The Dutch have given the world many things: windmills, stroopwafels, and questionable liquorice – but perhaps the most infamous is the world’s first financial bubble: tulip mania.

In the 1630s, tulip bulbs in the Netherlands were so valuable that people traded land, homes, and life savings for a single flower.

What started as a colourful garden trend quickly spiralled into economic madness.

A blooming obsession

Tulips arrived in the Netherlands from the Ottoman Empire in the late 16th century, and their vibrant colours–especially rare striped varieties–made them highly desirable.

The more unusual the pattern, the more valuable the bulb.

These flowers are beautiful, but they were once also extremely expensive. Image: Depositphotos

As the Dutch Republic’s wealth soared from maritime trade, so did its appetite for status symbols.…