| This country
was formed as a result of the revolution of 1566-1588, when the people
rebelled against Spanish predominance. In 1572, a rebellion broke out in
the northern Netherlands under the leadership of William of Orange. In
the end, all of the northern regions were cleared of Spaniards. In 1576,
the southern regions joined the independent state. All property of the
Catholic church was confiscated. Calvinism triumphed as the main
religious stream. Spanish armies tried to recapture the country in 1577.
Neither side managed to hold the winning position for a long time. In
1579, a coalition of seven provinces was created in the northern
Netherlands, and in 1581 it gained the status of a republic. The
Netherlands received significant aid in its struggle against the
Spaniards from England. The war against Spain continued until 1648.
Capturing Spanish colonies also coasted the Netherlands a lot of furious
battles. An independent republic was formed in the northern Netherlands,
while the South remained Spanish and was later given to Austria in the
Utrecht peace treaty. The 17th and 18th centuries were the peak of
prosperity for the Netherlands. Its powerful fleet fought for dominance
over the sea and also confronted the British in the colonies. Their
land-based army was famous for its great discipline and a large corps of
well-trained officers. After long wars at sea, the English gained
dominance, but the Netherlands remained a highly developed European
state. |
