CHRONOLOGY OF THE DUTCH REVOLT 1
3 April
May
12 May
July-August
31 July
9 August
25 August
10 January
26 February
July
23 July
25 August
May/June
June/Dec
1559
Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis
Margaret of Parma appointed Governor-General
Bull Super univeras: Pope Paul IV authorised re-organisation of bishoprics
States General at Ghent demanded withdrawal of Spanish troops and more
participation by nobility in government
Promulgation of bull Super universas for new bishoprics
Orange appointed stadhouder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht; Egmont
made governor of Flanders and Artois
Philip II departed from Netherlands
1561
Spanish troops withdrew from Netherlands
Anthoine de Perronet, bp. of Arras, designated archbp. of Mechelen, made
Cardinal (Granvelle)
Orange refused to participate in installation of new magistracy of Antwerp
Orange and Egmont complained to Philip about not being consulted on
important matters
Marriage of Orange to Anna of Saxony
1562
Great nobility opposed Philip II's plan to intervene in French Wars of
Religion. Formation of anti-Granvelle League.
Failure of Montigny's mission to Spain.
1563
11 March
William of Orange, Egmont & Hoorne write to King to complain about
Granvelle; on receiving unsatisfactory reply in June, they withdrew from
Council of State.
26 April
First 'synod' of Reformed churches held at Antwerp
August
Margaret of Parma sent Armenteros to persuade King to drop Granvelle
28 November Embargo on trade with England
December
Banquet of League of Nobility held at Schetz' house; foolscap livery
1564
13 March
King recalled Granvelle from the Netherlands
18 March
Egmont, Hoorne & Orange returned to Council of State
30 July
King ordered publication of Tridentine decrees in the Netherlands
(implementation delayed until July 1565)
November
Grain prices peaked
December
Trade embargo relaxed
17 December Grain prices fell at Antwerp
31 December William of Orange spoke in Council of State in favour of freedom of
conscience
2
1565
20 February Egmont arrived in Madrid
30 April
Egmont returned to Brussels
24 June
Council of State agreed to publication of Tridentine decrees in the
Netherlands
July/Aug
Protestant nobles met at Spa to devise campaign against persecution
17/20 Oct
King's Letters sent from Segovia
5 Nov
Letters from Segovia Woods arrived at Brussels
14 November Council of State informed about Segovian letters
December
Formation of Compromise of Nobility
18 December Margaret of Parma demanded implementation of anti-heresy edicts
5 April
Late May
3 July
mid July
30 July
31 July
10 August
13 August
15 August
19 August
20 August
23 August
23/25 Aug
2 September
3 September
1 October
3 October
29 November
27 December
1566
Lesser nobility presented Petition to Margaret of Parma
Calvinists resumed open-air services in Flanders.
Edict against return of Protestant exiles
Members of Compromise met with Calvinist leaders
Presentation of Second Petition for religious freedom
King, on news of Calvinist services, agreed to rescind inquisition, but soon
after he went back on promise, arguing he had acted under duress
(Kossmann & Mellink, doc. 6)
Start of iconoclasm in Westkwartier (Steenvoorde)
King authorised Margaret of Parma to levy troops and sent 300,000 ducats
Feast of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary: provoked widespread
