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The Reluctant State: The Dutch Republic and the Ransoming of Captives, 1600–1727

In the early modern period, many European states developed public institutions to liberate subjects held in North African captivity. The emergence of these organizations helped the state to expand its power. By examining the ways the Dutch Republic organized, collected and distributed ransom in three different phases between 1600 and 1727, I argue that the Republic, in contrast, developed no ‘national’ institute for the sole purpose of redeeming Dutch slaves. Instead, the question of redemption reproduced the existing rivalries and uneven distribution of power within the Republic rather than helping to form a more cohesive union. Current research on Dutch redemptive practices emphasize the parochial and civic character of redemptive practices in the Republic. This article complements previous studies by explaining how the political constellation of the Republic and its diplomatic activities in the Mediterranean greatly influenced the way the Dutch managed the liberation of captives.