The history of the Netherlands will be interesting to anyone who is going to go to this country or is interested in the development of modern Europe. It is worth noting that the most ancient traces of a person’s presence in this area date back to the Early Paleolithic — it is about 250,000 years ago. In this article we will devote the main stages of development of this state.
Prehistoric era
You can start telling the history of the Netherlands from the prehistoric era. The first archaeological evidence of a person's stay in this territory was left by Neanderthals. At that time, the locals were gatherers and hunters.
The period of the Iron Age includes the discovered royal tomb in Oss, which is considered the largest in Western Europe. Then the local lands were settled by Germanic tribes. About 600 BC, the land was inhabited by the tribes of the Batavians, the good warriors who took part in many important wars. It is their nationalist historians who consider the ancestors of the modern Netherlands.
In times of the Holy Roman Empire
During the time of the Holy Roman Empire, the history of the Netherlands was not going through the best of times. In fact, the territory of the modern state was divided between influential neighbors.
At the same time, local peoples were constantly attacked and raided by neighboring warlike tribes, such as the Vikings. As a result, the Holy Roman Empire was not able to maintain political unity, independent cities began to form, rulers began to declare provinces and counties as separate kingdoms.
A large number of feudal states were in a state of ongoing war. This situation actually persisted until the XV century.
Burgundy netherlands
The unification of these lands by the Duke of Burgundy in 1433 becomes an important stage in the history of the country. It was during this period that the Dutch nation began to form.
The counties of Holland were conquered by the Duke of Burgundy Philip Bodry. And it happened without bloodshed, he was invited to rule by the local nobility. It is believed that so they wanted to unite with the Flemish economic system.
After this, Dutch trade began to develop rapidly, and particular success was achieved in the field of freight transportation.
Amsterdam - the capital of the country
The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, began to develop at the same time. Moreover, the first mention of the city dates back to 1275.
Amsterdam is becoming a major port through which most of the grain from the Baltic region is imported into Europe. This trade was important for local residents, because due to land drainage, peat in the swamps fell to such a level that it could no longer be kept dry. Therefore, it was important for the Dutch that most of the grain going to Europe is distributed through the capital of the Netherlands.
Ruled by the Habsburgs
Under the rule of the Habsburgs, the territory of modern Netherlands was from 1482 to 1581.
In this regard, local residents received significantly less rights and privileges, in addition, after the discovery of America, trade routes began to gradually move from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
At the same time, it was the Netherlands, and not Spain, that had the most geographically advantageous location, so local merchants concentrated in their hands the main proceeds from transatlantic trade. The country rapidly grew rich and developed.
Struggle for independence
In the history of the country, the 80-year war for independence from Spain, which began in 1568, played a large role. Duke of Alba was appointed viceroy of these lands by King Philip, who began severe repression.
This caused a strong bitterness of the local population, which led to the beginning of the revolution. By 1579, seven rebellious provinces in Utrecht announced the formation of a republic. They were led by aristocrat William I of Orange, from whom all subsequent Dutch monarchs descended.
One of the key moments of the war was the capture of Antwerp by the Spaniards when they killed about 10,000 civilians. After that, the population of Flemish cities fled to the north en masse, and resistance to the Spanish occupation intensified.
In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was concluded, which confirmed the independence of the Netherlands from Spain and Germany. Initially, the Republic of the United Provinces is formed here.
The golden age of the Netherlands is the period in the history of the Republic of the United Provinces, when it was possible to achieve the greatest prosperity in science, commerce and art. The peak occurred in the XVII century. At this time, the government provides citizens with religious freedom, refugees arrive here, who are given the opportunity to study and work. Many writers and scholars in the Netherlands alone have the opportunity to teach at the local Leiden University and publish their work.
The end point of the Golden Age is considered the beginning of the third Anglo-Dutch war in 1672, which was entirely waged on the territory of modern Netherlands. The period of political instability begins at the end of the 18th century. The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, which began after the recognition of US independence by local authorities, caused severe damage to the Netherlands. At the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, the Batavian Republic existed for about 10 years.
In 1806, Napoleon announced the formation of the Dutch kingdom, which in 1810 became part of the First French Empire. The Netherlands managed to regain independence only in 1815.
Constitution
The constitution in the Netherlands was adopted in 1848. King Willem II embarked on democratic and liberal reforms, observing the wave of revolutions that swept across Europe. As a result, the country became a constitutional monarchy.
From now on, the government reported to parliament, and civil liberties were granted to the population. The relations established at that time between parliament, government and the monarch remain unchanged to this day.
After the death of Willem III in 1890, Luxembourg gained independence.
20th century history
During the First World War, the Dutch remained neutral, trying to maintain opportunities for foreign trade, which was important for the country's economy.
In World War II, the Netherlands also proclaimed its neutrality back in September 1939. However, in May 1940, the country was attacked by German troops and quickly occupied. The royal family was evacuated to the UK.
Before the war, about 140,000 Jews lived in Holland, who were persecuted under the Nazis. One of them was the young Anna Frank. The diary she kept from 1942 to 1944 was published after the war, becoming famous. In September 1944, the Netherlands was liberated by the Allied forces.
Today, the Netherlands remains a kingdom ruled by 51-year-old King Willem-Alexander. The prime minister is Mark Rutte, who in 2012, after an early parliamentary election, formed a coalition government consisting of the Labor Party and the People's Party for Freedom.
Rutte himself has been the head of the cabinet since 2010 after winning the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy election.
The Netherlands has been a member of the European Union since the founding of this political and economic union in 1952. It was the Dutch who founded the EU together with Belgium, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and France.