Dutch Republic: Map & History
The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, also known as the United Provinces, and referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation and great power that existed from 1588 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, also known as the United Provinces, and referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation and great power that existed from 1588 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands and the first independent Dutch nation state. The republic was established after seven Dutch provinces in the Spanish Netherlands revolted against Spanish rule, forming a mutual alliance against Spain in 1579 and declaring their independence in 1581, after which they confederated in 1588 after the States General could not agree on a new monarch. The seven provinces it comprised were Groningen, Frisia, Overijssel, Guelders, Utrecht, Holland, and Zeeland.
Modern Countries Once Part of Dutch Republic
At its mapped extent, Dutch Republic covered territory in 10 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Sri Lanka1659–1795 CE · nearly all
- Mauritius1640–1712 CE · nearly all
- Netherlands1582–1795 CE · most
- Taiwan1636–1661 CE · most
- Belgium1582–1587 CE · a large part
- Indonesia1659–1795 CE · a large part
- South Africa1653–1795 CE · a large part
- Ghana1642–1795 CE · a small part
- Malaysia1645–1774 CE · a small part
- India1670–1795 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Dutch Republic's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Dutch Republic in Depth
History
Until the 16th century, the Low Countries—corresponding roughly to the present-day Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg—consisted of a number of duchies, counties, and prince-bishoprics, almost all of which were under the supremacy of the Holy Roman Empire, with the exception of the County of Flanders, most of which was under the Kingdom of France.
Most of the Low Countries had come under the rule of the House of Burgundy and subsequently the House of Habsburg. In 1549, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V issued the Pragmatic Sanction, which further unified the Seventeen Provinces under his rule.
Economy
During the Dutch Golden Age in the late-16th and 17th centuries, the Dutch Republic dominated world trade, conquering a vast colonial empire and operating the largest fleet of merchantmen of any nation. When Southern Europe was experiencing poor harvests, the Dutch very profitably exported surplus grain from Poland. The County of Holland was the wealthiest and most urbanized region in the world. In 1650 the urban population of the Dutch Republic as a percentage of total population was 31.7 percent, while that of the Spanish Netherlands was 20.8 percent, of Portugal 16.6 percent, and of Italy 14 percent. In 1675 the urban population density of Holland alone was 61 percent, compared to the rest of the Dutch Republic, where 27 percent lived in urban areas.
Decline
Long-term rivalry between the two main factions in Dutch society, the Staatsgezinden (Republicans, Dutch States Party) and the Prinsgezinden (Royalists or Orangists), sapped the strength and unity of the country. Johan de Witt and the Republicans did reign supreme for a time at the middle of the 17th century (the First Stadtholderless Period) until his overthrow and murder in 1672. Subsequently, William III of Orange became stadtholder. After a 22-year stadtholderless era, the Orangists regained power, and his first problem was to survive the Franco-Dutch War (with the derivative Third Anglo-Dutch War), when France, England, Münster, and Cologne united against his country.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Dutch Republic (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Dutch Republic Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Dutch Republic appears, with the other states of the time.
Dutch Republic Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 646,020 km² in 1792 CE.
Dutch Republic: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Dutch Republic exist?
The Dutch Republic is dated to 1582 CE – 1795 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of the Dutch Republic?
The capital of the Dutch Republic was None (de jure), The Hague (de facto).
How large was the Dutch Republic at its peak?
At its peak in 1792 the Dutch Republic covered about 646,020 km².
How did the map of the Dutch Republic change over time?
The Dutch Republic appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1600 CE to 1700 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Raigad