in the Baltic : the Hansa, Holland and the Habsburgs (fourteenth-sixteenth centuries) / Louis Sicking 4 Portuguese amphibious warfare in the east in the sixteenth century (c. 1500-1520) / Malyn Newitt 5 Amphibious warfare in the Baltic, 1550-1700 / Jan Glete 6 The siege of Malta (1565) and the Habsburg-Ottoman struggle for domination of the mediterranean / John F. Guilmartin, Jr. 7 Amphibious operations and the Elizabethan assault on the Spanish Atlantic economy 1585-1598 / R. B. Wernham 8 English amphibious warfare, 1587-1656 : galleons, galleys, longboats, and cots / Mark Charles Fissel 9 The king's two arms : French amphibious warfare in the mediterranean under Louis XIV, 1664 to 1697 / Guy Rowlands 10 The blue-water dimension of King William's war : amphibious operations and allied strategy during the nine years' war, 1688-1697 / John M. Stepleton, Jr. 11 Medieval and early-modern inshore, estuarine, riverine and lacustrine warfare / D. J. B. Trim Conclusion / D. J. B. Trim, Mark Charles Fissel
impact on iron and steel production, the growth of wealth and so on, all had profound impacts on European culture and encouraged the competitive militarism which the European Unionwaspartlyfounded to overcome. In fact, the... more
impact on iron and steel production, the growth of wealth and so on, all had profound impacts on European culture and encouraged the competitive militarism which the European Unionwaspartlyfounded to overcome. In fact, the leadingmaritimenations are little mentioned. There are many informative and interesting thingshere, but whethera student text whichaims to approach the importance of the sea for Europeanhistory from a wide varietyof viewpoints, andwhichhopesto "bringa freshsea breezeintohistoryteaching," can afford to dwellso muchon pre-modern activityand shiftswithinEurope itself, andso littleon the far moreimportant defining relationships thatdirectedor resultedfromoceanic activity in the modem period, is open to seriousquestion.
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... Available: In Print. 176.00$241.00. Author: Louis Sicking. Category: History - Early Modern History. BIC2: Military history. Series: History of Warfare. ISSN: 1385-7827. ISBN13: 9789004138506. Publication ... World Military History... more
... Available: In Print. 176.00$241.00. Author: Louis Sicking. Category: History - Early Modern History. BIC2: Military history. Series: History of Warfare. ISSN: 1385-7827. ISBN13: 9789004138506. Publication ... World Military History ... Author ...
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The present article discusses the case of Jacques du Gal, a French merchant, and the Netherlands privateers, Claes de Doot and Meeus Pietersz. The former departed from the harbour of Dieppe in France with one vessel, headed for Scotland.... more
The present article discusses the case of Jacques du Gal, a French merchant, and the Netherlands privateers, Claes de Doot and Meeus Pietersz. The former departed from the harbour of Dieppe in France with one vessel, headed for Scotland. During this journey, on the open seas, Du Gal bought an English ship, denoted in the records as the Mary Dertenny. This ship had been taken by the Scottish privateers Jehan Edinestone and Jehan Gourlat. Near the Scottish coast, the ships of Du Gal were boarded by De Doot and Pietersz. After the latter had returned with their prizes to their harbour of origin, Vlissingen in the Low Countries, the Admiralty Court of Veere took jurisdiction of the case. It decided that Du Gal's own ship should be returned to him, but it declared that the Mary Dertenny was good prize. On appeal, however, the Great Council of Malines, the then supreme court of the Low Countries, ruled that De Doot and Pietersz should also return the Mary Dertenny to Du Gal. The case of Du Gal v. De Doot and Pietersz is of interest, not only because it contains detailed information on the costs and the procedural steps to be taken before the Admiralty Court in a prize case, but also because it proves that, apart from legal arguments, diplomatic considerations may have been of importance when deciding prize cases before courts of law.
