"United Netherlands" redirects here. For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands," see United Kingdom of the Netherlands. United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial

Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden / Zeven Provinciën Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ← 1588 – 1795 → Flag Coat of arms Map of the Dutch Republic Capital None, de facto The Hague (seat of the federal parliament) Language(s) Dutch (official documents), Frisian (unofficial regional) Government Republic Legislature Dutch States-General Historical era Early Modern Age  - Established 1588  - Disestablished 1795 De facto state religion being Calvinist Protestantism

The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (or "of the Seven United Provinces") (Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden/Provinciën; also Dutch Republic or United Provinces in short, Foederatae Belgii Provinciae or Belgica Foederata in Latin) was a European republic between 1581 and 1795, in about the same location as the modern Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is the successor state. The Seventeen Provinces were a Personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century roughly covering the current Netherlands The Batavian Republic (Bataafse Republiek was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. The Flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal Tricolour of Red, White, and Blue. The Greater Coat of Arms of the Realm, (or "Grote Rijkswapen" is the personal Coat of Arms of the Monarch ( Queen Beatrix) Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national Capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist the capital was moved or the capital Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The States-General ( Staten-Generaal) is the Parliament of the Netherlands. The early modern period is a term used by historians to refer to the period in Western '''Europe''' and its first colonies which spans the three centuries between A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Succession of states is a theory in International relations regarding the recognition and acceptance of a newly created State by other states based on

History

Before 1581, the area of the Low Countries consisted of a number of duchies, counties, and independent bishoprics, not all of them part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt A duchy is a territory fief, or domain ruled by a Duke or Duchess. A count is a Nobleman in European countries The word count comes from French comte, itself from Latin The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Today that area is divided between the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and parts of France and Germany. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Low Countries in the 16th century roughly corresponded to the Seventeen Provinces covered by the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 was an Edict, promulgated by Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, reorganizing the Seventeen Provinces. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was

Through marriage, war or sale, these states all ended up in the hands of the Habsburg emperor Charles V and his son, king Philip II of Spain. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 In 1568, the Netherlands, led by William I of Orange, revolted against Philip II because of his efforts to modernize and centralize the devolved medieval government structures of the provinces, high taxes, and persecution of Protestants by the government. William I Prince of Orange ( April 24 1533 — July 10 1584) also widely known as William the Silent (Willem de Zwijger or simply Centralization (or centralisation) is the process by which the activities of an organization particularly those regarding decision-making become concentrated within __FORCETOC__ Decentralization or Decentralisation (see Spelling differences) is the process of dispersing Decision-making governance closer to the people Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. ^[1] This was the start of the Eighty Years' War. The Dutch Revolt, Eighty Years' War or the Revolt of the Netherlands (1568—1648 was the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces in the Low Countries

In 1579, a number of the northern provinces of the Netherlands signed the Union of Utrecht, in which they promised to support each other in their defense against the Spanish army. The Union of Utrecht (Unie van Utrecht is a treaty signed on January 23, 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern Provinces This was followed in 1581 by the Oath of Abjuration, the declaration of independence in which the provinces officially deposed Philip II.

The United Provinces first tried to choose their own lord, and they asked the Duke of Anjou (sovereign from 1581-1583) to rule them. Hercule François Duke of Anjou and Alençon, often simply referred to as "the Duke of Alençon" ( March 18, 1555 &ndash June 19 Later, after the assassination of William of Orange (July 10, 1584), both Henry III of France and Elizabeth I of England declined the offer of sovereignty. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Henry III of France (Henri III Henryk ( September 19 1551 – August 2, 1589) However, the latter agreed to turn the United Provinces into a protectorate of England (Treaty of Nonsuch, 1585), and sent the Earl of Leicester as governor-general. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect The Treaty of Nonsuch was signed by Elizabeth I of England and the Netherlands on August 20, 1585 at Nonsuch Palace in Surrey Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester ( 24 June 1532 /1533 &ndash 4 September 1588) was the long standing Favourite of Elizabeth This was not a success, and in 1588 the provinces became a Republic. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its

History of the Low Countries v • d • e
Bishopric of Liège 985–1790	Burgundian Netherlands		Duchy of Luxembourg integrated 1441
	1384/1473–1482
	Habsburg Netherlands 1482–1556
	Spanish Netherlands	Dutch Republic 1581–1795	1581–1713
	Image:Flag of the Austrian Netherlands.jpg Austrian Netherlands		1713–1790
United States of Belgium			1790
Bishopric of Liège 1790–1795	Austrian Netherlands		1790–1794
French Republic		Batavian Republic 1795–1806	1795–1804
French Empire			1804–1815
		Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810
United Kingdom of the Netherlands 1815–1830			Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (in personal union with the Netherlands until 1890)
Kingdom of Belgium since 1830		Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1830

