Research project

The House of Orange-Nassau and Colonial History

At the initiative and expense of His Royal Highness King Willem-Alexander, Leiden University will be conducting a study of the role of the House of Orange-Nassau in Dutch colonial history. The project will run from 2023 to 2026.

Duration: 2023 - 2026
Contact: Gert Oostindie
Funding: The Royal House

The research project has been assigned to the Leiden University Fund and is being carried out by the Leiden University Institute for History.

Committee in charge of the research

Academic feedback group

This academic feedback group advises the research committee on the setup and final results of the research project.

Research team

A team of over thirty researchers has been put together. They will be given access to the Royal Collections, including the Royal House archives. They will also consult various other archives and collections for their research. The study will end in the final quarter of 2026 with the presentation of five books.

Academic integrity

The study is subject to the usual rules on academic integrity, impartiality and independence as applied by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the joint Universities of the Netherlands (formerly VSNU).

See also the webpage about Academic integrity at Leiden University

The Royal Household will not be involved in any way with the design and execution of the research project or with the formulation of the results.

The research focuses on ‘the role of the House of Orange-Nassau in Dutch colonial history’. The topic is therefore not ‘Dutch colonial history’, nor is it ‘the history of the House of Orange-Nassau’; rather, the focus is on the point at which the two intersect. The research covers the whole colonial period from around 1600 through to the present day.

Based on the existing historiography, the research group formulated the following premise:

The House of Orange-Nassau had a constitutional role in the colonial history of the Netherlands, taking part actively and with conviction; the members of the House thereby derived political influence, income and wealth, status and dynastic importance; the significance and meaning of that role and involvement and the extent to which it contributed to each of the aforementioned aspects varied over time and were different for each stadholder, king and queen; this history covering over four centuries was important to the colonies too, with repercussions that continue to the present day.

The research project aims to test this starting assumption by researching a series of sub-questions. That requires a clear description first of several core concepts, and then a longitudinal approach in which the recurring questions are how much scope the members of the House of Orange-Nassau were given (and took) to play a role, what use they made of that opportunity and what consequences this had for the aforementioned ‘benefits’. In the analysis, comparisons will be made where useful with the royal houses of other European colonial powers.

Definition of terms

House of Orange-Nassau. The focus is on the successive stadholders, kings and queens along with their immediate family. Of course, the House promoted broader dynastic interests in which more distant relatives played roles as well. These broader networks will also be examined where relevant, and the House considered as a collective.

The constitutional role and actual involvement in practice of the Oranges were determined and often limited by their constitutional powers on the one hand and their personal interests, motives and ability to obtain information about the colonies and colonial government on the other hand.

Actively and with conviction. This is a premise that will be investigated. To what extent do the sources give an indication of the opinions of the various Orange rulers about colonialism and their desire to play an active role? Do we see a development over time in this regard?

Dutch colonial history. The focus of this research project is on the Netherlands, but the questions that it asks relate to all the colonial ambitions, relations and possessions of the Netherlands. For the period of the Dutch Republic, this means the entire charter area of the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company. For the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this implies a focus on Elmina (now Ghana) up to 1871, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), Suriname and the six Dutch Caribbean islands, including the Oranges’ post-war relationship with the postcolonial communities in the Netherlands.

Of course, it is inherent in the position of the Oranges that they had political influence, but it is assumed that their involvement with colonial policy offered opportunities to increase that influence, for example by appointing confidants to colonial positions (clientelism).

When reconstructing the financial income and wealth, the aim will be to map the interests, investments and income as well as to determine the contribution they made in the various periods — up to the present day — to the overall income and wealth of the House of Orange-Nassau.

The assumption is that the Dutch state, and consequently also the members of the House of Orange-Nassau, not only had an economic and geopolitical interest in colonialism but also derived status and prestige from it. How this was expressed at the court will be investigated. In addition, the researchers will investigate the extent to which the Oranges derived personal satisfaction — or the opposite, a feeling of personal unease — from the colonial dimension of their office. It might seem harsh to use a term like ‘satisfaction’ in the context of slavery and colonialism, but this question needs to be asked: consider the formation of colonial collections in the time of the stadholders, homages paid by the colonies and, in the post-war period, royal visits, versus on the other hand a feeling of discomfort due to being faced with criticisms of colonialism.

Both during the Republic and in the Kingdom, dynastic interests were paramount in determining the position that the House of Orange-Nassau adopted in Europe, particularly when arranging marriages. It may be assumed that the colonial possessions increased the international prestige of individual members of the House and the royal family as a whole.

The question concerning the repercussions of this history in both the former colonies and the Netherlands has been left completely open. This is not about the repercussions of colonialism in general, but specifically on the one hand about the meaning – both at the time and in the present day – for the House of Orange-Nassau, and on the other about the perception at the time of the Oranges in the colonies, how the involvement of the House is remembered now and what that means today.

