The Dutch and the Dutch Portuguese War 1657-1661

Author:

Professor J.H. Dalhuisen

Report:

24

Page:

59

Year:

1997

Subject Matter:

Military

Excerpt:

The article presents a detailed evaluation of the war and of the events leading up to it. Prof Dalhuisen begins by noting his confusion at school of learning about the peace terms of the 1661 treaty after the Dutch-Portuguese War, which seemed so heavily weighted against the Netherlands. Much later, having bought a property in Portugal he decided to look into this more closely. He initially looks at how the Dutch Republic functioned at the time. It was not a unitary state and did not have a Sovereign head. Each state was too intent on its own privileges. The main source of wealth of the country was its mercantile trade, with a population willing to take commercial risks, organise shipping and, in modern day parlance, add value to the products they traded. The East and West Indies companies played a particularly important role. He then goes on to discuss the background to the war and the war itself. He concludes by noting that, despite his feelings as a schoolboy, the treaty was actually a great success and led to a lasting relationship between the two countries. 

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