From the struggle against Spanish rule, Holland emerged as one of the world's greatest maritime empires. Within a few years, the country gained control over vast territories: from Indonesia to Western India, from South Africa to South America. Charles Boxer, a professor at Yale University, the author of a number of historical works, represents Holland in the 16th–18th centuries. Explaining the reasons for the rapid rise of such a small country to power, Boxer draws attention to the how and why of the rapid development of industry, maritime trade, agricultural abundance and cultural flourishing of the country. Analyzes the state of science, technology, the education system, attitude towards religion, the institution of marriage, everyday life, the organization of charity, entertainment, recreating vivid pictures of the adventurism and wild life of the Dutch in all four corners of the world. And then the author traces the regrettable transition from the golden age to the era of wigs - a time of "regimelessness" - frequent changes of power and French invasions.