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Research Interests: Military History, Cartography, Control, Sound, Strategy, and 6 moreChannel, Operations, Economics and finance, Dragon, Swallow, and Texel
Piraterij neemt in het internationale recht een bijzondere plaats in omdat universele rechtsmacht op haar van toepassing is: iedere staat mag een piratenschip op volle zee overmeesteren en de piraten berechten, zoals met Somalische... more
Piraterij neemt in het internationale recht een bijzondere plaats in omdat universele rechtsmacht op haar van toepassing is: iedere staat mag een piratenschip op volle zee overmeesteren en de piraten berechten, zoals met Somalische piraten gebeurt. Anders dan vandaag de dag was in de middeleeuwen piraterij de norm. Maritieme handel en piraterij gingen hand in hand. Tegelijkertijd recruteerden koningen en keizers hun admiralen onder piraten. Dit roept de vraag op hoe vorsten, staten en steden onderscheid aanbrachten tussen legaal en illegaal geweld op zee. Hoe gingen zij om met maritieme conflicten tussen elkaar en tussen elkaars onderdanen en burgers? Louis Sicking laat zien dat de premoderne conflicthantering en -oplossing in de vloeibare wereld van de maritieme veiligheid van de eenentwintigste eeuw verrassend actueel is.
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Te midden van een strijd om macht en religie vluchtte in 1537 de laatste katholieke aartsbisschop van Noorwegen, Olav Engelbrektsson, naar de Nederlanden van Karel V. Op zijn vlucht nam de kerkvorst een groot deel van de schat van de... more
Te midden van een strijd om macht en religie vluchtte in 1537 de laatste katholieke aartsbisschop van Noorwegen, Olav Engelbrektsson, naar de Nederlanden van Karel V. Op zijn vlucht nam de kerkvorst een groot deel van de schat van de Nidaroskathedraal in Trondheim mee, waaronder de bijl van Sint-Olav, twee kronen, kelken, monstransen en andere kostbaarheden. Dit boek volgt het spoor van de aartsbisschop, zijn gevolg en de kerkschatten.
Het deel van de schat dat de aartsbisschop meenam, belandde in Deventer en leidde tot een langdurige diplomatieke kwestie. Een ander deel, waaronder de schrijn van Sint-Olav, bleef achter in Noorwegen. Ondertussen voerden Deense schepen Noors kerkzilver af naar Kopenhagen. Een van de schepen werd gekaapt door Hollanders, een ander schip zou zijn gezonken in het Trondheimfjord. Een jarenlange zoektocht in archieven en musea levert een verrassend verhaal op over ballingschap, diplomatie en Noors erfgoed in de Habsburgse Nederlanden aan het begin van de Reformatie.
Het deel van de schat dat de aartsbisschop meenam, belandde in Deventer en leidde tot een langdurige diplomatieke kwestie. Een ander deel, waaronder de schrijn van Sint-Olav, bleef achter in Noorwegen. Ondertussen voerden Deense schepen Noors kerkzilver af naar Kopenhagen. Een van de schepen werd gekaapt door Hollanders, een ander schip zou zijn gezonken in het Trondheimfjord. Een jarenlange zoektocht in archieven en musea levert een verrassend verhaal op over ballingschap, diplomatie en Noors erfgoed in de Habsburgse Nederlanden aan het begin van de Reformatie.
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Este libro tiene por objeto el estudio de la diplomacia y el papel del comercio desde una perspectiva comparada y transnacional a lo largo de la Europa Atlántica medieval. Así, se analiza la complejidad de las relaciones internacionales... more
Este libro tiene por objeto el estudio de la diplomacia y el papel del comercio desde una perspectiva comparada y transnacional a lo largo de la Europa Atlántica medieval. Así, se analiza la complejidad de las relaciones internacionales bajomedievales en una etapa en la que los vínculos diplomáticos entre comunidades se hicieron permanentes en Europa, como consecuencia directa de nuevos factores internacionales, como la búsqueda de la paz y la estabilidad en el continente, el diálogo como elemento característico del Otoño de la Edad Media, la multiplicación de las relaciones de todo signo entre el norte y el sur de Europa, la consolidación de los Estados monárquicos europeos más importantes, como España, Francia o Inglaterra, y el surgimiento de una economía de mercado a escala europea. Esta monografía se inscribe en las tareas del proyecto de investigación, titulado Las sociedades urbanas de las ciudades y villas portuarias de la Europa Atlántica en la Baja Edad Media (HAR2012-31801), financiado por el Gobierno de España.
