1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: show that proves there's more than one way to make history. 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: I'm Gabe Lousier and today we're looking at one of 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: the most amusing stories in Dutch history, the time when 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: a studious lawyer escaped an unjust punishment in one of 7 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: the nerdiest ways possible. The day was March twenty second, 8 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: sixteen twenty one. Dutch legal scholar Hugo Grotius escaped his 9 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: imprisonment by hiding inside a book chest. He had been 10 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: sentenced to life in prison two years earlier after being 11 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,639 Speaker 1: convicted on a trumped up charge of high treason. He 12 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: was held under guard at Luvestein Castle in the Netherlands, 13 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: which at the time functioned as a state prison. The 14 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: story of his improbable escape made Grotius a folk hero 15 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: to much of the Dutch public, but he also earned 16 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: lasting fame for his accomplishments as a lawyer, and is 17 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: widely known today as the father of international law. Hugo 18 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: de grot Aka Grotius was born in the city of 19 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,279 Speaker 1: Delft in the province of South Holland. Netherlands on April tenth, 20 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: fifteen eighty three. His parents were wealthy and well connected, 21 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: enabling Grotius to enroll at the University of Leiden when 22 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: he was just eleven years old. He earned his degree 23 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: in fifteen ninety eight, having shown particular aptitude for the 24 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: study of law. After graduation, Grotius's family connection secured him 25 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: a position at a Dutch embassy in France. The man 26 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: in charge there was Johann van Olden Barnivald, the Grand 27 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: Pensionary of Holland and Grotius's mentor and future partner in crime. 28 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: During his time in France, the young ambassador met with 29 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: the newly installed King Henry the Fourth and was given 30 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: an honorary doctorate from the University of Orleans. He returned 31 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: to the Netherlands in the early sixteen hundreds and began 32 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: pursuing a legal career. He registered as a lawyer in 33 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: the Hague and devoted most of his focus to international law, 34 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: a timely subject due to the Dutch Empire's recent overseas expansion. 35 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 1: Grotius quickly made a name for himself in the field 36 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: and was appointed Attorney General of Holland in sixteen o seven. 37 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: One year later, he married Maria von Reiherschbeck, the daughter 38 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: of an affluent city official. The couple went on to 39 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: have nine children together, though only four are believed to 40 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: have outlived their parents. The netherlands Eighty Years War with Spain, 41 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: also known as the Dutch Revolt, was in full swing 42 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: by the time Grotius was born, but in sixteen o 43 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: nine a twelve year truce began and the fighting was 44 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: suspended for the first time in his life. However, one 45 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: year into the truce, religious disputes and political infighting broke 46 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: out inside the Netherlands. Part of the controversy stemmed from 47 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: worsening economic and social conditions, which had been ignored during 48 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: the war but now were on full display during the truce. 49 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: But the biggest source of unrest was a theological conflict 50 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: between the strict Calvinists also known as Gormeriists and the 51 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: more moderate Remonstrance also called Arminians. Grotius and his mentor 52 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: Olden Barnivald became leaders of the Remonstrance, arguing in favor 53 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: of religious tolerance. That stance put them in direct opposition 54 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: with Prince Maurice of Orange. He had been staunchly opposed 55 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: to the Twelve Years Truce and resented Olden Barnivald for 56 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: his role in securing that ceasefire. It was no surprise, then, 57 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: that Prince Moore Race wound up siding with the Calvinists. 58 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: Many historians think he capitalized on the religious conflict largely 59 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: as a way to extend his own power and to 60 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: ensure that the war with Spain would eventually continue. In 61 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: any case, Prince Maurice began arresting his political opponents in 62 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: sixteen eighteen on suspicions of treason. Grotius and several other 63 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 1: remonstrants were put on trial the following summer. Old and 64 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: Barnivald remained defiant throughout the process, and was consequently found 65 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: guilty and publicly beheaded later that year. Grotius fared much 66 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: better at trial, possibly because the judges felt sorry for him. 67 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: According to some accounts, the scholar was so meek and 68 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: timid during questioning that he was ultimately spared the death 69 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: penalty and condemned to life in prison instead. Lucky Brake 70 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: and so On June fifth, sixteen, nineteen thirty six year 71 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: old Hugo Grotius was imprisoned in Luvestein Castle. He was 72 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: supposed to spend the rest of his life there, but 73 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: thanks to his wife Maria, he would ultimately escape less 74 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: than two years later. As soon as her husband's sentence 75 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: was handed down, Maria began petitioning for him to receive 76 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: special privileges and better treatment. Eventually, she prevailed and was 77 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: granted extended visitation rights. From then on, Maria was allowed 78 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: to live at Luvestein Castle for extended periods with Grotius, 79 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: their children, and their servants. She also got permission for 80 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: Grotius to continue his scholarly pursuits while in prison. Any 81 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: books he needed for his research were brought to him 82 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 1: from the nearby city of Horcombe in a book chest. 