Spanish Netherlands facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spanish Netherlands Spaanse Nederlanden  (Dutch) Países Bajos Españoles  (Spanish) Spanische Niederlande  (German) Spuenesch Nidderlanden  (Luxembourgish) Pays-Bas Espagnols  (French) Belgica Regia  (Latin)
1556–1714
Cross of Burgundy Coat of arms (Albert VII)
Motto: Plus Ultra "Further Beyond"
Burgundian Cross
The Spanish Netherlands (yellow) in 1600
Status	Personal union of Imperial fiefs within Empire
Capital	Brussels
Common languages	Dutch French German Latin Spanish Low Saxon West Frisian Walloon Luxembourgish
Religion	Roman Catholicism (State religion) Protestantism (popular)
Government	Governorate
Governor
• 1556–1559	Emmanuel Philibert (first)
• 1692–1706	Maximilian Emanuel (last)
Historical era	Early Modern period
• Habsburg Spain gained Habsburg Netherlands	1556
• Eighty Years' War	1568–1648
• Peace of Münster	30 January 1648
• War of the Reunions	1683–1684
• Truce of Ratisbon	15 August 1684
• Nine Years' War	1688–1697
• War of the Spanish Succession	1701–1714
• Treaty of Rastatt	7 March 1714
Area
1560	70,000 km2 (27,000 sq mi)
1600	46,000 km2 (18,000 sq mi)
Population
• 1560	1,794,000
Currency	Gulden, Spanish reales
Preceded by Succeeded by Habsburg Netherlands Dutch Republic Austrian Netherlands
Today part of	Belgium France Germany Netherlands Luxembourg

The Spanish Netherlands was a group of states in the Low Countries (modern-day Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of France, the Netherlands, and Germany). These lands were ruled by the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg from 1556 to 1714. The capital city was Brussels.

This region was once part of the Habsburg Netherlands. It became "Spanish" when Emperor Charles V gave these lands to his son, Philip II of Spain, in 1556. Later, some northern parts broke away to form the Dutch Republic. The remaining southern parts stayed under Spanish rule until the War of the Spanish Succession ended in 1714.

History of the Spanish Netherlands

How the Spanish Netherlands Began

The lands of the Low Countries were first brought together under the Duchy of Burgundy. A ruler named Philip the Good started a common government there. He also created the first States General of the Netherlands in 1464.

Later, these lands were inherited by the House of Habsburg. Charles V was born and grew up in the Low Countries. He made a rule in 1549 that these lands would always stay united.

In 1556, Charles V decided to step down from power. He divided his vast empire. His brother, Ferdinand I, became the Holy Roman Emperor. His son, Philip II of Spain, received Spain and the Low Countries. This is how the Low Countries came under Spanish rule.

The Eighty Years' War and Its Impact

Philip II's strict rules, especially about religion, caused problems in the Low Countries. Many people there were Protestant. This led to the start of the Eighty Years' War in 1568.

In 1579, seven northern provinces formed the Union of Utrecht. They declared their independence from Spain in 1581. This new country became known as the Dutch Republic.

Spain managed to keep control of the southern provinces. These areas were mostly Catholic. After the Fall of Antwerp in 1585, the split was complete.

A period of peace began in 1598. The Spanish Netherlands was given to Philip's daughter, Isabella Clara Eugenia, and her husband, Archduke Albert VII. Their rule brought stability and helped the economy grow. It also helped create a unique identity for the southern Low Countries.

During this time, the court in Brussels was very active. Famous artists like Peter Paul Rubens worked there. The Spanish Netherlands was formally independent under Isabella and Albert. However, it remained closely linked to Spain. When Albert died in 1621, the lands officially returned to Spanish control. Isabella continued as governor until her death in 1633.

The wars to regain the northern provinces failed. In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia officially recognized the Dutch Republic. Spain also lost some Catholic territories in the north. These areas became known as Generality Lands.