This book aims to study diplomacy and the role of trade from a comparative and transnational perspective throughout medieval Atlantic Europe. Thus, the complexity of international relations in the Late Middles Ages, when diplomatic ties between communities were made permanent in Europe as a direct result of some new international factors, such as the search for peace and stability in the continent, the dialogue as a characteristic element of the Autumn of the Middle Ages, the multiplication of relations between northern and southern Europe, the consolidation of the most relevant European kingdoms, such as Spain, France or England, and emergence of a market economy at European stage. This book is part of a collective research project, entitled Urban societies in the townports of Atlantic Europe in the Later Middle Ages (HAR2012-31801) funded by the Government of Spain.
This book aims to study diplomacy and the role of trade from a comparative and transnational perspective throughout medieval Atlantic Europe. Thus, the complexity of international relations in the Late Middles Ages, when diplomatic ties between communities were made permanent in Europe as a direct result of some new international factors, such as the search for peace and stability in the continent, the dialogue as a characteristic element of the Autumn of the Middle Ages, the multiplication of relations between northern and southern Europe, the consolidation of the most relevant European kingdoms, such as Spain, France or England, and emergence of a market economy at European stage. This book is part of a collective research project, entitled Urban societies in the townports of Atlantic Europe in the Later Middle Ages (HAR2012-31801) funded by the Government of Spain.
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"La naissance d’une thalassocratie" considers the contribution of the Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands to the rise of the Dutch Republic as a maritime power. In Braudelian fashion, its chapters are centred around three lines of... more
"La naissance d’une thalassocratie" considers the contribution of the Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands to the rise of the Dutch Republic as a maritime power. In Braudelian fashion, its chapters are centred around three lines of research. The first part, focuses on the long term or ‘temps structurel’ and considers geographical and infrastructural developments of port towns. The second part on the mid term or ‘temps conjoncturel’ (social and economic developments) takes maritime commerce, fisheries and maritime risk management into account. The third part deals with the short term or ‘temps événementiel’ (political developments) and includes chapters on military transports at sea, the unstable development of admiralties and on the Dutch Revolt at sea.
Over the past twenty years Louis Sicking has given conference papers, invited lectures and guest courses in France, Belgium, Spain, the US, the UK, and Scandinavia. The resulting articles have now been integrated in one book which offers new insights in the maritime history of the Low Countries in the 15th and 16th centuries, including a maritime perspective on the Dutch Revolt. While crossing the established boundaries of Dutch and Belgian historiographies, the book not only offers an unfamiliar maritime perspective, it also proposes a new and refreshing look at the origin of the Dutch Republic.
"La Naissance d’une thalassocatie" has been published in the ‘Collection d’histoire maritime’ by the Presses de l’université Paris-Sorbonne (PUPS). Founded in 1470 it is the oldest university press in France.
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L’essor maritime sans précédent de la république des Provinces-Unies au XVIIe siècle, a impressionné les contemporains et continue de fasciner aujourd’hui.
La Révolte des Pays-Bas menée par Guillaume d’Orange et la naissance, pendant ce long conflit (1568-1648), d’une république indépendante est un thème classique de l’histoire européenne et domine toujours le cadre de l’histoire nationale des Pays-Bas actuels. A contrario, la période qui a precede ce point-pivot de l’histoire des Pays-Bas n’est que rarement évoquée, alors qu’elle a pourtant fortement influence la constitution de la république des Provinces-Unies et son success sur les mers du monde.
Ce livre vise à montrer l’importance de l’histoire maritime des anciens Pays-Bas pour la Révolte et l’expansion maritime des Provinces-Unies. Commençant avec l’intégration des provinces néerlandaises aux XVe et XVIe siècles par les Bourguignons et les Habsbourg, « la naissance d’une thalassocratie » analyse les changements ou les ruptures, mais aussi les continuités de l’histoire des Pays-Bas et la mer à l’aube du siècle d’Or, afin de proposer au lecteur une nouvelle perspective qui renouvelle les cadres traditionnels des historiographies néerlandaises et belges.
Over the past twenty years Louis Sicking has given conference papers, invited lectures and guest courses in France, Belgium, Spain, the US, the UK, and Scandinavia. The resulting articles have now been integrated in one book which offers new insights in the maritime history of the Low Countries in the 15th and 16th centuries, including a maritime perspective on the Dutch Revolt. While crossing the established boundaries of Dutch and Belgian historiographies, the book not only offers an unfamiliar maritime perspective, it also proposes a new and refreshing look at the origin of the Dutch Republic.