83 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: From time to time, a pair of soldiers would take 84 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: the chest across the boven Marvader River into Horcombe, drop 85 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: off the books Grotius was finished with, and pick up 86 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: a new batch to bring back to Luvestein Castle. During 87 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,799 Speaker 1: the first year of those periodic crossings, the soldiers would 88 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: meticulously search the book chest that each stop, but as 89 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: time went on and their searches turned up nothing, the 90 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: guards grew increasingly careless. Maria noticed that change and came 91 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: up with a plan to smuggler husband to freedom. For 92 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:22,600 Speaker 1: the next several months, Grotius prepped for his escape by 93 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: lying quiet and motionless inside the book chest. Each of 94 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: his training sessions lasted two hours, the exact time it 95 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: took to cross the Bofen Maravader River into Horcombe. Grotius 96 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: eventually perfected his impression of heavy books, and on March 97 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: twenty second, sixteen twenty one, he and Maria finally put 98 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: their plan into action. They chose that date specifically because 99 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: they knew that an annual fair would be held in 100 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: Horcombe that same day. Not only would the guards be 101 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: distracted by the festivities, the noise of the celebration would 102 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 1: also provide additional her for Grotius. When the soldiers arrived 103 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: to pick up the chest, they noted that it seemed 104 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: especially heavy, so heavy that quote there must be an 105 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: Arminian in it. Maria kept her cool and without missing 106 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: a beat, replied, there are indeed Arminian books in it. 107 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: The soldiers had a good laugh and then set out 108 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: from the castle, never once looking inside the chest. The 109 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: escape went off without a hitch. Grotius was able to 110 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: slip away and disguise himself and Horcum. Then he made 111 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: his way to Antwerp and eventually on to Paris, where 112 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: he was joined by his wife a few weeks later. 113 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: She had been briefly jailed herself after Grotius's escape was discovered, 114 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: but was eventually released due to lack of concrete evidence. 115 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: The couple knew that Grotius could never return to the Netherlands, 116 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: so they spent most of the rest of their lives 117 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: in Paris, Germany, and Sweden, though Maria did make frequent 118 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: trips back to Holland to manage her husband's affairs. Grotius 119 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: was largely unemployed for much of his exile in Paris, 120 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: but he filled his time productively enough. In sixteen twenty five, 121 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: he wrote what's probably his most famous work, De Jure 122 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: Belli Acpakis, or on the Law of War and Peace. 123 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: In that treatise, Grotius explored the legal justifications, causes, and 124 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: rules of war, providing lawyers with guidelines for determining whether 125 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: acts of war were lawful or not. That book helped 126 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: lay the groundwork for modern international law, as did Grotius's 127 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: other seminal work, sixteen o nine's Mary Liberum or the 128 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: Free Seas. In that thirteen chapter booklet, Grotius makes the 129 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: case that the sea should be considered international territory and 130 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: that every nation is therefore free to use it for trade. 131 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: It was a controversial position during a time when government 132 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: were scrambling to lay claims to various trade routes, but 133 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: in the end Grotius's view won out and eventually gave 134 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: rise to the principle of international waters that we know today. 135 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: Grotius wrote many more pamphlets, treatises, and even some poetry, 136 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: and unlike many authors, he was actually celebrated for his 137 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: work during his lifetime. In sixteen thirty five, he was 138 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: appointed the ambassador of Sweden to the French court, allowing 139 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: he and his wife to live in luxury from then on. 140 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: Grotius died in the German city of Rostock in sixteen 141 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: forty five, and Maria followed him eight years later. They 142 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,839 Speaker 1: were both laid to rest in the new kirk Mausoleum 143 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: in Grotius's hometown of Delft. In the centuries that followed, 144 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: Grotius's fame continued to grow, both for his legal scholarship 145 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 1: and for his daring escape from Luvis Stein castle. Today, 146 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: a statue of Grotius still stands in his native city, 147 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: and the chest of books he hid inside is on 148 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: permanent display at the reichs Museum in Amsterdam. That means 149 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: that even if you never read any of Grotius's books, 150 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: you can still visit the chest where he kept them, 151 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: and for added fun, you can even pretend he's still inside, 152 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: doing what he did best, not making any noise and 153 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: lying perfectly still. I'm Gabe Louisier, and hopefully you now 154 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 155 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: You can learn even more about history by following us 156 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at TEDI HC Show. You 157 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,479 Speaker 1: can also rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, 158 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 1: or you can get in touch directly by writing to 159 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks as always to 160 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: Chandler May's for producing the show, and thank you for listening. 161 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: I'll see you back here again tomorrow for another day 162 00:10:54,360 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: in history class.