Main article: Economic History of the Netherlands (1500 - 1815)

From an economic perspective, the Republic of the United Provinces completely out-performed all expectations; it was a surprise to many that a nation, not based on the church or on a single royal leader, could be so successful. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries in present Belgium Events By Place Europe Barcelona is sacked by Al-Mansur. Greenland is colonized by Icelandic Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In the history of the Low Countries, the Burgundian Netherlands refers to the period when the dukes of Burgundy ruled the area as well as Luxembourg and parts of For other uses of Luxembourg see Luxembourg (disambiguation. The historical region of Luxembourg belonged to the Roman province of Germania Inferior The Habsburg Netherlands was a geo-political entity covering the whole Low Countries from 1482 to 1556/1581 and solely the Southern Netherlands from 1581 to 1794 The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1713 ( MDCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish Year 1713 ( MDCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The United States of Belgium, ( Dutch: Verenigde Nederlandse Staten or Verenigde Belgische Staten, French: États-Belgiques-Unis) was Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries in present Belgium Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1794 ( MDCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The First Republic in France, officially the French Republic (République française was proclaimed on 21 September 1792 during the French Revolution. The Batavian Republic (Bataafse Republiek was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or Year 1804 ( MDCCCIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Not to be confused with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom of Holland 1806 - 1810 (Koningrijk Holland Royaume Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1810 ( MDCCCX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by A personal union is the combination by which two different States are governed by the same Monarch, while their boundaries their laws and their interests remain distinct Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The history of Belgium, from pre-history to the present day is intertwined with the histories of its European neighbours in particular those of the Netherlands For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display The historical period sets in with the Roman Empire, as the parts south of the Rhine were included in the province of Gallia Belgica, and later of For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display The Economic History of the Netherlands (1500 - 1815, is the history of an economy that some consider to be the first "modern" economy continuously existing to this day This time period is known in the Netherlands as the Golden Age. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands This article focuses on social and cultural history For political events see History of the Netherlands and Dutch Revolt (1568–1648 The Dutch dominated world trade in the 17th century, conquering a vast colonial empire and operating the largest fleet of merchantmen of all western nations. The history of international trade chronicles notable events that have affected the Trade between various countries The Dutch Empire was the territories controlled by The Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century The County of Holland was the wealthiest and most urbanized region of Europe. The free trade spirit of the time — which some would argue was the Protestant spirit of the time — received a strong augmentation through the development of a modern — much better functioning — stock market in the Low Countries. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A stock market, or (equity market is a private or public market for the trading of company Stock and derivatives of company They established a stock market first in Rotterdam and later in Amsterdam. Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west In Amsterdam, the modernization of the financial institution took place, and the oldest stock market based on modern trading principles is found here. While the banking system evolved in the Low Countries, it was quickly incorporated into the well-connected English, stimulating the English economic output.

The Republic of the United Provinces was officially recognized in the Peace of Westphalia (1648), and lasted until French revolutionary forces invaded in 1795 and set up a new republic, called the Batavian Republic, which would be replaced by the French-controlled Kingdom of Holland. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The Batavian Republic (Bataafse Republiek was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. Not to be confused with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom of Holland 1806 - 1810 (Koningrijk Holland Royaume

The Netherlands regained independence from France in 1813. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 the names "United Provinces of the Netherlands" and "United Netherlands" are used. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 (also known as the Convention of London) was a Treaty signed between Great Britain and the United Provinces in In 1815 it was rejoined with Austrian Netherlands, Luxemburg and Liège (before that the 'Southern provinces') to become the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, in order to create a strong buffer state north of France. The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Liège (ljɛːʒ Older English: Luick, Walloon: Lidje, German: Lüttich; Latin: Leodium, Dutch United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial A buffer state is a Country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers, which by its sheer existence is thought to prevent conflict between them This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. After Belgium became independent, the state finally became known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as it remains today. The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities

Between 1590-1712, the Dutch also enjoyed having one of the strongest navies in the world. This allowed for their varied conquests, including breaking the Portuguese sphere of influence on the Indian Ocean and on the Orient.

