What is it about?
This chapter explores the historical sections of Hugo Grotius's De iure praedae Commentarius bearing the following fundamental but very important questions in mind: What did Grotius actually know about the Portuguese Estado da Índia at the time of drafting the treatise between 1604 and 1606/8? What did he know about the Luso-Asian trading regime or Asian trading practices at large? Using the published correspondence of Grotius, archival documentation, manuscript fragments as well as unpublished reading notes and drafts, a case will be made that he had in fact few sources at his fingertips. This insight serves fundamentally to refute older assumptions, expounded notably by Robert Fruin and C.H. Alexandrowicz, that the young Grotius conducted independent research in the Dutch East India Company (VOC) archives, or had immersed himself with Asian maritime codes or commercial practices.
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Why is it important?
This chapter corrects some entrenched views about the genesis of Grotius' ideas on the laws of war and peace, especially in the early years 1604-1609.
Perspectives
The chapter explores where Grotius got his ideas from, both in terms of written sources as well as personal contacts.
Dr Peter Borschberg
National University of Singapore
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Grotius, Maritime Intra-Asian Trade And The Portuguese Estado Da Índia: Problems, Perspectives And Insights From De Iure Praedae, January 2009, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/ej.9789004175136.i-422.21.
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