Huizinga, Johan (1872–1945)

Dutch historian and, in his time, a leading intellectual and popular writer. He is probably best known for The Waning of the Middle Ages 1919, an account of cultural decline in 14th- and 15th-century Burgundy.

Huizinga preferred broad themes and his writings ranged widely from classical Indian drama and Oriental cultural history to Western history from the 12th century to the present day. His eclecticism is brilliantly displayed in Homo Ludens 1938, a classic study of culture as play. His Dutch Civilization in the Seventeenth Century 1933 is an important contribution to Dutch history, as is his biography of Erasmus (Erasmus 1924), whose heir many consider him to be.

Huizinga was educated at Groningen University and studied briefly at Leipzig University. He taught Indian literature at the University of Amsterdam before being appointed professor of history at Groningen 1905. From 1915 he was professor of general history at London University and became rector of Leyden University 1933.