We explore the transnational culture of the Dutch Republic, and pose the question of how a small, newly founded & badly governed state could play such an important role in European 17th C. culture. It takes account of the recent international revival of interest in the Netherlands & its global impact, exploring the Republic’s international context in order to broaden understanding of early modern literature or culture in single vernaculars, and to encourage comparative analysis between, e.g. literary studies, history music, religion, and Neo-Latin studies. From across Europe people came to the Netherlands, which were hugely influential.