"La Naissance d’une thalassocatie" has been published in the ‘Collection d’histoire maritime’ by the Presses de l’université Paris-Sorbonne (PUPS). Founded in 1470 it is the oldest university press in France.
Text on the cover:
L’essor maritime sans précédent de la république des Provinces-Unies au XVIIe siècle, a impressionné les contemporains et continue de fasciner aujourd’hui.
La Révolte des Pays-Bas menée par Guillaume d’Orange et la naissance, pendant ce long conflit (1568-1648), d’une république indépendante est un thème classique de l’histoire européenne et domine toujours le cadre de l’histoire nationale des Pays-Bas actuels. A contrario, la période qui a precede ce point-pivot de l’histoire des Pays-Bas n’est que rarement évoquée, alors qu’elle a pourtant fortement influence la constitution de la république des Provinces-Unies et son success sur les mers du monde.
Ce livre vise à montrer l’importance de l’histoire maritime des anciens Pays-Bas pour la Révolte et l’expansion maritime des Provinces-Unies. Commençant avec l’intégration des provinces néerlandaises aux XVe et XVIe siècles par les Bourguignons et les Habsbourg, « la naissance d’une thalassocratie » analyse les changements ou les ruptures, mais aussi les continuités de l’histoire des Pays-Bas et la mer à l’aube du siècle d’Or, afin de proposer au lecteur une nouvelle perspective qui renouvelle les cadres traditionnels des historiographies néerlandaises et belges.
Research Interests: History, Military History, Economic History, Maritime History, Urban History, and 15 moreMedieval urban history, Naval History, Political History, History of The Netherlands, Dutch History, Burgundian Low Countries, Valois Burgundy, Dutch Revolt, Habsburg Monarchy, History of (Early) Modern Nobility, administrative history, Fishery History, French and Burgundian Court Art, History of Risk, medieval Flemish history, Economic history of shipping business, and Development and History of Maritime/Admiralty Law
De Tachtigjarige Oorlog gaat over het militaire raadsel van de Republiek der Verenigde Nederlanden. Toen in 1568 in de Nederlandse gewesten een opstand uitbrak tegen de Spaanse koning, was niet te voorzien dat deze zou uitmonden in de... more
De Tachtigjarige Oorlog gaat over het militaire raadsel van de Republiek der Verenigde Nederlanden. Toen in 1568 in de Nederlandse gewesten een opstand uitbrak tegen de Spaanse koning, was niet te voorzien dat deze zou uitmonden in de scheuring van de Nederlanden. Alleen de noordelijke gewesten wisten zich militair staande te houden. Zij vormden een onafhankelijke Republiek die steeds beter opgewassen was tegen het machtige Spanje. Hoe was dit mogelijk? Om daarachter te komen wordt in deze studie het optreden van het leger en de vloot van de opstandelingen tegen de Spaanse militaire macht ontrafeld. Van de overlevingsstrijd van de geuzen onder Willem van Oranje tot Maurits’ slag bij Nieuwpoort en de klinkende overwinning van Tromp bij Duins, al deze confrontaties op land en ter zee worden in deze eerste integrale militaire geschiedenis van de Tachtigjarige Oorlog in hun onderlinge samenhang besproken. In thematische hoofdstukken wordt stilgestaan bij de tactische militaire revolutie bij leger en vloot, de bewapening, de rekrutering, organisatie en financiering van de militaire macht, en de altijd gespannen relatie tussen het krijgsvolk en de burgerbevolking. Vele, soms unieke afbeeldingen brengen dit verleden tot leven. Deze militaire geschiedenis van de geboorte van de Nederlandse staat is het eerste deel van een zesdelige serie over de militaire geschiedenis van Nederland.
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This book investigates how the rulers of the Habsburg world empire developed and implemented a central maritime policy for the Netherlands and appointed an admiral of the sea or admiral-general for that purpose. It also explains why the... more
This book investigates how the rulers of the Habsburg world empire developed and implemented a central maritime policy for the Netherlands and appointed an admiral of the sea or admiral-general for that purpose. It also explains why the Habsburgs were eventually unable to gain control of the maritime affairs of the Netherlands, in spite of the support of the powerful Burgundian Lords of Veere, who occupied the central position of admiral from 1491 to 1558. From their power base on the island of Walcheren in Zeeland, known as the key to the Netherlands at the time because of its central location between Holland, Flanders, Antwerp and the sea, they held an ideal vantage point for exercising the admiralship. The result not only offers an illuminating insight into the organisation of the war fleet, maritime trade and fishery, privateering and prize law in the Habsburg Netherlands, but also puts the success of the later Dutch Republic in a new perspective.
