Catholic communities in Protestant states Britain and the Netherlands c.1570-1720

This volume is the first to compare the position of Catholic minorities in England and the Dutch Republic. Looking beyond the tales of persecution that have dominated traditional historiography, the contributors focus on the realities of Catholic existence. Thematically organized, the book explores Catholicism as a minority culture that resorted to unorthodox means, both to retain its own identity, and to survive in a hostile political environment. It examines ritual, material culture, international networks, and above all relations: between laity and clergy, men and women, Catholics and Protestants. By highlighting differences as well as similarities between the English and Dutch experiences,Catholic Communities in Protestant Stateswill help both undergraduate readers and specialists to rethink the history of Catholicism and the consequences of minority status for religious communities.

Benjamin J. Kaplan is Professor of Dutch History at University College London and holds a joint appointment at the University of Amsterdam. Bob Moore is Professor of Twentieth-Century European History at the University of Sheffield. Henk van Nierop is Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Amsterdam, and Director of the Amsterdam Centre for the Study of the Golden Age. Judith Pollmann is a Senior Lecturer in Dutch History, and Professor of the History and Culture of the Dutch Republic at Leiden University.