Pieter Geyl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pieter Geyl
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Pieter Geijl
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| Born | 15 December 1887 |
| Died | 31 December 1966 (aged 79) Utrecht, Netherlands
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| Alma mater | University of Leiden |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Cornelia van Slooten (1911–1933) Garberlina Kremer (m. 1934) |
Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl (born December 15, 1887, in Dordrecht, Netherlands – died December 31, 1966, in Utrecht, Netherlands) was a famous Dutch historian. He was known for his deep studies of early modern Dutch history. He also studied how history itself is written and understood, which is called historiography.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pieter Geyl was born in Dordrecht. He studied at the University of Leiden and finished his studies in 1913. His main project, called a thesis, was about Christofforo Suriano. Suriano was an ambassador from Venice in the Netherlands from 1616 to 1623. Geyl was married twice. His first wife, Maria Cornelia van Slooten, passed away in 1933. He then married Garberlina Kremer in 1934.
Starting His Career
Before becoming a professor, Geyl worked as a teacher. He taught at a grammar school in Schiedam from 1912 to 1913. After that, he became a reporter in London for a newspaper called Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant. While in London, Geyl met many important people in Britain.
In 1919, Geyl became a professor at the University of London. He taught Dutch history there until 1935. Then, in 1935, he moved back to the Netherlands. He became a professor at the University of Utrecht. In 1928, Geyl became a correspondent for the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. He later became a full member in 1946.
During World War II
In 1940, Geyl wrote an article about how historians viewed Napoleon. It was supposed to be published in June 1940. However, after Germany occupied the Netherlands in May 1940, the publishers were afraid. They worried that people might compare Napoleon to Adolf Hitler. So, they decided not to publish it.
In September 1940, Geyl used his article for a series of talks. He gave these talks at the Rotterdam School of Economics. In October 1940, the German SD (Security Service) took Geyl into custody. This was because the Germans claimed their people in the Dutch East Indies were being treated badly. Geyl was held for thirteen months in a place called Buchenwald. Even after leaving Buchenwald, he was held in a Dutch prison. He was finally released in February 1944 for health reasons.
In 1945, Geyl became the head of the history department at the University of Utrecht. In his first speech, he told his students to challenge old ideas. He wanted them to question political and cultural myths. He believed these myths could lead to dangerous movements like National Socialism. Geyl did not agree with the idea that Nazi Germany was meant to happen. He defended the German historian Leopold von Ranke. Geyl argued that Ranke was not a supporter of Nazi ideas.
Pieter Geyl's Big Ideas
Geyl was famous for disagreeing with the British historian Arnold J. Toynbee. Toynbee believed he had found "laws" that explained how civilizations rise and fall. Geyl often debated Toynbee on the radio and in books. Geyl said that Toynbee only used evidence that supported his ideas. He ignored anything that did not fit his theories. Geyl also thought Toynbee's ideas were too simple. He felt they did not show how complex the past truly is. Geyl also disagreed with Toynbee's idea that Western civilization was in decline.
Geyl also challenged a popular idea about the Dutch and the Flemings. Many believed their separation was "natural." Geyl argued that there was a "Greater Netherlands" history. He said the Dutch and Flemings only separated during the Eighty Years' War (also called the Dutch Revolt) in the 16th century. This war was against Spain. Geyl believed the revolt failed in the south not because of cultural or religious differences. Instead, he said it was because of geography. The north had lakes and rivers, which helped the rebels. The south had flat plains, which helped the Spanish Army. If not for geography, Flanders might have been part of the Dutch Republic. Geyl wrote about these ideas in his main work, De Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse Stam. He also supported the Flemish movement.
Some people have criticized Geyl's work. They say he did not consider how new governments and economies brought people together after the separation. Others have praised his fresh look at the Dutch Revolt. His ideas were very different from the nationalistic views of his time.
Geyl also argued that the House of Orange and the Dutch people often had conflicts. This was especially true in the 18th century. Geyl claimed that William IV of Orange used a protest by a group called the Doelisten to gain power in 1748. Another idea Geyl had was about the marriage of William of Orange (later Willem II) to Mary Stuart. Geyl said this marriage was the main cause of the first Anglo-Dutch War in the 17th century.
His book Napoleon For and Against looked at how French historians viewed Napoleon. From Napoleon's time until Geyl's, historians saw Napoleon in different ways. Some saw him as a Corsican adventurer who caused destruction. Others saw him as a patriotic Frenchman who brought glory. Geyl used this book to show that all historians are influenced by their own time. Because of this, historical writing is always changing. Geyl believed there could never be one final history that was true for all time. This is because every age sees the past differently. Geyl felt that historians should carefully examine their own beliefs. He also urged readers to do the same. For Geyl, history was an "argument without end." But he did not mean that any interpretation of history was acceptable.
Death
Pieter Geyl passed away on December 31, 1966, in Utrecht, Netherlands.
His Books and Writings
- Christofforo Suriano: resident van de Serenissime Republiek van Venetië in Den Haag, 1616–1623, 1913.
- Willem IV en Engeland tot 1748, 1924.
- De Groot-Nederlandsche gedachte, 1925.
- De geschiedenis van de Nederlandsche Stam, 3 volumes, 1930–1959: translated into English as The Revolt of the Netherlands, 1555–1609 and The Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century.
- Revolutiedagen te Amsterdam, Augustus–September 1748, 1936.
- Patriotten en NSBers, 1946.
- History of the Low Countries: Episodes and Problems, Macmillan, 1964.
- The Revolt of the Netherlands, 1555–1609, New York: Barnes & Noble, 1966.
- The Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century, Pt. I: 1609-1648; Pt.II: 1648-1715, 2 volumes, New York: Barnes & Noble, 1961 & 1964.
- Oranje en Stuart, 1641–72, 1939: translated by A. Pomerans into English as Orange and Stuart, 1641–72, New York: Scribner, 1970.
- Napoleon: voor en tegen in de Franse geschiedschrijving, 1946: translated by O. Renier into English as Napoleon, For and Against, New Haven, CT; Yale University Press, 1948; revised edition 1964.
- De Patriottenbeweging, 1780–1787, 1947.
- Can We Know the Pattern of the Past? Discussion between P. Geyl and A. Toynbee concerning Toynbee's Book 'A Study of History', Bossum: F.G. Kroonder, co-written with Arnold Toynbee, 1948.
- The Pattern of the Past: Can we Determine it? cowritten with Arnold Toynbee and P. Sorokin, New York: Greenwood, 1949.
- Use and Abuse of History, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1955.
- Debates with Historians, Cleveland, Ohio: Meridian, 1958.
- Studies en strijdschriften, 1958.
- Encounters in History, Cleveland, Ohio: Meridian, 1961.
See also
- Napoleon legacy and memory