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"Current concerns about the survival of marine life and the fishing industry have contributed to a rising interest in their past development. While much of the scholarship is focused on the recent past, this collection of essays presents... more
"Current concerns about the survival of marine life and the fishing industry have contributed to a rising interest in their past development. While much of the scholarship is focused on the recent past, this collection of essays presents new interpretations in the pre-industrial history of the fisheries by highlighting the consequences of the northern fisheries through an interdisciplinary approach, including the environment, economy, politics, and society in the medieval and early modern periods. A wide variety of topics related to the fisheries, such as settlement and spatial organisation, processing methods, trade, profitability and taxation, consumption, communication and cooperation, ranging from the Viking Age until industrialisation are dealt with in a long term perspective, offering new insights in the intriguing relationship between marine life and humanity.
Contributors are Inês Amorim, James H. Barrett, Christiaan van Bochove, Petra van Dam, Chloé Deligne, Carsten Jahnke, Alison M. Locker, Thomas H. McGovern, Sophia Perdikaris, Marnix Pieters, Peter Pope, Bo Poulsen, Callum M. Roberts, Louis Sicking, Dries Tys, Adri van Vliet, Annette de Wit, Justyna Wubs-Mrozewicz.
Key words: medieval; zooarchaeology; modern; social; institutions; marine; economy; early; archaeology; trade; landscape; cod; fisheries; herring; species; history
Contributors are Inês Amorim, James H. Barrett, Christiaan van Bochove, Petra van Dam, Chloé Deligne, Carsten Jahnke, Alison M. Locker, Thomas H. McGovern, Sophia Perdikaris, Marnix Pieters, Peter Pope, Bo Poulsen, Callum M. Roberts, Louis Sicking, Dries Tys, Adri van Vliet, Annette de Wit, Justyna Wubs-Mrozewicz.
Key words: medieval; zooarchaeology; modern; social; institutions; marine; economy; early; archaeology; trade; landscape; cod; fisheries; herring; species; history
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Research Interests: Maritime History, Naval History, Fisheries, Habsburg Studies, History of The Netherlands, and 13 moreMedieval Flanders, History of the Spanish-Habsburg Netherlands, Charles V, Dutch History, Burgundian Netherlands, Mary of Hungary, Maritime Strategy, Admiralty and maritime law, Seafaring, Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology History, Jan Gossaert, Prize Law, and Maritime trade
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Dutch Light in the 'Norwegian Night' focuses on the social, religious, political and naval relations between the Netherlands and Norway in the early modern era, during Norway's so-called 'night of four hundred years'. This expression... more
Dutch Light in the 'Norwegian Night' focuses on the social, religious, political and naval relations between the Netherlands and Norway in the early modern era, during Norway's so-called 'night of four hundred years'. This expression became popular in nineteenth-century Norway as a reference to the period of Danish domination, which lasted until 1814. Meanwhile the Netherlands emerged as an independent republic that developed into one of the most powerful and prosperous states in the heart of Europe. Attracted by the brightness of its Golden Age many Norwegians left their country in search for a better life in the Dutch Republic. New data and insights are presented on the importance of the Norwegian immigration into the Dutch Republic, and on the integration of Norwegians in the Amsterdam Lutheran Church. Other articles are devoted to individuals whose achievements shaped the historical relations between the two countries. Finally, an unpublished lecture by Johan Huizinga offers a comparative analysis of the history of the Netherlands and Norway.
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France and the Netherlands were both important European colonial powers in the nineteenth century. This book, based primarily on archival research, is a contribution to the study of the relations between France and the Netherlands... more
France and the Netherlands were both important European colonial powers in the nineteenth century. This book, based primarily on archival research, is a contribution to the study of the relations between France and the Netherlands overseas in the nineteenth century. It focuses on those regions of the world where these two nations shared colonial borderlands: the island of St Martin in the Caribbean, the Gold Coast in Africa, and French Guiana and Surinam in South America. The border question in these regions is dealt with in the European context of colonial and international policy, as well as in the local context. The work addresses Franco-Dutch relations in the colonies, but also the interactions with the slaves on St Martin, the peoples of the Gold Coast (Ashanti, Agni of Sanwi, Fanti and Apollonians or Nzema), and the Maroons such as the Boni (Aluku) and the Ndyuka in the Guianese interior.
