HIS244H1 Lecture : The Dutch Republic and The Rise of Global Trade
Document Summary
Philip ii managed to provoke the lose of the dutch through a dutch revolt in the 1560"s. The revolt almost failed in its infancy but by 1588 and 1590 the outlook improved greatly. It ceased to be a fractured state and became a viable confederacy with a stable government. Johan van oldenbarnevelt was the lands advocate of holland, the most important of the united. He was essentially the pm of the union. In 1588, elizabeth i removed her opposition to oldenbarnevelt which allowed him to gain complete control and in 1590, the spanish began to focus on the french instead of the dutch. Over the next 20 years the republic became a great power. The first step was territorial expansion within europe. Between 1590 and 1604 the dutch took back land from the spanish fuelled by an improved economy. The military grew to over 50,000 men in 1607 from ~20,000 at the start.