Periodisation

As said above, the research focuses on the point of intersection between Dutch colonial history and the history of the House of Orange-Nassau. The periodisation is therefore primarily defined from a national and House of Orange-related perspective, namely: the Dutch Republic – French Period – Kingdom. Other choices of periodisation are conceivable on substantive grounds or for the purpose of international comparison, for example: early colonial expansion — consolidation — late colonial state — decolonisation — postcolonial period. Each author may of course work with an alternative periodisation if appropriate.

How this setup translates into five books

The research will result in five books (other than any translations). Four will be in Dutch: a collection of biographies in chronological order, two thematic collections and a summarising book designed for a broad readership. There will also be a collection in English with international comparisons.

The book with a chronological setup will follow the traditional periodisation into the Republic, French Period and Kingdom, while also exploring continuities and turning points during this four-century period. Each of the stadholders, kings and queens will get their own chapter, which is in line with what it is assumed a broad readership will expect: chronology and biography go nicely together here. However, each chapter will discuss thematic questions, and the wider family connections will be handled too where relevant. This book will comprise contributions by various authors, four of whom will also act as the editors. However, each chapter will follow the same structure, so that the book can still more or less be read as a monograph.

The first themed collection will cover the entire research period. It will be divided into three parts plus an epilogue. The focus of the first part will be politico-administrative aspects. It will examine the role of the Oranges in theory and in practice and the extent to which they deliberately intervened in colonial policy, and will look at their networks and advisors. The second part will consider the significance of colonialism for their financial income and wealth. The emphasis in the third part will be on questions regarding the visibility of the colonies at court and thus the issue of status — people from the colonies at the court, colonial collections, involvement in exhibitions and research, issues regarding religion and the church, and the Oranges as a representation of imperial unity. The epilogue will offer a first attempt at an international comparison.

The second themed collection, with the working title Overzee over Oranje/Oranje overzee (‘Overseas on the Oranges/The Oranges overseas’), is mainly about the late colonial period and the postcolonial period. At its heart are two questions: how was the House of Orange-Nassau deployed in the colonial period to create an idea of imperial cohesion; and how has that history and the role of the Oranges resonated during the postcolonial period? This collection will chiefly focus on the later colonial period and postcolonial years. Above all, it will offer insights into themes relating to cultural prestige and status, as well as satisfaction and unease. This collection will primarily feature authors with postcolonial backgrounds and will offer plenty of scope for critical reflection, including considering the broader themes mentioned above about the role of the House of Orange-Nassau in colonial history. This collection will also be organised around several distinct themes.

The challenge will be to prevent unnecessary overlap between these three books and to avoid duplicating research activities unnecessarily. To this end, regular meetings will be organised between the various researchers, either in smaller groups or (less frequently) with the entire project research team.

The fourth collection will be in English and aims to offer an international perspective. Experts will seek to answer questions about the historical involvement of Europe’s royal families in colonialism and the associated debates today. They will specifically consider Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

The fifth planned publication, a book for a broad readership, will function as a summary of the research project as a whole. It will take the same starting point and will cover all the themes mentioned above. The obvious solution is to use a thematic setup for this book, with a more or less chronological approach within each theme.

See also the provisional contents of the books.

Contribution to international historiography and theory

The research project focuses explicitly on the colonial history of the Netherlands and the results will resonate above all in the Dutch socio-political context. In addition, the research results will be important to the former colonies — in particular the Dutch Caribbean islands and Suriname. Given the limited time and resources available, that means it is not possible to give a high priority in the Dutch-language publications to contributing to the historiography in terms of international comparisons and to the theory. However, the authors can be expected not just to be familiar with the relevant historiography concerning the Netherlands and Dutch colonialism but also to have sufficient knowledge of the broader historiography. Ideally, that broader knowledge will help them link their own research to concepts and issues at play in the international academic debate.

As stated above, the focus of the collection in English will in fact be the international comparison. The conclusions from this will be summarised in the concluding chapter of the first themed collection. The book for a broad readership will also pay attention to that comparison.

The study will end in the final quarter of 2026 with the presentation of four books. There will be an edited collection of chapters considering the involvement of the House of Orange-Nassau along biographical lines, and a second edited volume taking a thematic approach to the same question. A third edited collection will explore the role of the House of Orange-Nassau in the representation of an imperial community, including its impact through to modern times. The results of the entire study will be summarised in a compact book for a general readership.

Provisional contents of the biographical volume (working titles)

Eds. Gert Oostindie, Tristan Mostert, Erik Odegard & Bart Verheijen

Gert Oostindie – Introduction
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Maurits (1584-1625)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Frederik Hendrik (1625-1647)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Willem II (1647-1650)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – First Stadholderless Period (1650-1672)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Willem III (1672-1702)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Second Stadholderless Period (1702-1747)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Willem IV (1747-1751)
Tristan Mostert & Erik Odegard – Willem V ([1751] 1766-1795)
Bart Verheijen – Republic/French period (1795-1813/1815)
Bart Verheijen – King Willem I (1815-1840)
Bart Verheijen – King Willem II (1840-1849)
Dik van der Meulen – King Willem III (1849-1890)
Monica Soeting – Emma (1890-1898)
Hans van der Jagt – Queen Wilhelmina (1898-1948)
Gert Oostindie – Queen Juliana (1948-1980)
Gert Oostindie – Queen Beatrix (1980-2013)

