The Dutch North Sea fishery in times of trouble and turmoil, 1806-1813
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Johan Joor [1]
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[1] Huygens Institute for the History of the Netherlands
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- Localización: International journal of maritime history, ISSN 0843-8714, Vol. 33, Nº. 2, 2021, págs. 307-321
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
The Napoleonic years in Holland, 1806–1813, were a time of trouble and turmoil. The Dutch republican polity was ended when Napoleon proclaimed his younger brother Louis King of Holland in June 1806. In 1810, Holland even ceased to exist as an independent state, when it was incorporated in the French Empire. The Dutch also suffered a severe economic crisis after 1806, as a result of the Continental Blockade. Notwithstanding a series of regulations and a variety of offices charged with implementing them, the enforcement of the Blockade remained imperfect. Smuggling flourished, with Dutch North Sea fishermen, facilitated by the relatively mild stance of the British Navy, playing an important role. Police files, some recently rediscovered, demonstrate that their role was even more substantial when it came to the illegal transport of passengers and mail. Dutch North Sea fishermen, who dominated the illicit conveyance of travellers and correspondence, mainly lived near Rotterdam and the Meuse estuary. As well as goods and raw materials, they conveyed information and served as mediators in commercial networks. The proximity of these fishermen boosted the strategic advantage of local merchants and thereby contributed to the resilience of Rotterdam in this time of crisis.