imagebreaking
Orange left Antwerp for Brussels
Iconoclasm at Antwerp
Iconoclasm at Amsterdam, Breda, 's-Hertogenbosch and Tournai
Negotiations leading to Accoord; limited religious freedom, dissolution of
Compromise; high nobility to provinces to implement terms of Accoord
William of Orange brokered religious peace at Antwerp
News of imagebreaking reached King
Synod of Reformed church held at Ghent: 3,000,000 guilder Request
Meeting at Dendermonde: Orange, Egmont, Hoorne, Hoogstraten & Louis of
Nassau failed to agree common plan of action
Alba reluctantly accepted command of troops to be sent to Netherlands
Calvinist rebels defeated in Flanders
1567
13 March
Rebel forces massacred at Oosterweel outside Antwerp
23 March
Valenciennes surrendered; Calvinist leaders hanged
11 April
Orange left Antwerp en route for Dillenberg
27 April
Bishops met to discuss implementation of Tridentine reforms
18 June
Alba began march along 'Spanish Road' to Netherlands
22 August
Alba entered Brussels as Captain-General
29 August
Margaret of Parma asked King leave to withdraw
5 September Patent issued for Council of Troubles
9 September Egmont and Hoorne arrested
30 December Margaret left Brussels; Alba succeeded as Governor-General
3
12 February
May
23 May
5 June
21 July
5/6 October
17 November
19 December
1568
Brederode died
Sea Beggars began to operate
Louis of Nassau invaded Groningen; defeated Aremberg at Heiligerlee
Egmont and Hoorne executed at Brussels
Alba defeated Louis of Nassau at Jemmingen
Orange crossed Maas
Orange withdrew across French border
English authorities impound treasure ships bound for Low Countries
20 February
20/21 Mar
1569
Orange first granted letters of marque to Sea Beggars
Alba announced fiscal reforms to States General
5 & 9 July
16 July
1 November
1570
Alba published his Criminal Ordinances
Alba published General Pardon
'All Saints Flood': widespread flooding in the Netherlands
31 July
4 October
1571
Alba moved to implement Tenth Penny forthwith
First 'national' synod of Reformed churches held at Emden
1 March
20 March
1 April
7 April
8 April
9 April
19 April
22 April
2 May
21 May
24 May
11 June
15 June
25 June
26 June
4 July
9 July
19-23 July
26 July
26 July
17 August
21 August
24 August
30 August
19 Sept.
1572
Sea Beggars expelled from England
Alba warned that Lumey has planned raid on Den Brielle
Sea Beggars seized Den Brielle
Flushing refused to accept Spanish garrison
So-called massacre of Rotterdam
Riots at Gouda
Treaty of 'friendship' between France and England
Flushing reinforced from Den Brielle
Sea Beggars opened negotiations with Dordrecht
Enkhuizen declared for Orange
Louis of Nassau captured Mons
Medina-Celi arrived in the Netherlands
Alba decided to withdraw all Spanish troops from Holland
Dordrecht agreed to admit Beggars
Leiden agreed to admit Beggars
Haarlem agreed to admit Beggars
Execution of Catholic clergy at Den Brielle (Gorcum martyrs)
First 'free assembly' of States of Holland
Delft agreed to admit Beggars
Philip agreed to suspend Tenth Penny
Orange invaded Brabant
Amsterdam reinforced; Beggars abandoned siege
Massacre of St. Bartholomews in Paris
Orange entered Mechelen
Louis of Nassau surrendered Mons to Alba
4
Feb/Apr
13 July
8 October
11 October
19 October
6 November
29 November
18 December
1573
Prohibition of Catholic mass in Holland
Haarlem capitulated to Alba after siege of 6 months
Spanish abandoned siege of Alkmaar
Beggars defeated fleet in Zuiderzee; Bossu captured
Requesens appointed as governor
Medina Celi returned to Spain
Requesens sworn in as governor
Alba returned to Spain
27 January
9/18 Feb.
14 April
7 June
10 July
3 October
1574
Spanish fleet defeated at Reimerswaal
Middelburg surrendered to Orange
Battle of Mokerheide
Abolition of Council of Troubles and Tenth Penny
Alba's statue removed from Antwerp
Orange relieved Leiden
1575
University of Leiden inaugurated
Peace negotiations continued at Breda
Holland and Zeeland unite under Orange
Orange recognised as 'souverain ende overhooft' by States of Holland
for duration of war
25 August
Holland issued leeuwendaalder without reference to royal authority
1 September Spain suspended interest payments on public debt
9 October
States of Holland allegedly resolved 'for ever to sejoyne themselves from the
Crowne of Spayne'
13 October
States of Holland decided to forsake King and seek foreign help
November
Rebels offered title of Countess of Holland & Zeeland to Elizabeth
8 February
March/July
4 June
11 July
1576
Death of Requesens
Council of State entrusted with government
States of Holland reportedly felt no obligation to Philip since he 'has violated
his oath'
25 April
Union of Delft: Orange recognised as 'chief and highest authority' in Holland
& Zeeland for duration of war
6 May
Title of Count of Holland offered to Alençon, later Duke of Anjou, younger
brother of Henry III of France.
29 June
Mondragon captured Zierikzee
25 July
Spanish mutineers sacked Aalst in Flanders
26 July
Council of State declared mutineers to be rebels; States of Brabant decided
to recruit troops to opposed mutineers
1 September Don John received his commission
4 September Council of State arrested in Brussels
6 September States of Brabant summoned States General on own authority
25 Sept
States General decided to negotiate with rebel provinces
19 October
Negotiations with Holland & Zeeland began at Ghent
28 October
Negotiations at Ghent concluded
5 March
24 March
April
5
3 November
4-7 Nov.
