Abstract
What was the impact of Machiavelli's political thought on early-modern Dutch colonialism? This article zooms in on Dutch Brazil between 1630 and 1654 to argue that the Dutch employed a distinctive notion of Machiavellian reason of state to theorize and legitimize their expansion overseas. Discussing the work of the prominent humanist scholar Caspar Barlaeus and his presentation of governor-general Johan Maurits of Nassau as a colonial prince, the article shows that the period of Dutch rule in Brazil provided the setting where Machiavelli was adapted to the concerns of a modern commercial empire.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 177-196 |
| Journal | Storia del Pensiero Politico |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- Machiavelli
- Dutch Republic
- Imperialism
- Brazil
- Commerce