Going Dutch: How England Plundered Holland's Glory

In Going Dutch, renowned writer Lisa Jardine tells the remarkable history of the relationship between England and Holland, two of Europe’s most important colonial powers at the dawn of the modern age. Jardine, the author of The Awful End of Prince William the Silent, demonstrates that England’s rise did not come at the expense of the Dutch as is commonly thought, but was actually a “handing on” of the baton of cultural and intellectual supremacy to a nation expanding in international power and influence.

But how did these two rival nations—one a monarchy, the other a republic—become so deeply intertwined?

• The Glorious Revolution Reframed: A gripping reassessment of 1688, not as a peaceful revolution, but as a full-scale, brilliantly stage-managed Dutch invasion of England.
• Cultural Cross-Fertilization: An exploration of how Dutch art, science, and even garden design were not just copied but deeply integrated into English life, creating a shared cultural landscape.
• Royal and Dynastic Marriages: The story of how strategic alliances between the House of Stuart and the House of Orange tied the two nations’ political destinies together for generations.
• A Revisionist History: A powerful argument that challenges the traditional narrative of rivalry, revealing instead a complex story of mutual influence, cooperation, and a surprising "handing on" of glory.

On November 5, 1688, William of Orange, Protestant ruler of the Dutch Republic, landed at Torbay in Devon with a force of twenty thousand men. Five months later, William and his wife, Mary, were jointly crowned king and queen after forcing James II to abdicate. Yet why has history recorded this bloodless coup as an internal Glorious Revolution rather than what it truly was: a full-scale invasion and conquest by a foreign nation?

The remarkable story of the relationship between two of Europe's most important colonial powers at the dawn of the modern age, Lisa Jardine's Going Dutch demonstrates through compelling new research in political and social history how Dutch tolerance, resourcefulness, and commercial acumen had effectively conquered Britain long before William and his English wife arrived in London.

“She explores the fascinating Anglo-Dutch relationship to answer how and why two sworn foes became friends so seamlessly. . . . A highly original work that will appeal to fans of Simon Schama’s The Embarrassment of Riches.” - Publishers Weekly

“Meticulous. . . . The essential point of the book lies in its perception of a larger culture that joined Holland and England. . . . It is a remarkable phase of 17th-century culture that has generally been overlooked or ignored. In Going Dutch it is brought back to life.” - Peter Ackroyd, The Times (London)

“A thoroughly researched and provocative revisionist study.” - Wall Street Journal

“Jardine understands and appreciates her sources, and she writes exceptionally lively history. A pleasure to read, this book is enthusiastically recommended...” - Library Journal

“Engaging . . . vivid. . . . Eschewing the narrow nationalism she sees as afflicting traditional histories . . . Jardine writes clearly and colloquially for the non-academic reader. . . . The book’s handsome color illustrations make vivid the relationship she describes.” - Washington Post Book World

“Jardine meticulously studies the exchange of ideas between England and Holland...she leaves no stone unturned...Absorbing, enjoyable reading.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Going Dutch is elegant and thought-provoking. . . . Jardine evokes a dialogue of civilizations.” - Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers