In 1602, the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands chartered the first commercial company, the Dutch East India Company, and, in so doing, initiated a new wave of globalization. Even though Dutch engagement in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans dates back to the 16th century, it was the dawn of the 17th century that brought the Dutch into the fold of the general movement of European expansion overseas and concomitant globalization. This volume surveys the Dutch participation in, and contribution to, the process of globalization. At the same time, it reassesses the various ways Dutchmen fashioned themselves following the encounter and in the light of increasing dialogue with other societies across the world. As such, Exploring the Dutch Empire offers a new insight into the macro and micro worlds of the global Dutchman in Asia, Africa and the Americas. The result fills a gap in the historiography on empire and globalization, which has previously been dominated by British and, to a lesser extent, French and Spanish cases. “The individual essays are uniformly very good - they are exceptionally readable for this sort of genre, and they are likewise enjoyable and informative - and they collectively immerse the reader in a wide swath of the Netherlands' overseas colonies and engagements.” ― The English Historical Review “[An] excellent and enjoyable overview of Leiden scholarship on Dutch colonial history.” ― European History Quarterly Explores Dutch participation in and contribution to globalisation through a study of the Dutch empire in Asia, Africa and the Americas Catia Antunes is Associate Professor of History at Leiden University, The Netherlands Jos Gommans is Professor of Colonial and Global History at Leiden University, The Netherlands