First and only Dutch edition, as well as the only illustrated edition, of the main historical works by the famous Dutch jurist, philosopher, theologian, and diplomat Hugo de Groot (Hugo Grotius, 1583-1645), also known as the "infant prodigy from Delft". Divided in three parts, it covers the history of the Northern Low Countries from 1555 to 1609. Most important are the Annales et historiae de rebus Belgicis in the first part (translated as Nederlandtsche jaerboeken en historien ...) as a contemporary history of the Dutch Revolt (or the Eighty Years' War) till the Truce in 1609. The work is copiously illustrated with beautiful large portraits of the most important political figures of the time, as well as views and plans of important events and towns.
Grotius began writing the work when he was just 18, on request of the States of Holland, who asked him to compose a history of the revolutionary first years of the Dutch War of Independence. He wrote the Annales (covering the years 1555-1588) in the years 1601-1612, using a language clearly inspired by the Latin historian Tacitus. The Historiae (covering the years 1588-1609), here also included in the first part, followed soon. His text however, contained many stories and details which were considered controversial by the States of Holland, so the Annales were not published before 1657. The work then became quite popular and was soon translated to French (1662), English (1665), and Dutch (1681). The present Dutch translation was made by Joan Goris (dates unknown).
The other two parts of the present work include translations of three other works by Grotius, namely: [1] the first edition of Grollae obsidio (1629), the history of the siege of the fortified town "Grol" (Groenlo) by Prince Frederick Henry in 1627; [2] Liber de antiquitate Reipublicae Batavicae (1610) of which a Dutch translation had been published in the same year under the title Tractaet vande oudtheyt vande Batavische nu Hollandsche Republique and [3] perhaps - apart from De iure belli ac pacis (1625) - Grotius most famous work: Mare liberum (The freedom of the seas, 1609) of which a Dutch translation had appeared in 1614. On the basis of these last two books Grotius is considered as one of the founders of international and natural law. The Mare liberum includes reports and commentary on the Dutch East and West India trade companies as well as a 17th-century perspective on trade in the Americas from 1591-1609.
With the armorial bookplate of the Dutch lawyer Wilhelm Cornelis Baert de Waarde (1864-1951) mounted on the recto of the first free flyleaf. The front joint is weakened at the head and tail, lacking the bottom pair of closing ties. Otherwise in very good condition. Klaversma/ Hannema 585 and 586; Sabin, no. 28956; cf. Haitsma Mulier, E.O.G., Grotius, Hooft and the writing of history in the Dutch Republic, in: A.C. Duke, C.A. Tamse [eds.], Clios mirror. Historiography in Britain and the Netherlands, VIII (1985), pp. 55-72; Heesakkers, C.L., Grotius als geschiedschrijver, in: Het Delfts orakel Hugo de Groot (1983), pp. 103-110.