Introduction

Abstract

Abstract Over four centuries have passed since Hugo Grotius (Huig de Groot) was born. Almost throughout this period his main work, De Jure Belli ac Pacis libri tres (hereafter referred to as JBP) has been considered the greatest classic in the history of international law, and Grotius has been called the ‘father of international law’ (as well as the ‘father of modern natural law’). On the other hand, criticisms have been directed since the nineteenth century at Grotius’s asserted paternity of both disciplines. A number of significant studies of Grotius were published in and around 1983, the quadri centennial of his birth, many of which were reluctant to concede these glorious titles.1