Was Holland once a powerful country?

Answer 1

The century from the conclusion of the Twelve Years' Truce in 1609 until either the death of Prince William III in 1702 or the conclusion of the Peace of Utrecht in 1713 is known in Dutch history as the "Golden Age." It was a unique era of political, economic, and cultural greatness during which the little nation on the North Sea ranked among the most powerful and influential in Europe and the world.

It was a grandeur that rested upon the economic expansion that continued with scarcely an interruption until 1648, at the end of the Thirty Years' War. The half century that followed was marked by consolidation rather than continued expansion, under the impact of the revived competition from the other nations, notably England and France, whose policies of mercantilism were in large degree directed against the near monopoly of the Dutch over the trade and shipping of Europe. Although the Dutch tenaciously resisted the new competition, the long-distance trading system of Europe was transformed from one largely conducted through the Netherlands, with the Dutch as universal buyer-seller and shipper, to one of multiple routes and fierce competitiveness. Nonetheless, the wealth earned during a long century of prosperity made the United Provinces a land of great riches, with more capital by far than could find outlet in investment. Yet the economic burden of repeated wars caused the Dutch to become one of the most heavily taxed peoples in Europe. Because the role of agriculture was secondary, taxes were to some extent imposed on the transit trade in and out of the country. But as mercantile competition became stiffer, the rate of such taxation could not be safely increased, and the burden therefore fell increasingly on the consumer. Excise and other indirect taxes made the Dutch cost of living one of the highest in Europe.

Dutch prosperity was built not only upon the "mother trades"--to the Baltic and to France and the Iberian lands--but also upon the overseas trades with Africa, Asia, and America. The attempt of the Spanish monarchs (who also ruled Portugal and its possessions from 1580 to 1640) to exclude Dutch merchants and shippers from the lucrative colonial commerce with East Asia led the Dutch to trade directly with the East Indies. Individual companies were organized for each venture, but the companies were united by command of the States-General in 1602 in order to reduce the costs and increase the security of such perilous and complex undertakings; the resulting United East India Company established bases throughout the Indian Ocean, notably in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), mainland India, and the Indonesian archipelago. The Dutch East India Company, like its rival English counterpart, was a trading company granted quasi-sovereign powers in the lands under its dominion. Although the East India fleets that returned annually with cargoes of spices and other valuables provided huge profits for the shareholders, the East India trade of the 17th and 18th centuries never provided more than a modest fraction of Dutch earnings from European trade. The West India Company, established in 1621, was built upon shakier economic foundations; trade in commodities was less important than the trade in slaves, in which the Dutch were preeminent in the 17th century, and privateering, which operated primarily out of Zeeland ports and preyed upon Spanish (and other) shipping. The West India Company had to be reorganized several times during its precarious existence, while the East India Company survived until the end of the 18th century.

Answer 2

Holland was more an industrial country stuck between Fascism and the nazism. It stayed independent though ...Anti war Do to it's neutral stance the Dutch helped many Jews during the holocaust. Unfortunately Holland was occupied for a while by Germany.

Powerful...No. Independent...YES

Answer 3

Yes, during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (1581 - 1795). They fought off the superpowers of their time : the Spanish, the French and the British.

Just check their most famous navy admirals :

- Piet Pieterszoon Hein (1577-11-25 – 1629-06-18)
- Maarten Tromp (1598-04-23–1653-08-10)
- Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (1607-03-24 – 1676-04-29).

Answer 4

Holland was a major world power in the XVII century, with possessions in South American, Africa and Asia. They controlled most of the trade from the far east for several decades, until Britain conquered naval supremacy, in the end of the XVII century. And please note that present day Indonesia - a giant nation, like India or Australia -, was a dutch colony until very recently (1948). The control of Java and other Indonesian Islands gave Holland a very comfortable status between the colonial powers of the XIX and XX centuries (just behind Britain and France).

Answer 5

Yes. Between the late 16th century and the early 20th century, the Dutch were an influential world power, rivalling Spain, Portugal and the British Empire. The Dutch navy explored the world and established colonies and trading posts in South America (particularly Suriname), South Africa and much of South East Asia (in particular, Indonesia). The Dutch also considered today's Western Australia as part of their sphere of control though they never made a formal claim to "New Holland" as they called it. The Dutch East india Company was a major commercial and quasi military force thorughout South East Asia, constantly at odds with the British East India Company. The Dutch were at various times during this period at war with the Portuguese (defeating them and claiming the major port city of Malacca in today's Malaysia, though the port was later turned over to the British in the 1800s). The decline of the Dutch "Empire" parallelled that of other colonial powers in the 20th century.

Answer 6

It was never powerful in terms of a huge amount of control over other lands. It did have a few colonies in the Americas and also in Africa, (New Amsterdam or Dutch Guiana) but where it did shine the most was in issues of trade. In the 16th-17th centuries Holland had extensive trade routes, developed linen and fabric, and extended banking interests.

Answer 7

Yes. Consider the history of the Hanseatic League, a Dutch trading guild and other Dutch economic companies along with its colonialism and issues such as slave trade. In today's world Dutch power is economic, similar in that way.

Answer 8

Yes, they developed ships that had minimal crews for tradeing with maximum cargo space. thier goal was to become a economic power, which it did.

Answer 9

Yeahh.... New York was founded by holland sailors , and was called New Amsterdam .

Answer 10

yes, it was once a powerful colonialmaster that controlled some parts of south east asia.