Dutch Empire/Origins of an Empire The coastal provinces of
Holland and Zeeland had for a long time prior to Spanish rule
been important hubs of the European maritime trade network.
Their geographical location provided convenient access to the
markets of France, Germany, England and the Baltic. The war with
Spain led many financiers and traders to emigrate from Antwerp,
capital of Flanders and then one of Europe's most important
commercial centres, to Dutch cities, particularly Amsterdam,
which became Europe's foremost centre for shipping, banking, and
insurance. Efficient access to capital enabled the Dutch in the
1580s to extend their trade networks beyond northern Europe to
new markets in the Mediterranean and the Levant. In the 1590s,
Dutch ships began to trade with Brazil and the Gold Coast of
Africa, and towards the Indian Ocean and the source of the
lucrative spice trade. This brought the Dutch into direct
competition with Portugal, which had dominated these trade
networks for several decades, and had e