The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom, 1795-1813

Hendrik Willem van LoonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.6

Word count: 299K words
Chapters: 30

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom, 1795-1813 by Hendrik Willem Van LoonAuthor: Van Loon, Hendrik Willem, 1882-1944,Language: English, Class: DJ: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Netherlands, Release Date: Jan 17, 2012

Editor's review

Van Loon recounts, in a lively and accessible style, the political transformation of the Netherlands from republic to kingdom between 1795 and 1813, shaping complex party strife, foreign intervention and institutional change into a highly readable historical narrative. His strength lies in using people and scenes to drive events, letting readers first grasp the overall outline before understanding the details. This is not a rigorously sourced academic monograph but a popular history carrying the author's judgments and narrative flair, suitable as an introductory work to modern Dutch history. As you read, note the author's choices regarding the process of the "rise of the kingdom" and how he explains the predicament of a small state in great-power rivalry. Readers interested in modern European history may, after finishing, consult more specialized works on Dutch history to deepen their understanding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in modern European history and Dutch history
Readers who enjoy popular historical narrative with abundant personal anecdotes
Students who need an introductory work to understand modern Dutch political change
Readers who want to understand European great-power rivalry from the perspective of a small state

Not a good fit for

Researchers who need rigorous academic citations and the latest research findings
Readers expecting systematic institutional or economic history analysis
Readers who read only Chinese and are unaccustomed to English historical narrative

Reading tips

First look at the table of contents and chapter titles to establish the 1795–1813 timeframe
Mark major figures and parties as you read to clarify the political camps
After finishing, consult an overview of modern Dutch history to compare with the author's narrative choices
Read alongside other popular works on modern European history to compare narrative perspectives

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How reliable are the historical sources in this book?

This is a popular history for general readers, carrying the author's personal judgments and narrative style; it is not an academic monograph aimed at rigorous citation. It can serve as an introductory work to build an overall impression, but for specific facts and contested conclusions, consult specialized works on Dutch history for verification.

Can I understand it without any background in Dutch history?

Yes. Van Loon's narrative is driven by people and events, and the overall thread is clear, making it suitable for readers starting from zero. However, the book involves multiple parties and foreign powers, so it is advisable to sort out the timeline and relationships as you read, consulting maps and background materials when necessary.

Why does the book cover the period 1795 to 1813?

This period roughly corresponds to a turning point in which the Netherlands moved from the collapse of the old republican system, through foreign intervention and institutional experiments, to the establishment of a kingdom in 1813. The title focuses precisely on this process of political reorganization, from which readers can understand the origins of the modern Dutch state.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Hendrik Willem van Loon Author · Dutch-American · 1882–1944

Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882–1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and children's author. He was born in Rotterdam in 1882, died in Connecticut in 1944, and became an American citizen in 1919. Known for his popular approach to history, he often illustrated his own books and wrote more than fifty works over his lifetime. His best-known book, The Story of Mankind, won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. His other works include Ancient Man: The Beginning of Civilizations, The Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators, and The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom, 1795–1813. His writing mostly deals with the course of human civilization and Dutch history, is aimed at general readers and young people, and emphasizes readability, giving his works a wide readership in the English-speaking world.