History of the United Netherlands, 1598-99

"History of the United Netherlands, 1598-99" by John Lothrop Motley is a historical account written in the late 19th century that covers the tumultuous period of the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain. The book delves into the socio-economic impact of maritime exploration and the cunning of Dutch traders and explorers as they faced immense challenges in establishing a foothold in global commerce. It discusses key figures such as John Huygen van Linschoten and William Barendz, highlighting their contributions to charting new trade routes and their daring Arctic expeditions that aimed to reduce dependency on Spanish trade. The opening of this historical work introduces us to the commercial landscape of Holland at the time and the significant role that exploration and navigation played in the Dutch economy. It details John Huygen van Linschoten's early voyages to India and how his published works provided crucial navigational knowledge that sparked Dutch enthusiasm for sea exploration. Additionally, it recounts the initial attempts by Barendz and his crew to discover a northeast passage to Asia, noting their hardships and adventures, including frigid weather conditions and encounters with polar bears. This introduction sets a rich historical backdrop for the events that follow, emphasizing the interplay between commerce, navigation, and national identity in the face of ongoing conflict with Spain. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

John Lothrop Motley was an American author and diplomat. As a popular historian, he is best known for his works on the Netherlands, the three volume work The Rise of the Dutch Republic and four volume History of the United Netherlands. As United States Minister to Austria in the service of the Abraham Lincoln administration, Motley helped to prevent European intervention on the side of the Confederates in the American Civil War. He later served as Minister to the United Kingdom during the Ulysses S. Grant administration.