Quicksilver Reading CompanionIn April 1685, Eliza and the Duke of Monmouth recover from a tryst in Amsterdam as the city prepares for a grand ball attended by the Prince of Orange and various European diplomats.
“some Papist who must draw up a schedule of his sins” — Papist was a derogatory term for Roman Catholics, used in the 17th century to suggest a subject’s primary loyalty was to the Pope rather than their own monarch.
“Ps and Qs chalked up on the wall” — This period expression likely refers to “Pints and Quarts” tallied on a tavern wall to track a patron’s debt, though its origins are often debated.
“daubed on canvas by one of those Brueghels” — The Brueghel family was a prolific dynasty of Flemish painters famous for their incredibly detailed, crowded scenes of peasant life and landscapes.
“William’s going to be there… the Prince of Orange” — William III of Orange was the Stadholder of the Netherlands and a pivotal figure in European politics, eventually becoming King of England during the Glorious Revolution.
“After the Peace of Breda he put on a ballet” — The Treaty of Breda (1667) ended the Second Anglo-Dutch War; as part of the settlement, England famously traded the spice island of Run for New Amsterdam, which they renamed New York.
“the Raadspensionary, and diverse Regents and Magistrates” — The Dutch Republic’s government was a complex oligarchy where the Raadspensionary (Grand Pensionary) acted as the lead politician, while “Regents” were the wealthy merchant-elites who controlled the cities.
“trade in actual V.O.C. shares” — The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was the world’s first multinational corporation and the first to issue public stock, making Amsterdam the center of global finance.
“slave-forts on the Guinea coast” — This refers to the Atlantic Slave Trade, specifically the fortified outposts in West Africa where Dutch and English merchants traded manufactured goods for enslaved people.
“the Stadholder’s box… being ransacked by Blue Guards” — The Stadholder was the hereditary office of the chief of state and military commander in the Dutch Republic, a position that often clashed with the merchant Regents.
“insect ’neath a Natural Philosopher’s burning-glass” — Natural Philosophy was the 17th-century precursor to modern science; “burning-glasses” or lenses were frequently used in early experiments regarding optics, heat, and microscopy.
“the Blue Guards were making an endless thrash” — The Blue Guards were an elite Dutch infantry regiment that served as the personal bodyguard for William of Orange, recognizable by their distinctive blue uniforms.
“Amsterdam Regent” — The Regenten were the ruling class of merchant-oligarchs who dominated the city councils; they often favored peace and trade over the more bellicose policies of the House of Orange.
“the arms of the Holy League—the alliance of Poland, Austria, and Venice” — Organized by Pope Innocent XI, the Holy League was a coalition of Christian powers formed to oppose the Ottoman Empire following the 1683 Siege of Vienna.
“master stroke” — From the original wiki (Jeremy Bornstein): “This is similar to the system of Tokugawa-era Japan (1600’s or so) in which daimyos (clan leaders) were forced to live alternate years in the capital city, and alternate years in their own territories. At any given time, only half the daimyos were in their home territories. This had the effect of making rebellion more difficult not only because coordination became more difficult, but because of the increased expense of maintaining two residences.”
“duc d arcachon” — Stephenson’s annotation: “This entire family (de Lavardac/d’Arcachon) is fictitious. People who are familiar with the history of France in the era of Louis XIV will, I hope, find this family and their exploits fairly plausible, and representative of a whole class of old-line hereditary nobles.”
“nudging the wreckage of the Turkish Army back across Hungary” — During the Great Turkish War, the Holy League began a long campaign to reclaim Central European territories, including Hungary, from Ottoman control.
“Jean Antoine de Mesmes, comte d’Avaux, your most humble servant” — The Comte d’Avaux was a real-life master diplomat for Louis XIV, serving as the French ambassador to the Hague and working to undermine William of Orange.
“managing the assets of half the population of Versailles” — The Palace of Versailles was the seat of French power; Stephenson notes that Louis XIV used the palace to keep his nobles under watch, similar to the “alternate attendance” system used by the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan.
“at least a foot lower than it had been in 1672” — Known as the Rampjaar (Year of Disaster), 1672 saw the Dutch Republic nearly destroyed by simultaneous invasions from France, England, and German states.
“festoons and garlands of Barock plasterwork” — Baroque architecture is characterized by its grand, theatrical, and highly ornate style, which was used by European monarchs to project power and wealth.
“as the first galliard was drawing to a close” — The galliard was a demanding Renaissance dance popular in European courts, characterized by five steps and a final athletic leap.
“the Doctor’s mine, deep beneath the Harz” — The Harz Mountains were a vital mining center in Germany; the “Doctor” refers to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who historically attempted to use wind-powered pumps to drain these silver mines.
“Aaron de la Vega sold the V.O.C. short. It would all lead to an invasion of England.” — The financial preparations for William of Orange’s eventual invasion of England required massive capital and the cooperation of Amsterdam’s sophisticated stock and credit markets.
““The King’s mistress was born a slave,” d’Avaux said. “Now she is a Marquise.”” — Madame de Maintenon, the second wife of Louis XIV, was born in a prison and lived in poverty in the West Indies; her meteoric rise to the King’s side was a source of great scandal.
“catch Monmouth’s eye, and make Mary unhappy, and create strife in William’s house” — Mary II, daughter of James II and wife of William of Orange, occupied a difficult position as her husband and her father moved toward open war.
Original annotations by: stephenson, bornstein