In modern historiography, known asThe Netherlands Revolution, the Eighty Years War (1568 - 1648) - the struggle of Seventeen Provinces (personal union of states in the Lower Countries) for independence against the most powerful Spanish Empire in Europe under King Philip II.
This is not about a long war.Throughout the 80 years, it manifested itself in many separate uprisings, as well as many years of truce (in 1609–1621). The struggle for independence led to the secession of the Northern and Southern Netherlands and the formation of the Republic of the United Provinces of the Netherlands.
The most generally accepted view is that the Netherlands revolution began with the plundering of churches and convents in 1566.
The reasons for the uprising are attributed to the poor economic situation of people, high taxation, and the oppression of the new Calvinist religion.
The rupture of relations between Catholics and the king withon the one hand, on the other hand, Calvinists and disgruntled nobles, demanding freedom of religion, led to insurrection. The leader of the Calvinists became William I of Orange.
To suppress the rebellion, Philip sent to the Lowerthe country of the new governor, Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Duke Alba, who very energetically set about solving his task. On the day of his arrival in Brussels, at the head of a select army, he approved the Council on riots - better known as the Bloody Council because of the many death sentences carried out. The council was created to punish the instigators of political and religious problems in the Netherlands. In total, about 18,000 people were executed by the Duke of Alba from 1567 to 1573 in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands revolution began with two unsuccessfulthe invasions, in 1568 and 1572, of William of Orange with a mercenary army consisting of naval goths, irregular Dutch land and sea forces. Due to the meager funding of the army and the small public support for the invasion, they were doomed initially.
But quite unexpectedly, the Gyozy captured the city of Brillet on April 1, 1572, which became a sign for the Calvinists in the provinces of Holland and Zeeland to rebel again.
The Spaniards were mostly successful, but the Netherlandsthe revolution cost them a lot of money. In this regard, peace negotiations were started, however, they failed. Meanwhile, the Duke of Alba, who did not like the Lower Countries, primarily because of the humid climate, asked Philip several times to release him from the duties of the governor. Philip finally agreed and in 1573 Luis de Recence was appointed new governor. But in 1576 he died suddenly.
Besides the fact that at that time there was no successorfor several months, the mercenaries were not paid salaries, and in the Spanish army there was a serious discontent, which turned into a rebellion, called the "Spanish rage." The soldiers defeated and ransacked Antwerp, killing 10,000 of its inhabitants.
The revolution in the Netherlands continued, as these circumstances further strengthened the insurgents ’determination to seek independence.
November 8, 1576 was concluded Gentskoepacification. Holland, Zeeland and the southern (Catholic) provinces agreed on religious tolerance and mutual cooperation in driving out the Spaniards from the Netherlands. The other northern provinces joined the Ghent Agreement.
January 6, 1579 Union was weakened.apostasy from the Ghent Agreement of the Walloon Provinces that signed the Union of Arras, by which they expressed their loyalty to the Spanish king. In response, on 23 January 1579, a union against the Spanish governorship was created in Utrecht, uniting the seven northern regions of the Netherlands and laying the foundations of a future independent Republic.
К 1588 испанцы, при наместнике Нидерландов Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, re-conquered the Southern Lower Countries. The birth of the Dutch Republic in the north was under attack. But Spain simultaneously led military companies against Britain and France, which allowed the Netherlands to launch a counteroffensive
During the period of the Twelve Armistice (since 1609) the borders of the Dutch state were finally secured.
By and large the Netherlands bourgeoisthe revolution spans the first fifty years of struggle between Spain and the Netherlands (1568 -1618). For the past thirty years (1618–1648), the conflict between Spain and the Netherlands has been combined with a pan-European war, known as the Thirty Years War.
