Geyl, Pieter

Geyl, Pieter

▪ Dutch historian
born Dec. 15, 1887, Dort, Neth.
died Dec. 31, 1966, Utrecht

      Dutch historian whose works on The Netherlands are highly respected both for their wealth of information and for their scholarly, incisive critical analysis.

      Geyl became interested in history after entering the University of Leiden, where, during his last year there (1911), he became involved with the Flemish movement. After receiving his doctorate in 1913, he worked as London correspondent for the Dutch daily Nieuwe Rotterdamse Courant.

      In 1919 he was appointed professor of Dutch history and institutions at the University of London, where he remained until 1935, when he became professor of history at the University of Utrecht. In October 1940 he was arrested by the Nazis, placed in Buchenwald until 1941, and then transferred to The Netherlands for internment. He was released in 1944 and, after liberation (1945), began teaching again.

      Geyl's first published work (1913) was his dissertation on Christofforo Suriano, the Venetian resident in The Hague during the early 17th century. His next book, Willem IV en Engeland tot 1748 (1924), discussed the struggle between the party of Orange and the republican States Party and its effects on the Dutch Republic's foreign policy, themes that were to become dominant in many of his later works. A collection of articles, De Groot-Nederlandsche gedachte, appeared in 1925 (a second volume was added in 1930), dealing with the concept of unity in the history of Holland and Flanders and generally sympathetic to the development of the nation-state. His greatest contribution, Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse stam, 6 vol. (1930–37; “History of the Dutch People”), covered Dutch history from its beginning to 1798. Another volume on the schism between the House of Orange and the populace, Revolutiedagen te Amsterdam, Augustus-September 1748, appeared in 1936. Oranje en Stuart, 1641–1672 (1939), considered his best monograph, recounted, analyzed, and evaluated the conflict between Orange and national interests.

      In 1947 Geyl initiated a long and often bitter debate with the English historian Arnold Toynbee, criticizing Toynbee's work for what he called its artificiality, nonempirical basis, and theological assumptions. Throughout the 1950s he continued to produce essays, including (in English) Debates with Historians (1955), Use and Abuse of History (1955), and Encounters in History (1961).

      Geyl's work is noted for its emphasis on foreign policy in contrast to constitutional questions, careful analysis of the geographic and military factors behind the religious schism of The Netherlands, and scrupulous and conscientious standards of historical scholarship.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • GEYL, Pieter Catharinus Arie — (1887–1966)    Historian. Af ter his studies in the humanities at LeidenUniversity, Geyl wrote his doctoral thesis on the role of the Venetian envoy during the Dutch Republic (Christofforo Suriano, resident van de serenissime repub liek van… …   Historical Dictionary of the Netherlands

  • Pieter Geyl — Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl, né le 15 décembre 1887 et mort le 31 décembre 1966, est un historien néerlandais, connu pour ses travaux sur les Provinces Unies et sur l historiographie. Sommaire 1 Études et début de carrière 2 La Seconde Guerre… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Pieter Geyl — Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl (December 15, 1887 ndash; December 31, 1966) was a Dutch historian well known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography.BackgroundGeyl was born in Dordrecht and graduated from the University… …   Wikipedia

  • Geyl —   [xɛjl], Pieter Catharinus Arie, niederländischer Historiker, * Dordrecht 15. 12. 1887, ✝ Utrecht 31. 12. 1966; ursprünglich Journalist; 1919 36 Professor für niederländische Geschichte in London, 1936 58 für Neuere Geschichte in Utrecht;… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Pieter Paulus — Portrait de Pieter Paulus en 1796 Pieter Paulus, né le 9 mars 1753 à Axel et mort le 17 mars 1796 à La Haye, est un homme politique néerlandais. Meneur des patriotes bataves, il est considéré comme le fondateur de la démocratie et de l unité des… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dutch Revolt — Part of Thirty Years War Prince Maurice at the Battle of Nieuwpoort by Pauwels van Hillegaert. Oil on canvas …   Wikipedia

  • Napoleon — For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). Napoleon I …   Wikipedia

  • Jan Jacobsen — Infobox Pirate name = Jan Jacobsen lived = died 1622, aged 33 caption = nickname = type = Dunkirker placeofbirth = placeofdeath = North Sea allegiance = Habsburg serviceyears = base of operations = Ostend rank = Captain commands = one battles =… …   Wikipedia

  • Jan Jacobsen — (Nacido hacia 1588 1589, fallecido en 1622), fue un comandante naval y corsario de Dunkirk durante la Guerra de los Ocho Años. Se convirtió en un héroe póstumo, cuando después de combatir a nueve barcos enemigos en solitario durante más de trece… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Liste der Träger des Ordens Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste — Dies ist die Liste der Träger des Ordens Pour le Mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste nach Aufnahmedatum. „Der Orden Pour le mérite für Wissenschaften und Künste, den König Friedrich Wilhelm IV. von Preußen, beraten durch Alexander von Humboldt,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”