Customer Reviews

The Dutch Seaborne Empire: 1600-1800

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Found this book difficult to read and a bit deceiving in its contents. From the comments on the cover and the introduction, I was expecting at least in part a chronological history of the period. Although filled with facts, you never get a good sense of the big picture. For instance the first chapter is entitled "The Eighty Years War". But after reading it I hadn't learned what countries fought the war, where it was fought, or who won and who lost. I think the author presumed that this all was common knowledge and he didn't have to insult us with these basic facts. So if you want a general overview of this period of Dutch history go elsewhere. If you already have a grasp of the period, but just need more meat on the bones, this may be a suitable book.

In this book, C. R. Boxer describes the making of an empire which started in the war against the Spanish rule and in the struggle to dominate the sea trade in the Baltic Sea. From this, Dutchmen started spreading their presence overseas: in Africa, Caribbean, Indic Ocean and Latin America. Boxer analyses the motivations and the causes for the Dutch success in this enterprise.