An initiative of King Willem-Alexander
What role did the House of Orange-Nassau play in Dutch colonial history? Were the Orange-Nassaus mainly symbols of the empire or were they actively involved in the colonial expansion, slavery, and economic exploitation? The historian Gert Oostindie has written a powerful, accessible book assessing four centuries of entanglement between the Orange-Nassaus and the colonial empire. Drawing on a major academic research programme commissioned by King Willem-Alexander, Gert Oostindie shows how the House of Orange-Nassau was implicated in colonial trade, war, and slavery. The family utilized its prestige and power in its involvement in the East and West India Companies, as well as in Indonesia, Suriname, and the Caribbean islands.
The Orange-Nassaus aided expansion overseas and lent a regal allure to the empire while benefiting from colonial revenue. Yet their role was in constant flux. King William I proactively shaped the colonial empire, while Queen Wilhelmina became the figurehead of Dutch imperialism in its heyday. It was only after decolonization that the family found room for doubts, reflection, and (eventually) apologies.
The colonialism of the Orange-Nassaus
Gert Oostindie gives a clear and frank picture of how colonialism became deeply embedded in the history of both the Netherlands and its royal house. He considers not only what the Orange-Nassaus did but also what colonialism meant to them. The Dutch Monarchy and its Colonial History, 1600-2025 is a perceptive, topical, and at times surprising assessment of a past whose legacy continues today.
Gert Oostindie is Professor Emeritus in Colonial and Postcolonial History at Leiden University. He has published numerous books on the colonial and postcolonial history of the Netherlands and slavery in the Dutch Empire. His book Rekenschap, published by Boom in 2024, addressed the issues of apologies and reparations for the colonial past.
