The Correspondence of Hugo Grotius

This database presents transcriptions of all of the - more than 7000 - currently known letters written by and to the scholar Hugo de Groot (1583-1645) between 1597 and 1645.

Overview

The database The Correspondence of Hugo Grotius makes all, more than 7000, currently known letters to and by Hugo de Groot (1583-1645) from the period 1597 to 1645 digitally accessible. De Groot was also known as Hugo Grotius, which is what he called himself in his Latin texts. He was a central figure in the Dutch political and scientific landscape in the first half of the seventeenth century. His publications are still relevant today, as his ideas have been important for, among other things, contemporary law of nations and maritime law. De Groot was not only known within the Netherlands, he was also widely recognised abroad. He corresponded with many foreign contacts, as is clear from the different locations of the letters, and his publications were distributed in several countries. The subjects of his letters are diverse and cover the various fields De Groot was active in; he was a lawyer, historian, diplomat, writer and poet, as well as religiously active as a theologian. His extensive correspondence thus constitutes the main source of knowledge about his life and written work.

The letters are presented in their original language (Latin, Dutch, French or German), supplemented by commentary in Dutch that includes both biographical and bibliographical notes as well as references to other letters. The original edition, Briefwisseling van Hugo Grotius, was published between 1928 and 2001 in seventeen volumes, containing the correspondence in chronological order. This online edition presents the letters from the original edition, including the introductions, annotations, indexes and misprints (which are all in Dutch). Volume seventeen is a supplement volume, which concludes with three appendices that facilitate easy access to the previous sixteen volumes. The letters can be accessed in several ways. For instance, search queries can be made by year, volume of the original edition, sender, and recipient.

How to use this resource

The digital edition has a couple of distinct advantages as compared to the seventeen volumes in hard copy. Since several volumes are currently out of print, only this online version can provide Grotius' episolary legacy in its entirety (and for free). The electronic format makes it possible to explore the original Briefwisseling by means of a couple of search keys, i.e. the name of a letter's sender or recipient, the date of a letter, and the relevant volume of the paper edition. This online edition also permits full text search using single terms or a combination of words. Page numbers, which refer to the paper edition, are included for citation purposes.

The digital edition has its limitations too, of course. It is not (yet) possible to search the database by letter number in the Briefwisseling. More could be done to integrate historical and contextual information contained (primarily, but not exclusively) in the annotations of the Briefwisseling. For example, an integrated bibliography and index should still be added.

Mentions

Nellen, H., Hugo de Groot: Een leven in strijd om de vrede, 1683-1645 (Amsterdam, 2007).

Nellen, H., Geen vredestichter is zonder tegensprekers. Hugo de Groot, geleerde, staatsman, verguisd verzoener (Amsterdam, 2021).

Blom, H.W., 'Hugo Grotius (1583-1645): Kosmopolis en autarkie', in E. de Bom (ed.), Een nieuwe wereld: denkers uit de Nederlanden over politiek en maatschappij (1500-1700) (Antwerpen 2015), 217-257.