Why 'Dutch courage' in the well-known experssion?

Baloo55th

Two possibles. One is that English troops fighting in the Netherlands gained extra courage through the use of gin. The other is that in the 17th and 18th centuries the former term 'pot-valour' (where the pot obviously didn't contain stew!) was changed to 'Dutch courage' as an insult to the Dutch troops that we were often fighting, implying that they needed it in order to get to the battle. Take your pick. Whatever, gin was involved.... Feb 11 06, 2:33 PM

lanfranco

In fact, "Dutch" was used pejoratively in a number of English terms for the 2nd reason that Baloo suggests. Scroll down this list for some information. (This is a rather interesting and useful site, by the way): http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/sayingsd.htm Feb 11 06, 2:45 PM

chris42

London had the great plague of 1665, and foreign traders such as the French and Spanish refused to sail up the Thames and therefore getting infected. However, the Dutch sailed straight up the river and continued to trade throughout the duration of the plague. Brave or just plain daft..who knows? Feb 12 06, 5:28 AM