ABSTRACT
On 9 January 1632, Amsterdam was a prospering city. In some 50 years, its population had more than tripled to over 100,000 inhabitants, and the city continued to expand rapidly. The newly constructed canal girdle offered space to its increasingly self-assured elite, and the new houses functioned both as living spaces, home offices and storage units. Their inhabitants not only belonged to the city’s economic elite, but also formed its political core, fulfilling posts in the city militia and urban government. Conveniently, the Wisselbank (Bank of Amsterdam), Bourse and city hall were within walking distance of their homes, as were the numerous printing houses and bookshops on the Rokin and Kalverstraat. These offered a welcome diversion and intellectual stimulation to the hard-working, always busy merchants. 1
