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[[File:Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom Arrival of a Dutch Three master at Schloss Kronberg 1614.jpg|thumb|250px|Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, Arrival of a Dutch Three master at Schloss Kronberg, 1614.]]
[[File:Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom Arrival of a Dutch Three master at Schloss Kronberg 1614.jpg|thumb|250px|Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, Arrival of a Dutch Three master at Schloss Kronberg, 1614.]]
The '''Dutch Golden Age''' or the Dutch Century is a period in Dutch history in which the Dutch Republic had a phenomenal rise to prosperity. It was over the course of the 17th century that great advancements in the economy, military, trade, arts and sciences took place. The Dutch nation became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in the world, employing its naval prowess to dominate international trade and create a vast colonial empire. <ref> [http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/mauritshuis/golden The Dutch Golden Age.] </ref>
The '''Dutch Golden Age''' or the '''Dutch Century''' is a period in [[Dutch]] history in which the Dutch Republic had a phenomenal rise to prosperity. It was over the course of the 17th century that great advancements in the economy, military, trade, [[art]]s and [[science]]s took place. The Dutch nation became one of the wealthiest and most powerful in the world, employing its naval prowess to dominate international trade and create a vast colonial empire. <ref> [http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/mauritshuis/golden The Dutch Golden Age.] </ref>
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In just over one hundred years, the provinces of the Northern [[Netherlands]] went from relative obscurity as the poor cousins of the industrious and heavily urbanized Southern Netherlands provinces of Flanders and Brabant to the pinnacle of European commercial success. Taking advantage of a favorable agricultural base, the Dutch achieved success in the fishing industry and the Baltic and North Sea carrying trade during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries before establishing a far-flung maritime empire in the seventeenth century. <ref>[http://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-dutch-economy-in-the-golden-age-16th-17th-centuries/ The Dutch Economy in the Golden Age (16th – 17th Centuries).] by Donald J. Harreld, Brigham Young University. </ref>
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===Golden Age, 1600-1720s===
===Golden Age, 1600-1720s===
[[File:Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde 1638-1698 The Great Market in Haarlem 1696.jpg|thumb|250px|Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde, The Great Market in Haarlem, 1696.]]
[[File:Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde 1638-1698 The Great Market in Haarlem 1696.jpg|thumb|250px|Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde, The Great Market in Haarlem, 1696.]]
During the 17th century, the Netherlands, with just two million people, enjoyed its "Golden Age" of economic success, world power, and tremendous artistic output. The Netherlands, with a rapidly growing trade and world-wide empire, boasted Europe's greatest number of cities and highest literacy rate, many world-class artists and generous patrons, religious tolerance, and a highly structured and wide-ranging social network.
During the 17th century, the Netherlands, with just two million people, enjoyed its "Golden Age" of [[economic]] success, world power, and tremendous artistic output. The Netherlands, with a rapidly growing trade and world-wide empire, boasted Europe's greatest number of cities and highest literacy rate, many world-class artists and generous patrons, religious tolerance, and a highly structured and wide-ranging social network.
The underpinnings of the golden age involved a very strong economy based on international trade and colonies, along with advances in textiles, brewing, glass-making, shipbuilding, printing, canal and irrigation works, land reclamation, and energy (using peat, not coal or wood). Holland was the vanguard of Europe, leading the way in productivity-enhancing economic advances. The per-capita income remained steady and high, as the population grew 50%. Urban workers saw their wages grow 50% from 1570 to 1670.
The underpinnings of the golden age involved a very strong economy based on international trade and colonies, along with advances in textiles, brewing, glass-making, shipbuilding, printing, canal and irrigation works, land reclamation, and energy (using peat, not coal or wood). Holland was the vanguard of Europe, leading the way in productivity-enhancing economic advances. The per-capita income remained steady and high, as the population grew 50%. Urban workers saw their wages grow 50% from 1570 to 1670.
By the mid-1660s [[Amsterdam]] had reached the optimum population (about 200,000) for the level of trade, commerce and agriculture then available to support it. The city contributed the largest quota in taxes to the States of Holland which in turn contributed over half the quota to the States General. Amsterdam was also one of the most reliable in settling tax demands and therefore was able to use the threat to withhold such payments to good effect.
By the mid-1660s [[Amsterdam]] had reached the optimum population (about 200,000) for the level of trade, commerce and agriculture then available to support it. The city contributed the largest quota in taxes to the States of Holland which in turn contributed over half the quota to the States General. Amsterdam was also one of the most reliable in settling tax demands and therefore was able to use the threat to withhold such payments to good effect.
Amsterdam was governed by a body of regents, a large, but closed, oligarchy with control over all aspects of the city's life, and a dominant voice in the foreign affairs of Holland. Only men with sufficient wealth and a long enough residence within the city could join the ruling class. Many were from noble families, who were successful in maintaining their power within the supposedly bourgeois Republic; they formed the elite in administrative, political and economic systems. The first step to joining the regents for an ambitious and wealthy merchant family was to arrange a marriage with a long-established regent family. In the 1670s one such union, that of the Trip family (the Amsterdam branch of the Swedish arms makers) with the son of Burgomaster Valckenier, extended the influence and patronage available to the latter and strengthened his dominance of the council. The oligarchy in Amsterdam thus gained strength from its breadth and openness. In the smaller towns family interest could unite members on policy decisions but contraction through intermarriage could lead to the degeneration of the quality of the members. In Amsterdam the network was so large that members of the same family could be related to opposing factions and pursue widely separated interests. The young men who had risen to positions of authority in the 1670s and 1680s consolidated their hold on office well into the 1690s and even the new century.<ref> Elizabeth Edwards, "Amsterdam and William III," ''History Today,'' (Dec 1993), Vol. 43, Issue 12 in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
Amsterdam was governed by a body of regents, a large, but closed, oligarchy with control over all aspects of the city's life, and a dominant voice in the foreign affairs of [[Holland]]. Only men with sufficient wealth and a long enough residence within the city could join the ruling class. Many were from noble families, who were successful in maintaining their power within the supposedly bourgeois Republic; they formed the elite in administrative, political and economic systems. The first step to joining the regents for an ambitious and wealthy merchant family was to arrange a marriage with a long-established regent family. In the 1670s one such union, that of the Trip family (the Amsterdam branch of the Swedish arms makers) with the son of Burgomaster Valckenier, extended the influence and patronage available to the latter and strengthened his dominance of the council. The oligarchy in Amsterdam thus gained strength from its breadth and openness. In the smaller towns family interest could unite members on policy decisions but contraction through intermarriage could lead to the degeneration of the quality of the members. In Amsterdam the network was so large that members of the same family could be related to opposing factions and pursue widely separated interests. The young men who had risen to positions of authority in the 1670s and 1680s consolidated their hold on office well into the 1690s and even the new century.<ref> Elizabeth Edwards, "Amsterdam and William III," ''History Today,'' (Dec 1993), Vol. 43, Issue 12 in [[EBSCO]]</ref>
Amsterdam's regents provided good services to residents. They spent heavily on the water-ways and other essential infrastructure, as well as municipal almshouses for the elderly, hospitals and churches.
Amsterdam's regents provided good services to residents. They spent heavily on the water-ways and other essential infrastructure, as well as municipal almshouses for the elderly, hospitals and churches.
During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic [[portraits]] of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. <ref> [http://www.holland.com/us/tourism/article/history-of-dutch-golden-age.htm History of Dutch Golden Age.] </ref>
During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic [[portraits]] of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. <ref> [http://www.holland.com/us/tourism/article/history-of-dutch-golden-age.htm History of Dutch Golden Age.] </ref>
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== External links ==
== External links ==