French Expansion and the End of Spanish Rule

As Spain's power weakened in the late 1600s, France began to invade the Spanish Netherlands. France took more and more land in several wars.

• In 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees gave France most of Artois.
• The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668) and the Treaty of Nijmegen (1678) gave France even more land. This included Cambrai and parts of Walloon Flanders and Hainaut.

Later, during the War of the Reunions and the Nine Years' War, France took more areas. However, some of these lands were returned to Spain by the Treaty of Rijswijk in 1697.

The War of the Spanish Succession began in 1701. During this war, the Spanish Netherlands was controlled by Britain and the Dutch Republic. The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht and Treaty of Rastatt in 1713/1714. These treaties gave the Southern Netherlands to the Austrian Habsburg monarchy. From then on, they were known as the Austrian Netherlands.

History of the Low Countries
Frisii			Belgae
	Cana- nefates	Chamavi, Tubantes		Gallia Belgica (55 BC – 5th c. AD) Germania Inferior (83 – 5th c.)
		Salian Franks		Batavi
unpopulated (4th–5th c.)		Saxons	Salian Franks (4th–5th c.)
Frisian Kingdom (6th c.–734)			Frankish Kingdom (481–843)—Carolingian Empire (800–843)
		Austrasia (511–687)
Middle Francia (843–855)					West Francia (843–)
Kingdom of Lotharingia (855– 959) Duchy of Lower Lorraine (959–)
Frisia
Frisian Freedom (11–16th century)	County of Holland (880–1432)	Bishopric of Utrecht (695–1456)	Duchy of Brabant (1183–1430) Duchy of Guelders (1046–1543)		County of Flanders (862–1384)	County of Hainaut (1071–1432) County of Namur (981–1421)	P.-Bish. of Liège (980–1794)	Duchy of Luxem- bourg (1059–1443)
	Burgundian Netherlands (1384–1482)
	Habsburg Netherlands (1482–1795) (Seventeen Provinces after 1543)
Dutch Republic (1581–1795)				Spanish Netherlands (1556–1714)
				Austrian Netherlands (1714–1795)
				United States of Belgium (1790)			R. Liège (1789–'91)
Batavian Republic (1795–1806) Kingdom of Holland (1806–1810)				associated with French First Republic (1795–1804) part of First French Empire (1804–1815)
Princip. of the Netherlands (1813–1815)
United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830)								Gr D. L. (1815–)
Kingdom of the Netherlands (1839–)				Kingdom of Belgium (1830–)
								Gr D. of Luxem- bourg (1890–)

Provinces of the Spanish Netherlands

After 1581, the Spanish Netherlands included these territories. Most are now part of modern Belgium:

• The Duchy of Brabant: This included the former Margraviate of Antwerp. Some parts are now in the Netherlands.
• The Duchy of Limburg: Except for a part that became Dutch in 1648.
• The Duchy of Luxembourg: This became a sovereign state in 1815. Parts are now in Belgium, France, and Germany.
• The Upper Quarter of the Duchy of Guelders: This area is now in the Netherlands and Germany.
• The County of Artois: This was given to France in 1659. It is now in France.
• The County of Flanders: Except for Zeelandic Flanders, which became Dutch in 1648. Parts of Flanders were given to France in 1678.
• The County of Namur
• The County of Hainaut: The southern part, including Valenciennes, was given to France in 1678.
• The Lordship of Mechelen
• The Tournaisis
• The Prince-Bishopric of Cambrai (the Cambrésis): This was added to the Spanish Netherlands in 1559 and given to France in 1678. It is now in France.

Images for kids

• 

  Jeton with portraits of the Archdukes Albert VII, Archduke of Austria and Infanta Isabella of Spain, struck in Antwerp 1612. It shows Albert and Isabella on one side, and an eagle holding a balance on the other.

See also

In Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles para niños

• History of Spain
• History of Netherlands
• History of Belgium
• Alternate flag