Politics

The republic was a confederation of seven provinces, which had their own governments and were very independent, and a number of so-called Generality Lands. A confederation is a group of empowered states or communities usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the These latter were governed directly by the States-General (Staten-Generaal in Dutch), the confederal government. The States-General ( Staten-Generaal) is the Parliament of the Netherlands. The States-General were seated in The Hague and consisted of representatives of each of the seven provinces.

The provinces of the republic were, in official feudal order: the duchy of Gelre, the counties of Holland and Zealand, the former bishopric of Utrecht, the lordship of Overijssel and the free (i. This article deals with the historical county and duchy of Guelders for other meanings see Gelderland. Holland is a region in the western part of the Netherlands. A maritime and economic power in the 17th century Holland today consists of the Dutch provinces of Zeeland ( also called Zealand in English and Zeelandic, is a province of the Netherlands. Utrecht ( ˈyːtrɛxt is the smallest province of the Netherlands, and is located in the center of the country Overijssel (Transiselania is a Province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country e. never feudalised) provinces of Friesland and Groningen. Friesland ( West Frisian: Fryslân, Dutch Friesland) is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the bigger region known Groningen is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. Actually there was an eighth province, the lordship of Drenthe, but this area was so poor it was exempt from paying confederal taxes and as a corollary was denied representation in the States-General. Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country Each province was governed by the Provincial States; the main executive official was a stadtholder (stadhouder in Dutch). A Stadtholder ( Dutch: stadhouder, " steward " or literally "place-keeper" or "stead-holder" in older Dutch in the Low In theory the stadtholders were freely appointed by and subordinate to the States of each province. However in practice the Princes of Orange-Nassau, beginning with William the Silent, were always chosen as stadtholders of most of the provinces, and Zeeland and usually also Utrecht had the same stadtholder as Holland . The House of Orange-Nassau (in Dutch: Huis van Oranje-Nassau) a branch of the German House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life William I Prince of Orange ( April 24 1533 — July 10 1584) also widely known as William the Silent (Willem de Zwijger or simply There was a constant power struggle between the Orangists, who supported the stadtholders, and the Regents' supporters.

After the Peace of Westphalia several border territories were assigned to the United Provinces. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of They were federally governed Generality Lands (Generaliteitslanden). The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the They were Staats-Brabant (present North Brabant), Staats-Vlaanderen (present Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), Staats-Limburg (around Maastricht) and Staats-Oppergelre (around Venlo, after 1715). The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the North Brabant ( Dutch: Noord-Brabant,) is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country bordered by Belgium The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the Zeelandic Flanders (Nl-Zeeuws-Vlaanderenogg|Zeeuws-Vlaanderen]] is the southernmost region of the province of Zeeland in southwestern Netherlands. The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the Maastricht ( Dutch; Limburgish and city dialect Mestreech; French: Maestricht or Maëstricht; Spanish: The Generality Lands, Lands of the Generality or Common Lands (Generaliteitslanden were about one fifth of the territories of the United Provinces of the Venlo ( is a Municipality and a City in the southeastern Netherlands.

This box: view • talk • edit History of the Netherlands
Ancient times
Germanic tribes
Roman Era
Migration Period
The Medieval Low Countries
Frankish Realm / The Franks
Holy Roman Empire
Burgundian Netherlands
Seventeen Provinces
Spanish Netherlands
Rise and Fall of the Dutch Republic
Eighty Years' War
United Provinces
The Golden Age
The Batavian revolution
From Republic to Monarchy
Batavian Republic
Kingdom of Holland
First French Empire
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Netherlands in Modern Times
Modern History of the Netherlands
Netherlands in World War II
Luctor et Emergo
The Dutch Fight against Water
The Miscellaneous Netherlands
Military history of the Netherlands
History of the Dutch language
Dutch literature
Dutch influence on naval terms
Dutch inventions and discoveries

