Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland : with a view of the primary causes and movements of the Thirty Years' War, 1617

"Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland" by John Lothrop Motley is a 19th-century book that tells the story of John of Barneveld, a key leader in the Dutch Republic, during a time of big changes in Europe, specifically the Thirty Years' War. The book shows how Barneveld dealt with tough political situations as religious and government groups fought for power. It starts by explaining the chaos in Europe when Ferdinand of Gratz became King of Bohemia, and this made Catholics and Protestants clash, leading to the start of the war. The story introduces important people like Rudolph, Matthias, and Ferdinand, and it makes it clear that Barneveld would play a really important part in this time of conflict.