Correspondence of Hugo Grotius 1597-1645

Edited by P.C. Molhuysen, B.L. Meulenbroek, Paula P. Witkam, Henk J.M. Nellen and Cornelia M. Ridderikhoff

Hugo de Groot (Delft, 10 April 1583 – Rostock, 28 August 1645), who is better known in intellectual circles by his Latin name, Hugo Grotius, was a leading figure in both the government and the scientific world during the first half of the 17th century. However, it was his academic prowess in the fields of Dutch law, international law, philology, exegesis, and historiography in particular that won him international fame.

His vast correspondence is the most important source of information concerning his life and work. This publication contains the texts of letters that were written both to and by Grotius, each one of which is furnished with a brief commentary on its historical context. Four indices enable the interested researcher to gain direct access to the contents of the letters which are in Latin, Dutch, French and German. The work spans seventeen volumes, each one of which contains correspondence in chronological order. The final volume is a supplementary one that has been rounded off with three Addenda, that make it easier to gain access to the different volumes of the Correpondence. These Addenda, which include an additional index of personal and place names for volumes I to XVII, are now available online.

The edition was published under the auspices of the Huygens ING Institute. Information on the results of the latest research into the life and work of Hugo Grotius is regularly updated on the this website.