Lectures Dutch History
Lecture 1: Introduction in Dutch History, Roman Times and Early Medieval History
Programme:
Introduction: Dutch History: Why?
o The Country’s names
o Development of the Dutch Landscape
Roman Times (50 BCE-400 CE)
o Roman Era (50 BCE-250 CE)
o Late Antiquity (250-400)
Early Middle Ages (400-1000)
o Migration period and “Small” kingdoms
o Merovingian Era (500-750)
o Carolingian Era (750-900)
Exam Information
9 open questions (divided into sub-questions): 2 about 50 BCE-1500, 2 about 1500-1795, 2
about 1795-1945, 2 about 1945-present and 1 about economic and social history after c.
1800.
Introduction: National History vs. Dutch History
The Netherlands; plural or single? Single nowadays. Synonym for the Netherlands is the
Low Countries. It depends on the period which name for the Netherlands is used. Historians
disagreed about what the Netherlands was/is:
Historians around 1900:
P.J. Blok: The Netherlands is the logical outcome, with Holland as central area
(finalistic -> teleological)
Pirenne: Belgium has been visible since Middle Francia, with Flanders as central
area (finalistic -> teleological)
Geyl: The idea of the Greater Netherlands, based on Dutch as a common language
NB: try to avoid finalism: different states would have been possible
State-building processes; it would have also been possible that the Netherlands
was part of another empire (France, Spain, England)
Different names for the Netherlands/Low Countries
a) Belgium/Belgica
b) Germania Inferior (Roman Empire)
c) Austrasia (Late Middle Ages)
d) Les Pays de par-deca (Burgundy era)
e) (Republic of) the United Netherlands (early modern era)
f) Batavian Republic* (18th century, before Napoleon, satellite state of France)
g) Kingdom of Holland (first king)
h) Kingdom of the Netherlands
i) Low Countries
*Batavian Republic: reference to the Germanic tribe the Batavi from the Roman period,
who had already struggled for independence against the Holy Roman Empire.
,How can the role of the Low Countries be described?
The country’s location and role: as ‘mediator’ between Germany, France and
England
The country’s character: civic (political) culture: egalitarian, Calvinist (sober)
The country’s landscape: the everlasting struggle against the water, “polderen”
How did the defence against the water begin?
Coastline with “terpen” or “wierden” since ca. 700 BCE (Hegebeintum, highest terp:
8.8 metres above sea level), this was in place since c. 700 BCE
(Belgian) Flemish coastline in Roman Times, dunes crumbled during Late-Roman
transgression
Roman Times (50 BCE-400 CE)
Roman Era (50 BCE-250 BCE)
Julius Caesar conquests in Gaul (57 BCE), and later conquests by military
commander Drusus during reign of August (12 BCE)
Romans have different names for Germanic tribes in the area of the Netherlands:
Belgae, Frisii, Frisiavones, Batavii, Chamavi, Cannninevates, Toxandri
Rivers Rhine/Nether Rhine (Nederrijn) are the limes (Latin: border) (c. 50 CE), the
(old) Rhine becomes the border (between the Roman empire and Germania)
The functions of limes (marked or fortified frontiers of the Roman empire) and cities
or fortifications serve military, administrative and economic purposes
Resistance movements: Painting of Rembrandt (1661-1662): The Conspiracy of
Claudius Civilis (Gaius Julius Civilis) in 69-70
69/70: Revolt of the Batavians. The Batavian revolt led to a new defence policy.
Example: Noviomagum (Nijmegen) between 70 and c. 400
Limited Romanization (only in the South)
Relative continuity until c. 350 CE
Nero Claudius Drusus lived in the area of Utrecht
There are Roman Settlements along the Dutch Coastline
Roman culture was Christian (as they adopted Christianity from the Romans)
Roman Times: 2nd stage, Late Antiquity (250-400)
Christianisation starts, only in the Romanized Southern regions of Toxandria
(Brabant)
Bishops in Tongeren/Maastricht (4th century): St. Servatius
Economic contacts with neighbouring peoples, ethnic mixture is rare
3th and 4th centuries: the limes under pressure
Crisis in the third century border area, limes under pressure by Franks, Saxons and
Frisians
Franks undermine structure from inside, as foederati inside the limes
Decline of the Roman Empire from mid 4th century (formal end of Roman Empire:
406/7)
Early Middle Ages (400-1000)
Migration and “Small” kingdoms
Merovingian Era (500-750): confrontations between Franks and Frisians,
Christianization
Carolingian Era (750-900): success and disintegration
Early Middle Ages: Migration and “Small” Kingdoms
Franks (from Doornik to the South), Frisians (the Coast from Denmark to the River
Zwin), Saxons (from the North Sea area to the east and England)
, Discontinuity with the Roman Empire: Germans have Kings (Heerkonige) with
military (and sacral) power based on hereditary succession and division after the
king’s death, which leads to problems resulting from hereditary practices. Also,
people move from villae (cities) to villages and domains
Continuity with the Roman Empire: Infrastructure (roads), taxes, coining,
Christendom, cities, clientelism and feudalism (vassality).
Merovingian Era (500-750)
Rise of the Franks starts with Clovis I (Chlodowech, 481-511) in Gaul
Orthodox Christendom is accepted* (and appreciated by the nobles)
Dagobert I (625-639) supports Old-Gallic clergy (Amandus), particularly Anglo-
Saxon missionaries
Confrontations Franks and Frisians
Confrontations between Franks and Frisians: Dagobert I (625-639) tries to control the
Frisians where it concerns trade and Christianization.
New confrontations during the Pippinids: Pepin I of Austrasia moves his centre to
the North. Pepin II: Herstal defeats Frisian King Redbad and conquers Utrecht and
Dorestad in 690. Charles Martel defeats Frisians in 734 definitely.
Despite these conflicts there is a flourishing of Frisian-Frankish trade around
Dorestad.
* Christianization in the Frankish Empire
8th century: northward expansion by mayors of the palace of Charles Martel and
Pepin III the Short, combined with Christianization by Anglo-Saxon missionaries,
such as Willibrord (missionary of the Frisians, founder of the Echternach monastery
and first bishop of Utrecht), Saint Boniface (missionary of the Saxons, founder of
Fulda Monastery in Hessen and murdered near Dokkum).
Frankish monasteries support unification process, Anglo-Saxon monasteries accept
the Benedictine Rule (contemplation and prayers)
Noble families dominate the countryside
The Netherlands in the Carolingian Era (750-900)
The Netherlands in the Carolingian Era: the names Austrasia and Neustrasia
disappeared when the area became one Frankish Empire under the Carolingians
Early administrative units are gaus (pagi, gauwen) later called counties
Gau count (comes): administrative authority, no landlord Palatinates (palatia, Pfalz)
and crown-properties (fisci)
Feudalism and manorialism; probably not much influence in the North
Continuing Frisian-Frankish trade and emporia (e.g. Dorestad)
Emporium: a place of trade, refers to a trading post or market, a place of commerce
Disintegration of the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century: impact Viking raids
(cause decline of the Carolingian Empire), local nobility claims role as protectors
(territories become hereditary and are divided) since 925 the River Scheldt is the
border between German Empire and France
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