Provisional contents of the thematic volume (working titles)

Eds. Gert Oostindie & Henk te Velde

Introduction

Gert Oostindie

Part I Politics and government

Jasper van der Steen & Henk te Velde – Constitutional and political-administrative structure, 1600-2020
Ineke Huysman, Camilla de Koning, Erik Odegard – Networks: Republic
Marlies van der Riet, Monica Soeting & Paul van der Velde – Networks: Kingdom
Jeroen van Zanten – Royal councillors

Part II Financial flows

Christiaan van Bochove with Mark Hugen – Republic
Ariëtte Dekker, Maarten Manse – Kingdom

Part III Social and cultural topics

Esther Schreuder – The colonies at the Royal Court: subjects and visitors
Marie-Christine van der Sman – The colonies at the Royal Court: collections
Lenneke Berkhout, Renske Ek & Marie Christine van der Sman – Houses and gardens of the Orange dynasty in a colonial perspective
Marlies van der Riet – Collections, research, exhibitions
Martin Bossenbroek, Rudi Ekkart & Valika Smeulders – Colonial collections, provenance, restitution
Dienke Hondius & George Harinck – The Royal Family, colonialism and the Church
Esther Captain & Guno Jones – Imagining a unified empire and the legacy in modern times

Epilogue

Karwan Fatah-Black & Gert Oostindie – International comparison, history and accountability

Provisional contents of the volume on the imagined community and the legacy (working titles)

Eds. Esther Captain & Guno Jones

This edited volume focuses on the topic of the imagined community and its legacy today. On the one hand, various historical themes will be explored. They include contemporary and subsequent representations of the role of King Willem III in the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean (1863-1913-1963) and the bond certain groups in the late-colonial society of the Dutch East Indies (the Indisch Dutch, Moluccans, Chinese) have with the Royal Family. On the other hand, this subproject will investigate the extent to which this past has repercussions today, and what those repercussions are, both in the former colonies and in the postcolonial communities of the Netherlands.

A diverse group of senior and junior researchers will be contributing to this volume, many of them with a postcolonial heritage. The draft table of contents will be filled in further once this team is more or less complete and the research topics have been worked out in more detail.

Provisional contents of the international comparative edited volume

Eds. Karwan Fatah-Black & Gert Oostindie

A substantial number of European states engaged in overseas colonialism and for many of these, their colonies were to become of crucial importance, in terms of economics, geopolitics, and prestige. At the same time, most of these states were monarchies. Yet surprisingly, the extant historiography pays little attention to the possible linkages between monarchies and colonialism – perhaps because most scholars have found it all too obvious that monarchs were complicit in European colonialism. This edited volume is a first attempt at a comparative discussion on the linkages between European monarchies and colonialism, seeking to identify parallels as well as contrasts.

This volume will be based on a seminar organised by the Dutch research group investigating the role of the House of Oranje-Nassau in the colonial history of the Netherlands, ca. 1600 to the present. A group of experts with a relevant expertise on nine European colonial monarchies has been invited to contribute chapters.

Provisional table of contents

Karwan Fatah-Black & Gert Oostindie – Introduction
Idesbald Goddeeris – Belgium
Michael Bregnsbo – Denmark
Laurent Dubois – France
Matt Fitzpatrick – Germany
Giuseppe Finaldi – Italy
Gert Oostindie – Netherlands
Cátia Antunes – Portugal
Regina Grafe – Spain
Thomas Lindblad – Sweden
Broke Newman – United Kingdom

Provisional contents of the monograph on the Orange-Nassau project

Author: Gert Oostindie

This book is intended for a broad readership and will consist of an introduction, four thematic sections and an epilogue. In the introduction, a brief sketch will be given of Dutch colonial history, paying particular attention to what was already known about the role of the House of Orange-Nassau. The introduction will also explain how the study was set up and carried out.

In the first thematic section, the involvement will be described of the House of Orange-Nassau in their governing role. Questions that will be addressed include how the stadholders, kings and queens were prepared, kept informed and advised about colonial matters, and how important and natural they found colonialism. The second section will consider their financial and economic involvement and the consequences for the development of the family’s assets and the status of the House of Orange-Nassau.

The focus in the third section will be on the visibility or otherwise of colonialism at the Court and whether it enhanced the prestige of the House of Orange-Nassau. Topics that will be covered include the accumulation of colonial collections, the patronage of the arts and science, and colonial subjects at the Royal Court. In the fourth section, the focus will shift to the role of the Oranges in imagining an imperial community, via the media, education, missionary work and (in later years) royal visits. This will include consideration of overt anti-Orange anti-colonialism in reaction to this charm offensive, and to the legacy today.

The epilogue will summarise the conclusions of the study as a whole and place them in an international perspective. It will look at both the results of the historical investigation and debates and questions concerning the significance today of this history.