The Rise of the Netherlands and the Decline of Spain

In this essay, the author

• Analyzes the rise of the netherlands and spain's decline in significance during the 'early modern period' of history.
• Analyzes the period between 1600 and 1650, when phillip iii went from "monarch of the world" to a position where his country had descended into "poverty and torpor."
• Explains that spain, even before 1600, had mounting debts and fiscal troubles. in 1595, the spanish crown owed 100 million ducados to its creditors.

• Analyzes the rise of the netherlands and spain's decline in significance during the 'early modern period' of history.
• Analyzes the period between 1600 and 1650, when phillip iii went from "monarch of the world" to a position where his country had descended into "poverty and torpor."
• Explains that spain, even before 1600, had mounting debts and fiscal troubles. in 1595, the spanish crown owed 100 million ducados to its creditors.
• Opines that spain's actions over the period should have been concentrated on rebuilding the economy, clearing debts, and strengthening the nation.
• Analyzes how spain's small population and weak economy did not have the resources to create or sustain great-power status. the netherlands' inability to sustain power status was a symptom of spanish decline.
• Explains that gold and silver imported from the americas was promptly used to repay other countries, leaving spain in financial misery. spain was engaged during 1600-1650 with numerous wars.
• Opines that the netherlands revolt was spain's vietnam, sucking the money and lives of the interventionists.
• Analyzes how spain's finances were drained out of its coffers and damaged its reputación. a final war in mantua coincided with the end of a 12-year truce.
• Analyzes how the 'rise of the netherlands' was a symptom of spanish decline. olivares admired the dutch model of commerce and wished to turn spaniards into merchants.
• Argues that boosting shipping power and encouraging trade, instead of the current anti-capitalist atmosphere, is a complete mercantilist policy. spanish ships that went to the americas highlighted how unprepared spain was for commerce.
• Opines that a revision of commercial policy may have stopped spanish decline, but the crown and castilian governments refused to listen to olivares' advice, preferring to conquer the unconquerable united provinces.
• Explains that the dutch's naval defeat in 1639 was the end of an age in which spain had dominated the affairs of europe.
• Explains that the dutch geographical situation gave it access to three crucial points: the baltic trade, the north sea fisheries and the atlantic ocean.
• Explains that while other european cities were suffering from high prices and risks of low grain stocks, the dutch had regular supplies. the north sea fisheries provided 37% of the netherlands population employment.
• Explains that amsterdam, leyden, gröningen and delft were major urban centres. parma's capture of antwerp in 1585 allowed a two-year exodus for calvinists and dissidents of spain.
• Explains that amsterdam's rise is due to spanish policy in antwerp - yet another symptom of the 'rise of the netherlands'.
• Analyzes how the dutch crippled the spanish in the trades of the atlantic and indian oceans during the 12-year truce between 1609 and 1621.
• Analyzes how the maritime actions of the east and west indies decreased the influence of spain abroad, severed portuguese ties to the spanish crown, and precipitated further financial problems for spain.
• Explains that the dutch maritime economy is a cause of spain's decline due to rising power of the netherlands, and many reasons are related by symptom or cause.
• Explains that conservatism met by olivares from king and castilian parliament prevented any economic or political reform, which provided the netherlands with overseas trade which reform would have gifted to the spanish.
• Explains that the war with the netherlands was a cause for spanish decline, due to the overwhelming cost of money and lives. dutch propaganda reinforced opposition to spain, which led to lack of european support.
• Explains the reasons for the rise of the netherlands, from technological revolutions to a switch to commercial rather than agricultural activities, but the main factor was its maritime prowess.
• Concludes that it is difficult to identify the 'rise of the netherlands' as solely a symptom of spain's decline.
• Cites jr cooper's new cambridge modern history volume 4 (cambridge, 1970), pp. 269; jh elliott, richelieu and olivares, 1989;
• Cites henry kamen, golden age spain, jr cooper, new cambridge modern history volume 4 (cambridge, 1970), jh elliott, richelieu and olivares,
• Cites jr cooper, new cambridge modern history volume 4 (cambridge, 1970), cr boxer, simon schama, the embarrassment of riches, (london, 1988).
• Cites cr boxer, the dutch seaborne empire 1600-1800, london, 1965, jr cooper, henry kamen, golden age spain, 1988, pp.