Finding solid ground for soldiers' payment: 'military soliciting' as brokerage practice in the Dutch Republic (c.1600-1795)

Troops’ payment was one of the largest items on the war budgets of early modern states. Private financiers played a crucial role in ensuring the steady flow of funds necessary to maintain the armed forces. This paper investigates the role of ‘military solicitors’ in the Dutch Republic, who acted as brokers between state, credit market and the military. It traces the origins and development of the system of ‘military soliciting’, focusing on the ways in which the state and entrepreneurs tried to strengthen their respective positions in this important area of military organization. It also tries to answer the question why, despite several attempts to replace ‘military soliciting’ by more centralized, state-run systems of troops’ payment, brokerage practices persisted until the fall of the Republic in 1795.