The Netherlands
is a state located in Western
Europe at the
mouth of the rivers Rhine and Meuse. Bounded on the north and west by the North
Sea, Belgium to
the south and east Germany.
The system of government is a constitutional monarchy. The
Netherlands
is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
along with the Caribbean countries of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. It
constitutes, together with
Belgium and
Luxembourg, the Benelux. Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of the
Hispanic
kingdoms, the region was part of the Seventeen Provinces of the
Netherlands,
which also included the current territory of
Belgium,
Luxembourg and parts of
France and
Germany. The
Eighty Years' War between
Spain and the
provinces began in 1568. In 1579, the northern part of the seventeen provinces
formed the Union of Utrecht, a treaty which promised mutual support in their
defense against the
Spanish army. This treaty is considered the foundation of the modern
Netherlands.
In 1581 the northern provinces adopted the Act of abjuration, the declaration of
independence with which the provinces officially deposed Philip II. The war
continued until 1648, when King Philip IV of
Spain finally
recognized the independence of the seven northern provinces with the Peace of
Münster. Parts of the southern provinces became de facto colonies of the new
republic.
Since
its independence from Philip II in 1581, the seven provinces formed the Republic
of the Seven United Provinces of the
Netherlands.
The republic was a confederation of the provinces of
Holland,
Zeeland, Groningen, Friesland, Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel. All these
provinces were autonomous and had their own government, the "State of the
Province." The "general rule", the confederal government was based in The Hague
and was composed of representatives from each province. The sparsely populated
part of Drenthe was also part of the republic, despite not being considered a
province. Drenthe had its own state but its head was appointed by the state
General. The republic also occupied by the so-called Land of the Government.
These territories were governed directly by the State General ie, not
representative or had self-government confederation. Most of these territories
were occupied during the Eighty Years' War. They were Catholics and were used
mainly as a safety zone between the Republic and the
Spanish
Netherlands.
