Turning Dutch: Historical myths in early modern Netherlands

This article discusses the competing political discourses that vied for prominence in the early stages of the Dutch Revolt from Spain in the late sixteenth century. Particular attention is paid to one of those discourses, the myth of Swiss republicanism, and the reasons for its initial popularity, eventual decline, and lasting influence on Dutch political culture. Through an examination of the flurry of pamphlet literature that accompanied the break from Habsburg rule, the paper argues that the Dutch considered many options when finding the ideological models for their new state but ultimately created their own political inspiration, "turning Dutch."