The States-General of the United Provinces were in control of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the Dutch West India Company (WIC), although some shipping expeditions were initiated by some of the Provinces, mostly Holland and/or Zeeland. The historical period sets in with the Roman Empire, as the parts south of the Rhine were included in the province of Gallia Belgica, and later of The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The historical period sets in with the Roman Empire, as the parts south of the Rhine were included in the province of Gallia Belgica, and later of The Migration Period, also called Barbarian Invasions, or sometimes Völkerwanderung ( German for "wandering of peoples" is the English name Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire (imperium Francorum Frankish Kingdom (Latin regnum Francorum, "Kingdom of the The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in In the history of the Low Countries, the Burgundian Netherlands refers to the period when the dukes of Burgundy ruled the area as well as Luxembourg and parts of The Seventeen Provinces were a Personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 15th century and 16th century roughly covering the current Netherlands The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish The Dutch Revolt, Eighty Years' War or the Revolt of the Netherlands (1568—1648 was the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces in the Low Countries This article focuses on social and cultural history For political events see History of the Netherlands and Dutch Revolt (1568–1648 The term Batavian revolution refers to the political social and cultural turmoil that marked the end of the Dutch Republic at the end of the 18th century The Batavian Republic (Bataafse Republiek was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. Not to be confused with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom of Holland 1806 - 1810 (Koningrijk Holland Royaume The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial Rise of Socialism In the beginning of the 20th century socialism began to develop in the Netherlands The Netherlands has been struggling against Floods since the first people settled there The Dutch-speaking people have a long history the Netherlands as a Nation-state dates from 1568 Dutch is a West Germanic language, that originated from the Old Frankish dialects Similar to other literary traditions Dutch literature is not restricted to the Netherlands alone Historically many Dutch military terms have been influential and adopted as Loanwords by many other languages all over the world The Dutch people have a History and Tradition in inventing and Discovery. The Dutch East India Company ( Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in old-spelling Dutch, literally "United East Indian Dutch West India Company ( Dutch: Geoctroyeerde Westindische Compagnie or GWC; English: Chartered West India Company was a company of

Religion

The denomination linked closely to the official States, and adopted as de facto state religion, was the Lower German Dutch Reformed Church, the later Reformed Church of the Netherlands. Dutch Reformed Church (in Dutch: Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk or NHK was one of many branches of churches coming out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe The public exercise of Catholicism was strictly forbidden, Catholics were viewed by the government with suspicion and were supervised, Catholic chapels and road-side crosses were all destroyed, shrines demolished, and even in the southern and utmost eastern parts of the country, which remained almost entirely Catholic during the whole period of existence of the Dutch Republic, public servants had to be Calvinist Protestants (or Jewish) and take an oath which ordered them to act against the "papist religion". As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ However after the end of the 17th century the situation changed to a state of restricted toleration of Catholic worship, as long as it took place secretly in non-recognizable churches or in sheds. However until 1795 the Catholics of the Netherlands had to pay huge taxes and large sums of "recognition money" in order to make local government tolerate them. All ancient churches, monastery buildings and stripped cathedrals remained in the hands of the Protestants, even in entirely Catholic provinces and regions of the Netherlands.

Because of the enormous shortage of priests - most had fled, were expelled or defected to the Protestant religion - and the fact that the entire Dutch Republic's Catholics were very inefficiently governed by an Apostolic Vicariate as the so-called Dutch Mission, during the late 17th century and even onwards more and more badly catechized and economically discriminated Catholics in the north and west slowly fell away to the Protestant state church and even to Anabaptist communities. The Dutch Mission (Hollandse Zending was from 1592 until 1853 the name of the former Catholic Church province of Utrecht (see Bishop of Utrecht) in the Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation In the provinces of Holland and Zeeland, the majority however had become officially Calvinist, but in 1648 some regions in the northern and western parts of the country, and many in the centre and the centre-east, had very confused but still mostly Roman Catholic populations. By this also can be explained why during the Franco-Dutch War occupation (1670s) of huge parts of the Netherlands by Catholic troops of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster and France, and the temporary restoration of Catholicism in the parish churches and cathedrals, still huge masses of Dutch faithful attended the celebrations of Mass conducted by foreign priests, serving as chaplains in the invading armies. The Franco-Dutch War (1672&ndash1678 was a War fought between the Kingdom of France, Münster-->, Cologne--> and Kingdom of England The Bishopric of Münster was an ecclesiastical principality in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the northern part of today's North Rhine-Westphalia and western This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities A chaplain is typically a Priest, Pastor, ordained Deacon, Rabbi, Imam or other member of the Clergy serving a group of However by 1795 Calvinist Protestant policies dominating the country for almost two hundred years, had left their marks: vast previously Catholic regions - even during the Protestant Reformation - had been converted to Reformed Protestantism, while Catholic shrines, monasteries, abbeys and other cultural institutions associated with the papacy and Catholic doctrine, had been razed to the ground - mostly from 1630 to 1690. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. An abbey (from Latin abbatia derived from Syriac abba "father" is a Christian Monastery or History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and

The Dutch Republic did not allow public exercise of Anabaptism and Lutheranism either, except in foreign embassies and in isolated villages, like Giethoorn (Anabaptists) and among the German traders in major cities of the Republic. Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk Public policy against non-Calvinist Protestants however was less harsh than policy towards native Dutch Catholics.

