tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831153362722105582.post6574157539168635090..comments2024-03-14T19:13:42.006-07:00Comments on PMCD Mobilisatie battle reports: Battlefield visit : Battle of Nieuwpoort July 2nd 1600ddonvilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15486599237301520235noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831153362722105582.post-89382801949489058842023-06-11T11:19:36.690-07:002023-06-11T11:19:36.690-07:00Thank you, Dirk. I understand the conflicts better...Thank you, Dirk. I understand the conflicts better now.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11053851989864198317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831153362722105582.post-83011370409858439692023-05-25T13:59:54.157-07:002023-05-25T13:59:54.157-07:00Hi Nick,
A small question, that can’t be answered...Hi Nick,<br /><br />A small question, that can’t be answered in one sentence. I’ll try to keep it brief.<br />In the Middle Ages, the county of Flanders (the current provinces in Belgium of East- and West Flanders and a part of Northern France) and duchy of Brabant (current provinces of Flemish- and Walloon-Brabant, Antwerp and the Dutch province of Nord Brabant) were rich regions, densely populated. Gent was the biggest town in Western Europe after Paris, 3 of the 5 biggest cities of Werstern Europe being in the county of Flanders. <br /><br /> In France, you had the dynasty of the dukes of Burgundy, the first being Philip the Bold, brother of the French king. Starting with him, the dukes enlarged their territory through marriage, war, diplomacy and extortion. Under duke Philip The Good, the Low Countries were politically more or less united with a states general, some kind of parliament with representatives of all the provinces. After the death of duke Charles the Bold, his daughter Mary married Maximilian of Habsburg, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Their son, Philips the Handsome married Joanna of Castile, heir of Spain(!!). Their son Charles V (born and raised in Flanders) became the Emperor and king of Spain, Duke of Burgundy and Lord of the Netherlands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Countries) ). Charles V was confronted with the rise of protestant reformation in Germany. His son, Philip II became king of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands, Charles V’s brother Ferdinand was elected Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. <br />Philip II was born in Spain, didn’t connect with the free spirit of the Low countries, and violently opposed the rise of protestant religion. The Low Countries declared independent ( “Plakkaat van Verlatinghe” which inspired the American Declaration of Independence, you should also read this : http://flemishamerican.blogspot.be/2013/07/the-flemish-contribution-to-us.html) . <br /><br />This declaration was the start of the 80 Years war, with Spain sending troops, quickly occupying the Southern part (more or less nowadays Belgium and Luxembourg) , but failing the occupy the North; A large part of the population (and wealthiest ) of the southern Netherlands (Flanders and Brabant) fled to the North, contributing to the Golden Age of what became later the Dutch Republic.<br />The (remaining and unoccupied) United Provinces led by the States General succeeded in keeping at bey the Spanish armies. The protestant rebels were supported by Elisabeth I of England. That, (and also because Philips II had been married to the English queen Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) ) was the cause for forming the great Armada. <br /><br />In 1648, the war between Spain and the Dutch Republic ended.<br />Spain now was confronted by the ambition of king of France Louis XIV . Again the Spanish Netherlands were the battlefield, and not much remained of the wealth of Flanders of the middle ages <br /><br />After the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13) The Southern, or Spanish Netherlands, became the Austrian Netherlands until the French revolutionary wars, and became a battlefield again until Waterloo. <br /><br />From 1815 till 1830 the Netherlands were reunited, but the differences had become to big, and after the Belgian revolution the Netherlands were again divided.<br /><br />Hope this helps a bitddonvilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486599237301520235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6831153362722105582.post-71882608407280827812023-05-23T08:59:10.957-07:002023-05-23T08:59:10.957-07:00I've never quite understood what the Spanish w...I've never quite understood what the Spanish were doing in the Netherlands in the first place. They are a long way from Spain, with France in between. Can you educate a dumb American?Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11053851989864198317noreply@blogger.com