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La France et les Pays-Bas ont été deux puissances coloniales européennes importantes au XIXe siècle. Les relations et rivalités coloniales franco-britanniques et néerlando-britanniques sont relativement bien connues. Par contre les... more
La France et les Pays-Bas ont été deux puissances coloniales européennes importantes au XIXe siècle. Les relations et rivalités coloniales franco-britanniques et néerlando-britanniques sont relativement bien connues. Par contre les relations coloniales franco-néerlandaises n'ont pas encore été étudiées – dans leur ensemble ou de façon systématique – au même degré. Ce livre, basé avant tout sur des recherches d'archives, contribue à l'étude des relations de la France et des Pays-Bas au xixe siècle outre-mer. Il s'agit des régions du monde où ces deux États avaient des territoires coloniaux limitrophes: en Amérique du Sud avec la Guyane française et le Surinam, aux Caraïbes avec l'île de Saint-Martin, et en Afrique avec la Côte de l'Or. Les questions frontalières dans ces régions sont traitées dans le contexte européen de la politique coloniale et internationale, ainsi que dans leur contexte local.
L'ouvrage traite des relations franco-néerlandaises dans ces colonies, mais aussi des interactions avec les esclaves de Saint-Martin, les peuples de la Côte de l'Or (Ashanti, Agni du Sanwi, Fanti et Apolloniens ou Nzema), et les Marrons à l'intérieur des Guyanes, comme les Boni (Aluku) et les Ndyuka.
L'ouvrage traite des relations franco-néerlandaises dans ces colonies, mais aussi des interactions avec les esclaves de Saint-Martin, les peuples de la Côte de l'Or (Ashanti, Agni du Sanwi, Fanti et Apolloniens ou Nzema), et les Marrons à l'intérieur des Guyanes, comme les Boni (Aluku) et les Ndyuka.
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Dit tweede deel van het verzameld werk van de Vlaamse rechtsgeleerde Filips Wielant (1441/1442-1520) bevat de eerste uitgave van de zestiende-eeuwse Franse vertaling van de Corte instructie omme jonghe practisienen in civile zaken, beter... more
Dit tweede deel van het verzameld werk van de Vlaamse rechtsgeleerde Filips Wielant (1441/1442-1520) bevat de eerste uitgave van de zestiende-eeuwse Franse vertaling van de Corte instructie omme jonghe practisienen in civile zaken, beter bekend als de Practijke civile. Dit traktaat vormde samen met de Practijke criminele (J. Monballyu ed., Corte instructie in materie criminele. Filips Wielant Verzameld werk I (Brussel 1995)) een leerboek over het procesrecht in burgerlijke en in strafzaken. Het is het eerste praktische handboek over deze materie in de Nederlanden. Het was Wielant, onder meer advocaat en raadsheer bij de Raad van Vlaanderen en raadsheer en vice-president van de Grote Raad van Mechelen, er bovenal om te doen zijn beschrijving zo nauw mogelijk te laten aansluiten bij de concrete rechtspraktijk. Het traktaat valt op door zijn pragmatische karakter en heldere en logische betoog.
Oudere uitgaven in het Nederlands waren onvolledig of waren gebaseerd op weinig betrouwbare handschriften van Wielants oorspronkelijke tekst. De nu uitgegeven Franse vertaling uit de zestiende eeuw gaat terug op de laatste Nederlandse redactie uit 1519 die slechts onvolledig is overgeleverd. Voor deze uitgave is gebruik gemaakt van de vier complete Franstalige handschriften. Door systematische vergelijking van deze handschriften is een betrouwbare uitgave gerealiseerd die inhoudelijk nauw aansluit bij de oorspronkelijke Nederlandse tekst.
Grote delen van Wielants werk zijn later overgenomen door Joost de Damhouder in diens Praxis rerum civilium. Het belang van Wielants traktaat voor de geschiedenis van het Europese procesrecht rechtvaardigt deze Franse uitgave.
