History of the United Netherlands, 1598-99

"History of the United Netherlands, 1598-99" by John Lothrop Motley is a historical exploration from the late 1800s that pulls back the covering on the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain. This writing highlights the impact of ocean exploration by Dutch traders and explorers as they met hard challenges in creating a place in global commerce. Figures, such as John Huygen van Linschoten and William Barendz, opened new trade routes and Arctic expeditions to free themselves from Spanish trade. The book starts by looking at Holland's commercial status and the importance that exploration and charting courses had on its financial system. It shows Linschoten’s early journeys to India and notes that his released works gave key navigational insights sparking Dutch sea expedition interest. It also talks about Barendz and his crew's first tries at discovering a northeast route to Asia, taking note of encounters with dangers such as polar bears and frozen weather.