Holland’s “Golden Age”
Charles V of the Habsburg dynasty several times gave the assemblies cause of alarm: but ancient laws and established custom justified his intolerance of innovators in matters of faith; and when he required an augmentation of the imposts, he grounded his demand on the pressure of the circumstances of the times, and gained the minds of the people by his flattering manners. In fact, he respected his subjects of the Netherlands, and promoted their interests.
In 1555, Charles granted the Netherlands to his son, Philip II, king of Spain. As Philip II was, a Catholic and part of the Netherlands protestant, the Dutch resisted not only the new taxation, but also the intolerance and oppressive methods of administration of the Spanish king and his governor Prince Alba.
Philip was offended by the open simplicity of their manners: he was too proud to manifest any particular esteem for them, and he preferred the more obedient Spaniards as officers. By this conduct he offended the counts Egmont and Horn, and the prince of Orange, and thus provided leaders for the disaffected; while all the odious and oppressive measures, which were devised by himself and his ministers, strengthened the opposition. Falling under harsh Spanish rule in the 16th century, the Dutch revolted in 1558 under the leadership of Willem of Orange.
Under these circumstances, the king resolved to send the duke of Alva into the Netherlands, to terrify the inhabitants into submission by his atrocities AD 1567. It has been computed, that in six years upwards of eighteen thousand individuals perished by the orders of this commander under the hand of the executioner. But the ministers of kings understand courts better than nations. Alva knew how to calculate the number of the inhabitants, and the measure of their physical powers; and what were these compared with the resources of his master? But he had omitted in his calculation what the resolute firmness of an irritated people is capable of performing: he was thoroughly acquainted with the usual character of courtiers; but he was incapable of conceiving the strength of virtue such as was displayed in the prince of Orange.
Count William of Nassau had become prince of Orange by the will of his cousin Renatus, who, by his mother's side, was the heir of Philibert the last prince of Orange, of the house of Chalons in Upper Burgundy. Philibert had fallen, during the siege of Florence, in a combat with the people of Pisa and Volterra, who were hastening to the relief of the Florentines.
William possessed, in the county of Burgundy, the extensive estates of Chalons; and in Flanders, those by which the ancient house of Orange had been rewarded for its services to the dukes of Burgundy. At the same time he was royal stadtholder in the provinces of Holland, Zealand, and Utrecht. He appeared, in declaring himself on the side of the national rights, to hazard in every respect, more than he could hope to gain; especially considering the irresolution, the dissensions, and the inconsiderable resources of the multitude, and the jealousy of their leaders.
His love of freedom, which the court might possibly have tamed in the beginning by the adoption of the most gentle measures, was shocked at the idea of the fetters which he perceived the king to be preparing for the nobles, as well as for the citizens; and he saw that no regard whatever was paid to the maxims of rectitude. William was not one of those enthusiastic heroes who inflame a people for the establishment of independence: he possessed by no means an impassioned character; but, on the contrary, an unruffled tranquility of mind, a cool understanding, and a native perception of right, which he maintained with great perseverance. He exhibited the extraordinary union of the characteristics of a statesman, with the virtues of an ancient Roman; and of the simple manners of a private citizen, with the sound and correct judgment of a man experienced in the world.
By virtue of the Union of Utrecht in 1579, the seven northern Dutch provinces became the Republic of the United Netherlands. A long eighty years war began. Feeling of the national identity developed in the Netherlands during this war.
Before the new republic was securely settled, the prince of Orange fell by assassination: though born to great possessions he left behind him nothing but debts; and he had endeavored to secure no other fortunes for his sons, than such as they might acquire for themselves by their virtue and abilities. Maurice, his first-born, whose education had been conducted, according to the custom of our forefathers, on the model of the ancients, had eagerly adopted the Roman method of making war; and when he began to command the Hollanders, AD 1587, the officers who had grown old in service, ridiculed the learned rules which the young soldier wished to introduce.
But Maurice, full of the genius of the ancients, raised his views far above the precepts of Basta, Melzo, and Croce, the most esteemed teachers of the art of war in that age; and began, in imitation of the Romans, by introducing military discipline, and a better method of encampment: in the attack and defense of fortified places, which was the science of which he stood most in need, he manifested extraordinary abilities; as well as in the incessant invention' of auxiliary resources, in opposition to the measures of Alexander. He had this one advantage over the Spaniards, that activity developed his talents, and his good fortune increased his influence; while the duration of the war consumed the treasure and the f.ower of the troops of Spain, and the success of Alexander excited the jealousy of Philip. This general is said to have fallen a sacrifice to the vexations he experienced.
Maurice, who was, strictly so called, the first stadtholder, or administrator of political power in the new republic, contrived to balance its relations, (AD 1587), both with France and England, so prudently, that he happily preserved its independence on each side; and in the prosecution of the Spanish war, secured the favor of both by means of their common interests.
The policy which governed Elizabeth in her intercourse with the United Provinces survived her. This policy, after, as during the reign of that princess, was to assist the republic as far as might be necessary for rendering it a bulwark against the preponderating powers of the Continent, but striving, at the same time, by underhand means, to check the progress of its commercial prosperity.
During the 17th century, considered its "golden era," the Netherlands became a great sea and colonial power. Among other achievements, this period saw the emergence of some of painting's "Old Masters," including Rembrandt and Hals, whose works--along with those of later artists such as Mondriaan and Van Gogh -- are today on display in museums throughout the Netherlands and the world.
The Dutchman did not willingly give up his own individual opinion ; he had been accustomed for centuries to have his say in politics ; and if he submits to the will of the majority, this does not prevent him from adhering to his own notions. In the first national representative assembly, which met in 1796, this spirit of independence and this inflexible disposition, coupled with a great diversity of views, caused the deliberations to be almost barren of results.
The country's importance declined, however, with the gradual loss of Dutch technological superiority and after wars with Spain, France, and England in the 17th and 18th century. The Dutch United Provinces supported the Americans in the Revolutionary War. In 1795, French troops ousted Willem V of Orange, the Stadhouder under the Dutch Republic and head of the House of Orange.
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