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C.R. Boxer
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The Dutch Seaborne Empire: 1600-1800 Paperback – January 25, 1990

by C. R. Boxer (Author), J. H. Plumb (Introduction)
4.3 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
Despite ceaseless conflict between different classes and cities, Holland's rise to powerwas almost miraculously rapid. In a few short years a tiny country gained control of territory from Indonesia to the West Indies, from South Africa to South America. In this marvellously evocative book Professor Boxer recaptures the scenes of adventure and dissipation in the four corners of the earth , the upsurgein the arts and sciences, and the sad decoines from the ' Golden Centurt' to the 'Periwig Period'. Few stories could be as rich and colourful, yet it was largely inspired by the ' grave and sober people of Holland', the Calvinist merchants of Amsterdam who forged a nation based on ' gain and godliness'. Such were the people whom Rembrandt painted, who debated policies of apartheid or assimilation, who founded factories and forts. The Dutch Seaborne empire offers a portrait of them all, as they made their spectaculair entrance into the modern world.
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  1. Print length
    363 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Books
  4. Publication date
    January 25, 1990
  5. Dimensions
    5.22 x 1.02 x 7.76 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0140136185
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0140136180
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 25, 1990
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 363 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140136185
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140136180
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.22 x 1.02 x 7.76 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

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C.R. Boxer

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
24 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Richard B. French
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I learned so much about the Dutch empire in the pages of this book. Academic, but thoroughly readable.
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  • Bayard B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding. Focuses on colonization of Dutch East Indies; describes Dutch internal issues as well.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2021
    I thought this was an outstanding book on the development of the Dutch overseas empire and trade. These are also good descriptions of the internal Dutch government and financing problems. It also describes in detail the establishment of the Dutch East Indies Company ("VOC" in Dutch). The VOC, in turn, became the organization that gave colonialism a bad name. The book describes all the personalities involved. It also describes the destruction the Dutch wrought on the native economy, governance, and trade in what is now Indonesia.

    While the main story of the book focuses on the Dutch East Indies, there is also discussion of other areas such as South Africa and trade with China and Japan.
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  • Lake
    5.0 out of 5 stars well written
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016
    Format: Paperback
    Merely reading the first and last chapters gives me a bird’s eye view of the rise and decline of the Dutch empire. The first chapter discusses the background of the Dutch rise. The final one supports the contrast between the Golden century, namely the 17th century, and the periwig period, namely the 18th century. The Dutch decline was due to many factors. The international competition was the major culprit. Second, with few natural resources and limited domestic market, the Dutch decline seems natural. Third, the Dutch seemed to buck the trend in that the population did not grow much. The decline led to outward movements of talents and capital. Finally, the Dutch mentality fit commerce more than industry so that industrialization did not benefit the Dutch much. Two things impress me, although I am unsure if that is my own misreading and misunderstanding. First, similar factors made the Dutch successful and declining under different international circumstances. Second, the reasons for the success seem more inexplicable and serendipitous, while the causes for the decline seem predictable and inevitable. I am not an expert on the subject, so I cannot judge his academic contributions, but I admire his scholarship. A great writer, he writes in a clear and convincing way.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Joao H. Dos Santos
    5.0 out of 5 stars The great triumph of small nation
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2007
    Format: Paperback
    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.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Geomin
    2.0 out of 5 stars The Dutch Seaborne Empire
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    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.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • TOM
    2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Very small book, yellowish pages.....
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  • Aranda
    3.0 out of 5 stars Dutch success?
    Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2013
    Format: Paperback
    I fail to see the Dutch success as an Empire. Its trading company, the VOC, perished in a sea of corruption in 1800. Great Britain defeated the Dutch repeatedly in the XVII century. The Spaniards beat them when the Dutch tried to conquer thrice the Philippines. The VOC liabilities, particularly in the East Indies had to be taken over by the Republic. The Dutch colonies in Asia were a disaster, plagued by inefficiencies and atrocities ( the massacre at the Island of Banda, for instance, or the Javanese War). The Japanese conquered them and after the II WW, when the Dutch tried to recover them they miserably failed. And to cap it all, how many people speak Dutch nowadays?
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • N.P.Collins
    5.0 out of 5 stars classic volume
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    written decades ago and still stands up to scrutiny in his opinions and overall structure
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars books on the dutch empire are rare in English. ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    books on the dutch empire are rare in English. I bought this 20+ years ago when it was first out. it is still the go to book on the subject.
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