Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nal failure to crush the Dutch Republic, which had been wrested
from the northern part of the Spanish Netherlands. The conflict con-
tinued for a further twenty years but the territory ruled by the States
General maintained its independence and even carried the war to
the enemy. More than that; there flourished for a few decades in the
United Provinces a civilisation rivalled for brilliance only by that of
Renaissance Italy. Antwerp became the commercial centre of Europe
and its rich burghers patronised artistic geniuses such as Rubens,
Van Dyck and Rembrandt. This atmosphere of excited liberty al-
lowed outstanding statesmen and scientists to develop their ideas.
It encouraged merchants to conceive and execute bold trading ven-
tures. It was this tiny land, thrust into an aggressive nationhood,
which now rapidly developed a breed of truly remarkable seafarers.
In the command of the sea and in the conduct of the war on the
water resides the entire prosperity of the country.
1
Thus was the strategic position analysed by the Dutch author-
ities in 1596. Soon they were despatching from their harbours mer-
cantile fleets to challenge the Habsburg monopoly of the Orient
trade. Rivalry in the East took on a new professionalism with the
formation of mercantile companies. On 31 December 1600 Elizabeth
of England granted a charter to 'the governor and company of mer-
chants trading into the East Indies'. The United Provinces were not
slow to follow suit; the United Dutch East India Company was foun-
ded in 1602. France, Scotland, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Austria
soon emulated the pioneers. Nor were merchant vessels the only
ships leaving Dutch ports. Privateers sailed forth armed with letters
of marque to harass Spanish shipping - and explorers began probing
new routes to the markets of the East. Between 1598 and 1623 no
fewer than five circumnavigation voyages were launched from Dutch
ports; as many as had sailed in the whole seventy-nine years which
had elapsed since Magellan's embarkation.