Oudere uitgaven in het Nederlands waren onvolledig of waren gebaseerd op weinig betrouwbare handschriften van Wielants oorspronkelijke tekst. De nu uitgegeven Franse vertaling uit de zestiende eeuw gaat terug op de laatste Nederlandse redactie uit 1519 die slechts onvolledig is overgeleverd. Voor deze uitgave is gebruik gemaakt van de vier complete Franstalige handschriften. Door systematische vergelijking van deze handschriften is een betrouwbare uitgave gerealiseerd die inhoudelijk nauw aansluit bij de oorspronkelijke Nederlandse tekst.
Grote delen van Wielants werk zijn later overgenomen door Joost de Damhouder in diens Praxis rerum civilium. Het belang van Wielants traktaat voor de geschiedenis van het Europese procesrecht rechtvaardigt deze Franse uitgave.
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Interview on Dutch Radio, De Kenns van Nu, 3 December 2014, on piracy De kapmessen zijn verruild voor machinegeweren, maar de piraterij vormt nog immer een groot gevaar voor de maritieme handel. Geen wonder dat de EU ook de komende... more
Interview on Dutch Radio, De Kenns van Nu, 3 December 2014, on piracy
De kapmessen zijn verruild voor machinegeweren, maar de piraterij vormt nog immer een groot gevaar voor de maritieme handel. Geen wonder dat de EU ook de komende twee jaar schepen laat patrouilleren voor de Afrikaanse kust. Maar wat is piraterij precies? Zijn piraten Robin Hoods of genadeloze criminelen? We praten over met bijzonder hoogleraar Louis Sicking van de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
De kapmessen zijn verruild voor machinegeweren, maar de piraterij vormt nog immer een groot gevaar voor de maritieme handel. Geen wonder dat de EU ook de komende twee jaar schepen laat patrouilleren voor de Afrikaanse kust. Maar wat is piraterij precies? Zijn piraten Robin Hoods of genadeloze criminelen? We praten over met bijzonder hoogleraar Louis Sicking van de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
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https://www.maritimehistory.org.uk/lectures/proctor-memorial-lecture-2019/ The Spritsail Revolution. Government Interference and the Introduction of New Technology at Sea in the Sixteenth Century, London, Lloyds'Register, BCMH, 12... more
https://www.maritimehistory.org.uk/lectures/proctor-memorial-lecture-2019/
The Spritsail Revolution. Government Interference and the Introduction of New Technology at Sea in the Sixteenth Century,
London, Lloyds'Register, BCMH, 12 December 2019.
Professor Louis Sicking, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / Universiteit Leiden
The introduction of the spritsail at sea around the 1530s was considered by contemporaries as a breakthrough in European shipping. The spritsail is a fore-and-aft sail, that is a sail that usually hangs in the fore-and-aft or longitudinal direction of the ship. It has several advantages compared to square sails, which were rigged athwart ships and which were generally used on seagoing vessels in North-western Europe in the sixteenth century. A ship equipped with a spritsail could depart independently from the direction of the wind as opposed to a similar ship with a square sail. Moreover, it only required a small crew, thus offering advantages in travel time and costs. Both the general application of the spritsail and the speed of its introduction at sea justify the term, “a spritsail revolution”, if we are to believe contemporary witnesses.
This lecture aims to discuss the introduction of the spritsail at seagoing vessels in the Netherlands in the sixteenth century. Worried about their small crews the central government of the Netherlands in Brussels feared that these vessels would be easy prey to enemies and pirates. While preparing legislation on navigation, the government sought to forbid the use of the spritsail which triggered opposition from maritime interest groups involved in the preparation of this legislation. The preparatory documents concerning this legislation have been preserved and offer a rare opportunity to study the role of government interference in the use of new technology at sea.
The Spritsail Revolution. Government Interference and the Introduction of New Technology at Sea in the Sixteenth Century,
London, Lloyds'Register, BCMH, 12 December 2019.
Professor Louis Sicking, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / Universiteit Leiden
The introduction of the spritsail at sea around the 1530s was considered by contemporaries as a breakthrough in European shipping. The spritsail is a fore-and-aft sail, that is a sail that usually hangs in the fore-and-aft or longitudinal direction of the ship. It has several advantages compared to square sails, which were rigged athwart ships and which were generally used on seagoing vessels in North-western Europe in the sixteenth century. A ship equipped with a spritsail could depart independently from the direction of the wind as opposed to a similar ship with a square sail. Moreover, it only required a small crew, thus offering advantages in travel time and costs. Both the general application of the spritsail and the speed of its introduction at sea justify the term, “a spritsail revolution”, if we are to believe contemporary witnesses.
