The Dutch Revolt Revision Notes

The Dutch Revolt Revision

Why did the Dutch Revolt succeed?

• A powerful external threat inspires unity.

  • Charles V

    • Taxed heavily.

  • Philip II

    • Absent monarch

    • Stubborn in granting toleration

    • 1559: ecclesiastical reorganisation

    • 1565: launches Inquisition in retaliation of the 1565 Compromise

    • 1567: Alva turns up, launches ‘Council of Troubles’.

    • 1576

      • Spanish Fury, a sack of Amsterdam genuinely brings all the North and South together leads to the Pacification of Ghent.

    • Seige of Naarden.

• Unity

  • There is little similiarity; indeed these are local disputes but, moments of genuine coordination.

    • 1576 = banners were ‘Pro Fide et pro Patria’

    • Estates General as a genuine unifier.

• Calvinism

  • Brought discipline and militancy to a desperate situation.

  • Don’t overstate

    • In reality, Calvinism was capricious and uncontrollable, a religion not wholly endorsed by aristocrats and princes the way it had done in France.

    • Uncontrollable

      • People are a little pissed off when the Sea Beggars take over.

      • 1577 – Ghent taken and overthrown (Peter Dathenus)

      • Brussells Council of Eighteen

      • In 1586, Holland and Zeeland see widespread Beggar overthrowings of traditional elites.

• ‘Calvinist internationale’.

  • Duke of Alencon

    • Brings in 4,000 troops.

  • Earl of Leicester

    • Brings in troops on behalf of Elizabeth I.

  • Backers: Maurice of Nassau, the landgrave of Saxony supports our man, William.

  • John Casimir

    • In the fray as an alternative to the Duke of Alencon (Malcontent opinion wants this guy).

• William

  • Wilhelmus

  • His own powerful propaganda machine

    • The Apologia propagated myths of Spanish barbarity [backed up by Bartolome de las Casas’ A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies]

• Changing fortunes of Spain.

  • Spain had other problems

    • Bankrupt – 1576 – leads to the haphazard Spanish Fury

    • In 1567, it’s the treasure ship coming in that lets him give Margaret some booster.

    • 1588 – Armada, troops leave Spain, while in 1589, the death of Henri III leads Farnese westwards

    • Decided after Bartholomew 1572, that more important to move east, while in 1571, the Battle of Lepanto rages on, sucking up most resources including Don Juan.

Anything from now on that shows the Calvinist international in full force, will be marked in orange

J.H. Elliott, Europe Divided 1559-1598 (London, 1968).

• Similarities between France and the Spanish Netherlands

  • Women regents

    • Margaret of Parma (1559)

  • Governance issues

    • Troublesome, fractious Estates

    • Ambitious nobility who want royal administration’s control.

  • Religion

    • Facing heresy

      • Growth of Calvinism

• Differences

  • French royal government was a symbol of national unity in a divided country.

  • Religion

    • By 1560, still very tiny percentage are Calvinist (5% at most).

  • Nobility

    • Haven’t mass converted to Calvinism.

      • Many cling to humanism.

  • The Netherland League

    • Granvelle remarks they are like the Huguenot League; yes they are a noble group united in challenging royal power, but the Netherland League are not all Calvinists; most have no formal association with the cause.

• A narrative (om bhur bhuvaswaha)

• (I) Politics, not religion

• 1559

  • Philip II sets up the Council of State

    • Composed of

      • William of Orange, count of Egmont, Bishop of Arras (Perrenot who dominates).

• Troubles

  • Nobles against crown

    • William of Orange, Egmont, Baron of Montigny

• 1561

  • Philip II publishes a papal bull declaring he will radically reorganise the ecclesiastical system in the Netherlands.

    • Terms

      • 14 new dioceses to be added.

    • Controversial:

  • Nobles saw their sons ousted from power at the gain of royalists.

  • Resentment

    • The King had left the country, while the tercio of Spanish soldiers, brought into Flanders in 1553 had been left behind.

  • Absentee monarch

    • Kingship is still an intensely personal affair fact that he’s away makes it easier to get annoyed.

• 1562

  • Montigny goes to the Spanish court and ask for the removal of the ‘Spanish pig”, Granvelle.

• 1563

  • Orange and Egmont leave the Council of State

• 1564

  • Philip II acquiesces and dismisses Arras.

    • A major victory for the Estates – aristocrats achieve control of the royal administration.

  • Still, the nobles feud

    • Can’t vote on taxes etc.

  • Economic problems:

    • Suspension of English imports on unworked cloth, leads to mass unemployment.

  • Cue: militant Calvinism

    • William of Orange thinks he might be able to become leader of Protestants

  • Philip II orders Tridentine doctrine to be promulgated.

• 1565-6

  • Orange petitions Philip II by means of pamphlet and petition for some of religious liberty.

    • Not out of a humanist desire for religious liberty

      • Tactical

        • Similar to France, in the politique view that separated citizenship and religious identity.

          • While religious uniformity was the ideal scenario, it was neither worth the bloodshed that would destroy Christendom nor the stability of the state to enforce religion.

  • Philip II is no Catherine de Medici

    • Orders an Inquisition

      • Spanish hatred fostered

        • Particularly from Iberian Jews living in the Netherlands

• March 1566

  • By this point, the lesser nobility is forming a Compromise or League against the Inquisition

    • Popular discontent and aristocratic leadership has now come together!

  • Margaret

    • Calls a meeting of the notables who requested an end to the Inquisition

  • The Netherland League, or the ‘Geux’

    • Flirtation with radical Calvinism emerging.

  • Malcontent:

    • Outbreak of Northern Seven Years War (1563-70) leads to devastation of Baltic trade

    • Winter of 1565-6 was bitter.

  • All this is perfect fodder for Calvinist preachers: they have ready-made and receptive audiences.

• Why do people protest?

  • Not out of misery

    • 1566 winter is not so bad

    • Bread prices do drop

    • Economic times not as severe as those during Charles V’s reign.

  • Differences between Anabaptists and Calvinist movement

    • Anabaptists

      • An under-employed, underfed populace led by apocalyptic yearnings found themselves confronted by the power...

Buy the full version of these notes or essay plans and more in our General History VIII: 1500 - 1618 Notes.