Early Modern Concepts for a Late Modern World: Althusius on Community and Federalism

Appendix A: Chronology

A P P E N D I X A Charonology 1555 Augsburg Treaty of Religious Peace 1557 Althusius bora in Diedenhausen, county of WittgensteinBerleburg ; the ruling count of Sayn and Wittgenstein is a leading Calvinist and will later patronize Althusius' studies 1562 Religious wars in France begin 1568 Dutch Revolt against Spain begins 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre 1576 Jean Bodin's Les Six Litres de la Republique published 1579 Northern Dutch provinces form union at Utrecht 1584 During student years, Althusius meets leading Calvinists in Geneva and Basle 1586 Althusius receives doctorate of both civil and ecclesiastical law from University of Basle; he follows a call as lecturer to Herborn, a Reformed College in the county of Nassau-Dillenburg founded by Johan the Elder, a brother of William of Orange 233 234 EARLY MODERN CONCEPTS FOR A LATE MODERN WORLD 1588 Althusius is professor at Herborn 1a589 Althusius first employed as councillor of Johan the Elder 1595 The "Emden Revolution" begins: The Calvinist city seeks religious and fiscal autonomy from the Lutheran province of Eastern Frisia; a Dutch garrison is stationed in the city 1597 Althusius rector (president) of the College for the first time 1598 Edict of Nantes grants limited toleration for Huguenots 1603 First edition of the Politica appears in Herborn 1604 Althusius becomes city syndic in Emden 1608-09 German princes organize in Protestant Union and Catholic League 1609 Dutch Republic gains independence in truce with Spain 1609 Emden engages in military action against the ruling count of Eastern Frisia; Althusiusjustifies the action 16a10 Second editions of Politica appear in the Dutch cities of Arnheim and Groningen 161a4 Third edition of Politica appears in Herborn; the book is now dedicated to the "illustrious leaders of the Appendix A 235 estates of [the Dutch provinces of] Frisia," and contains new chapters on provincial administration as well as on the right of resistance against tyrants; the latter can be read as a theoretical justification of the Dutch Revolt 1617 Dicaeologica Libri Tres, Althusius' major work on law and justice, published in Herborn 1618 Thirty YearsWar begins 161a8 The count of Eastern Frisia is temporarily imprisoned his own city residence; Althusius speaks of necessary self-defense 1620 The Mayflower sails to the New World with Dutch support and money; many of the Pilgrim Fathers in fact begin the voyage from exile in the Netherlands 1625 Emden denies the oath of allegiance to the new provincial lord; Althusius changes it from a unilateral promise into a contract of mutual rights and obligations 1638 Althusius dies in Emden 1642 English Civil War begins 1648 Westphalian Peace Treaty ends Thirty Years War; Dutch independence from Spain and Empire recognized 1651 Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan published 1654 Fifth and last edition of the Politica published in Herborn ...