Dutch revolt Flashcards
(2 cards)
time line 1566
The Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule began in 1566 when Philip II of Spain tried to reorganize the Dutch government and used the Spanish Inquisition to crush Protestantism. His unpopular actions triggered a rebellion.
In 1566, Dutch rebels revolted against Spanish rule. Although Elizabeth I of England publicly denounced the rebels (known as the Sea Beggars), many fled to England to escape Spanish persecution of Protestants in the Netherlands. These atrocities increased pressure on Elizabeth, as rebel ships attacked Spanish vessels in the English Channel, prompting tension with Spain.
Spain’s anger toward England intensified after England supported the Genoese Loan in 1568, where English ports sheltered ships carrying a loan intended for Spain, but Elizabeth claimed it belonged to Italian bankers instead. By 1570, Spain had firmly secured control over the Netherlands. This consolidation of power alarmed the English Privy Council, which began fearing a potential Spanish invasion because Spanish troops were stationed in the Spanish Netherlands, close to England. Additionally, Mary, Queen of Scots’ presence presented a further Catholic threat to Elizabeth’s Protestant rule, encouraging Spain to possibly intervene.
In 1567, Philip II sent the Duke of Alba to the Netherlands with an army of 10,000 men. Alba established the Council of Troubles (nicknamed the “Council of Blood”) to enforce Catholic rule, resulting in the mass execution of Protestants.
Between 1567 and 1568, Elizabeth I of England responded by allowing Dutch Protestant refugees into England. She also gave shelter to the “Sea Beggars,” Dutch rebels who attacked Spanish ships in the English Channel. In 1568, Spanish ships carrying gold (loaned from Genoa) sought refuge in English ports due to a storm. Elizabeth seized the gold, claiming it belonged to the Italian bankers, not to Philip II, which further angered Spain.
By 1568, the Dutch Revolt was crushed militarily, but Spanish troops remained stationed in the Neth
Dutch revolt
The Netherlands were ruled by Spain but the English saw the Netherlands as a vital place for trade. By 1572 Protestant ideas had spread in the Netherlands and Protestant Dutch rebels began a campaign for independence from Catholic Spain, leading to the Dutch Revolt. King Philip of Spain sent an army to defeat the rebels. Following the death of the Dutch rebel leader, William of Orange, Elizabeth was approached to become Queen of the Dutch. She declined but sent an army to fight with the Dutch against Spain. Throughout the 1590s the Dutch won several victories against the Spanish and by 1609, after Elizabeth’s death, the Dutch Protestants won control of Holland.
