As a little guide: the way I view History, and the way I'm going to shape this podcast are as follows:

Every two weeks, I will make an episode of this history. With the disorderly episodes with the details, politics and names, and the larger orderly episodes with the conclusions and connections. The two perspectives will be separated. The details will have backing up with sources, maps and pictures, and the order will have its due as well. For now the short, guiding episode and, next episode the beginning of History.

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There is history and there is History. We have two ways of shaping the story of the past: the disorderly way of telling thousands of peculiarities and improbabilities, with intrigues, revolutions, coups, dynasties and names. And the shaping of a larger narrative, with the connection between the disorder of history to the order of History. See, history is a knot with many perspectives, causes and consequences. History is the way this all fits in a puzzle: how disorder with the many details can help understand the order of things.

My task? To shape order to the History of the Netherlands, with the chaotic part not far behind. The value of History? Just like Marcus Garvey said:

''A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture, is like a tree without root''

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Before the next big conflict, I need to introduce to you the next big player in Northern Europe: The Frisians. Even better: the New Frisians. This hodgepodge squeezed itself right between the Frankish kingdom of the Merovingian rulers and the dangerous North Sea. More the wonder that the Frisians will survive the pressure of the Franks, missionaries and the sea, living a wonderful life of some 1500 years. If you have the chance, watch the film 'Redbad'. It is not quite the true storyline of the Frisian king, but a good perspective.

Further for maps: https://www.instagram.com/thehistoryofthenetherlands/

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