In the late sixteenth century Antwerp lost its leading role in international trade to Amsterdam. Between 1578 and 1609 more than 500 merchants from the Southern Netherlands moved to Amsterdam. Contrary to what most historians believe, Antwerp's merchant elite contributed little to the rise of the Amsterdam market. Most merchants moving to the Dutch port were relatively young, inexperienced, and had limited capital. The immigrants made up one-third of the city's merchant community, with their capital at least in keeping. Their arrival allowed the continuation of the commercial interaction that developed between Antwerp and Amsterdam in the 1540's. This article argues that the Dutch conquest of new markets and products after 1578 depended on the continual interaction between merchants from the Northern and Southern Netherlands.
Review was founded in 1976 by Immanuel Wallerstein as the official journal of the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations. Richard E. Lee took over as editor in 2006 Review is committed to the pursuit of a perspective which recognizes the primacy of analyses of economies over long historical time and large space, the holism of the socio-historical process, and the transitory (heuristic) nature of theories. The journal addresses mainly a readership in the social sciences and the humanities, and this is an international readership extending to six continents. Review also edits special issues. These may be put together by a guest editor around a specific theme or publish the results of a research project. In general, articles are in English, but Review does sometimes publish articles in other scholarly languages.
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