Influence

The framers of the U.S. Constitution were influenced by the Constitution of the Republic of the United Provinces, though that influence was more as an example of things to avoid than of things to imitate. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. ^[2] In addition, the Oath of Abjuration, essentially the declaration of independence of the United Provinces, is strikingly similar to the later American Declaration of Independence^[3] though concrete evidence that the former directly influenced the latter is absent. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then

John Adams went so far as to say that “the originals of the two Republics are so much alike that the history of one seems but a transcript from that of the other. John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. ”^[4] The seven arrows in the lion's left claw in the Republic's coat of arms, representing the seven provinces, was a precedent for the thirteen arrows in the eagle's left claw in the Great Seal of the United States. The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. ^[5]

Decline

Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius

Long term rivalry between the two main factions in Dutch society, the Staatsgezinden (Republicans) and the Prinsgezinden (Royalists or Orangists) sapped the strength and unity of the country. An Orangist was a person who supported the election of William III, Prince of Orange, the posthumously-born son of William II Prince of Orange, to the Johan de Witt and the Republicans did reign supreme for a time at the middle of the Seventeenth century (the First Stadtholderless Period) until his overthrow and murder in 1672. Johan de Witt ( Dordrecht, Netherlands, 24 September 1625 &ndash The Hague, Netherlands, 20 August The First Stadtholderless Period or Era ( 1650 - 1672) ( Dutch Eerste Stadhouderloze Tijdperk) is the period in the history of the Subsequently, William III of Orange became stadtholder, after a stadtholderless era of 22 years, and the Orangists regained power; his first problem was to survive the Franco-Dutch War (which was related to the Third Anglo-Dutch war), when France, England, Münster and Cologne ganged up against his country. William III or William of Orange (14 November 1650 &ndash 8 March 1702 He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy" The Franco-Dutch War (1672&ndash1678 was a War fought between the Kingdom of France, Münster-->, Cologne--> and Kingdom of England The Third Anglo-Dutch War or Third Dutch War ( Dutch: Derde Engelse Oorlog or Derde Engelse Zeeoorlog) was a military conflict between The Bishopric of Münster was an ecclesiastical principality in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the northern part of today's North Rhine-Westphalia and western The Electorate of Cologne (Kurfürstentum Köln or Kurköln) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire and existed from the 10th to the early 19th

Wars to contain the expansionist policies of France in various coalitions, after the Glorious Revolution mostly including England, burdened the Republic with huge debts, although little of the fighting after 1673 took place on its own territory. The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England (VII of Scotland in 1688 by a union The end of the War of Spanish Succession in 1713 marked the end of the Republic as a major military power. In the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714 several European powers combined to stop French succession to the Spanish throne and what would likely have been a resulting

Fierce competition for trade and colonies, especially from England, furthered the economic downturn of the country. The three Anglo-Dutch Wars and the rise of Mercantilism hurt Dutch shipping and commerce. Mercantilism is the idea that a colony should export more goods than it imports and that a colony should sell at higher prices and buy at lower prices

The establishment of the Bank of England, at a time when the Dutch were fighting against the French on Dutch soil, meant that money could be borrowed from London at lower interest rates, and at greater reliability and protection. Gradually, London displaced Amsterdam as the leading European financial centre.

See also

• History of the Netherlands
• Union of Utrecht
• Eighty Years' War
• Dutch Golden Age
• List of Grand Pensionaries

Further reading

• Israel, J. The historical period sets in with the Roman Empire, as the parts south of the Rhine were included in the province of Gallia Belgica, and later of The Union of Utrecht (Unie van Utrecht is a treaty signed on January 23, 1579 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, unifying the northern Provinces The Dutch Revolt, Eighty Years' War or the Revolt of the Netherlands (1568—1648 was the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces in the Low Countries This article focuses on social and cultural history For political events see History of the Netherlands and Dutch Revolt (1568–1648 List of Grand Pensionaries of the province of Holland during the time of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands: Paulus Buys (held the I. The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477-1806 Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995
• Reynolds, Clark G. Navies in History. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1998

References