oa ‘Yrelandtsche traenen’ gedroogd

Drying Irish tears. Transnational solidarity and local politics in Zeeland, 1641-1644

This article shows how a local consistory from the province of Zeeland, driven by Calvinist loyalty and concern about the national church and state caused by the outbreak of the First English Civil War, laid the foundation for a charitable collection for Irish Protestants. It reviews the effectiveness of transnational Calvinist networks in generating political and financial support for the Puritan cause even though it contravened the official Dutch policy of neutrality. Decentralization of the collection enabled the authorities to avoid conflict with their Puritan citizens and to maintain consensus, thus maintaining the Republic’s ideal of harmony. Loyalty with fellow believers, the effective use of local lobbying networks, and the decentralized structure of the Dutch Republic were all crucial in the success of this collection. This case shows that international Calvinist solidarity did not necessarily depend on action at the national level but could be triggered by local initiative.