This lecture aims to discuss the introduction of the spritsail at seagoing vessels in the Netherlands in the sixteenth century. Worried about their small crews the central government of the Netherlands in Brussels feared that these vessels would be easy prey to enemies and pirates. While preparing legislation on navigation, the government sought to forbid the use of the spritsail which triggered opposition from maritime interest groups involved in the preparation of this legislation. The preparatory documents concerning this legislation have been preserved and offer a rare opportunity to study the role of government interference in the use of new technology at sea.
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Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a constituent part of seascapes, imperial contexts or any other conceptual framework. Going beyond mere typologies of islands, or the study... more
Insularities Connected is a major international conference dedicated to the study of islands as a constituent part of seascapes, imperial contexts or any other conceptual framework. Going beyond mere typologies of islands, or the study thereof as a distinct object of inquiry, we invite conference participants to consider the spatial attributes of islands in different historical coordinates. In other words, how insularity, i.e. the condition of being an island, changes over time, place, and context. The study of islands as a spatial category situated within a bigger analytical whole has offered new perspectives in Mediterranean, Caribbean or Indian Ocean studies; we aspire to bring the insights gained by those approaches in a trans-regional dialogue of global scope. The conference therefore enquires into what can be gained by looking at islands not as scattered parts of a regional maritime story, but scans the horizon from the vantage point of islands themselves to find broader, less obvious connections.
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This article explores 150 years of historiography of the Hanse, the premodern trade network of mainly Low German merchants and their towns. It focusses on the construction of its infrastructure (the Hanseatic History Association, its... more
This article explores 150 years of historiography of the Hanse, the premodern trade network of mainly Low German merchants and their towns. It focusses on the construction of its infrastructure (the Hanseatic History Association, its source publications and its journal) and on the deconstruction of viewing the history of the Hanse in terms of its rise, greatness and fall. Instead, it looks at three different ways to grasp and understand the Hanse: (1) The dynamics of the so-called "formative" period, (2) The formalization of the Hanse, and (3) Recent critical reevaluations of the main source editions of the Hanse, and the use of discourse or political communication at the socalled Hanse diets, the meetings of Hanse towns. Finally, the relevance of the Hanse for wider historical debates and its use for present-day purposes is discussed.
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Abstract: The fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries at large witnessed a process of sovereignty and governance definition, which played out also in the management of relations within the international order. Whilst acknowledging the key... more
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The fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries at large witnessed a process of sovereignty and governance definition, which played out also in the management of relations within the international order. Whilst acknowledging the key role of the Hundred Years’ War in this, the paper discusses friendship and alliance as both notional and legally binding premises in regulating interaction between polities and peoples in the period. It singles out Anglo-Portuguese relations as a case in point. Regarded to this day as long-standing allies, Portugal and England were connected by such ties — formal and informal — of commercial as well as political and military interdependency.
Marine relations were central in this regard, with the sea providing both the setting and a driving force for many an interaction. In such an environment, conflict was a given. Was conflict among self-proclaimed allies any different from conflict generally speaking? How expedient was conflict management when compared with outer players? In the backdrop of mercantile practices and royal policy-making — treaties, business contracts, diplomacy, and judicial procedure included — the paper addresses the interrogations arising from the correlation between conflict and alliance as projected ‘from above’ and as experienced ‘from below’.
The fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries at large witnessed a process of sovereignty and governance definition, which played out also in the management of relations within the international order. Whilst acknowledging the key role of the Hundred Years’ War in this, the paper discusses friendship and alliance as both notional and legally binding premises in regulating interaction between polities and peoples in the period. It singles out Anglo-Portuguese relations as a case in point. Regarded to this day as long-standing allies, Portugal and England were connected by such ties — formal and informal — of commercial as well as political and military interdependency.
Marine relations were central in this regard, with the sea providing both the setting and a driving force for many an interaction. In such an environment, conflict was a given. Was conflict among self-proclaimed allies any different from conflict generally speaking? How expedient was conflict management when compared with outer players? In the backdrop of mercantile practices and royal policy-making — treaties, business contracts, diplomacy, and judicial procedure included — the paper addresses the interrogations arising from the correlation between conflict and alliance as projected ‘from above’ and as experienced ‘from below’.