5 November
8 November
11 November
17 December
Don John arrived in Luxemburg
Spanish Fury at Antwerp
States General agreed to Pacification of Ghent
Pacification of Ghent signed
Spanish garrison at Ghent surrendered
Leuven theologians stated that Pacification was not contrary to Catholic faith
1577
9 January
Union of Brussels
17 February States General published Perpetual Edict with Don John without
consultation of Holland & Zeeland; these withdrew in protest
6 April
King reluctantly approved Pacification
28 April
Withdrawal of Spanish troops
12 May
Don John entered Brussels
6 June
Protestant punished at Ghent for breach of Pacification
15 June
Protestant executed at Mechelen in contravention of Pacification
24 July
Don John seized castle at Namur
19 August
Delegates of Holland and Zeeland rejoined States General
6 September States General invited Orange to Brussels
11 September Philip ordered return of Spanish troops
23 Sept
Orange entered Brussels in triumph
3/4 October Archduke Matthias left Vienna secretly for the Netherlands
9 October
Utrecht agreed terms with Orange (Satisfactie)
18 October
Privileges restored to Ghent
22 October Orange appointed ruwaard of Brabant
28 October Aarschot and bishops of Bruges & Ieper arrested at Ghent
1 Nov.
Committee of XVIII established at Ghent
7 December States declared Don John to be enemy of country; no longer recognised as
governor-general
8 December States General offered government to Archduke Matthias
10 Dec.
Second Union of Brussels
29 December Orange entered Ghent
18 January
20 January
31 January
February
8 February
16 February
16 March
20 March
24 April
18-22 May
22 May
26 May
29 June
1 June
3-18 June
7 June
1578
Matthias made state entry into Brussels
Matthias accepted government with Orange as his lieutenant
States army defeated at Gembloers (Gembloux)
Protestant preaching began secretly at Ghent
Satisfaction of Amsterdam
Ghent sezied control of Oudenaarde
Protestant services began at Antwerp
Ghent seized control of Bruges
States General issued edict forbidding Calvinist services
Mendicant houses attacked at Ghent
Johan van Nassau appointed stadhouder of Gelderland
Coup d'état [Alteratie] at Amsterdam
Catholic services at Haarlem disrupted
Calvinists at Ghent preached in public
National Synod of Reformed churches at Dordrecht
Calvinists at Ghent rejected Orange's demand to stop services
6
9 June
18 June
12 July
15 July
29/30 July
13 August
late August
29 August
28 Sept
1 October
6 October
10 October
29 Dec.
Orange proposed religievrede to States General
Jesuits expelled from Antwerp
Anjou arrived at Mons; Antwerp, Friesland & Ommelanden accepted
religievrede
Pope Gregory XIII warned bishops & clergy to remain loyal to King
First Meeting of classis of East Flanders
Anjou recognised by States General as 'Defender of the Liberties of the
Low Countries'
Calvinist services held in all Ghent parish churches
Religievrede accepted in Antwerp
Dathenus began to preach at Ghent
Malcontents seized Menen; Don John died
Opening of Calvinist seminary, the Theologisch Athenaeum in Ghent
John Casimir arrived in Ghent; Farnese opened negotiations with Walloon
provinces
Orange in Ghent to enforce religievrede
1579
6 January Union of Arras (Hainaut, Artois & Douai)
19 January
Orange left Ghent
23 January Union of Utrecht (Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Ommelanden)
4 February Ghent signed Union of Utrecht
10 March
Amersfoort (Utrecht) compelled to recognise Union of Utrecht
10/11 March Second iconoclastic outburst at Ghent
3 May
Orange reluctantly signed Union of Utrecht (or 3 June)
7 May
Negotiotions between States General and King began at Cologne
17 May
Peace/ Treaty of Arras (Hainaut, Artois & French Flanders)
29 June
Farnese captured Maastricht
29 July
Antwerp signed Union of Utrecht
28 July
Hembyze staged coup état at Ghent
20 August
Orangists triumphed at elections in Ghent
29 August
Hembyze and Dathenus left Ghent
13 Sept
Definitive Treaty of Arras signed; reconciliation of Walloon provinces
13 November Granvelle advised King to outlaw Orange
22 November King ratified Treaty of Arras
1580
'Treason' of Rennenberg in Groningen
Orange outlawed by Philip II
States of Holland offered Orange 'de hoge overheid'
Spanish troops left Luxemburg for Lombardy
Orange accepted 'hooge overigheid en regeringe' (la souverainété et
gouvernement) of Holland and Zeeland (to safeguard provinces from
authority of Anjou)
29 Sept
Treaty of Plessis-les-Tours: Anjou accepted as prince
13 December Orange offered Apology to States General
3 March
15 March
31 March
May
7 July
23 January
February
1581
States General took oath of loyalty to Anjou
Apology published
7
June
26 July
August
29 November
Government forces re-captured Breda
Act of Dismissal
French troops of Anjou entered Netherlands
Farnese captured Tournai (last Walloon town in States' hands)
February
18 February
7 March
18 March
6 July
20-31 Aug
1582
Spanish troops returned to the Netherlands
Anjou received as Duke of Brabant in Antwerp
Decided to record resolutions of States General in Dutch
Attempt on life of Orange by Jean Jauregui at Antwerp
Farnese captured Oudenaarde
Anjou received at Ghent as Count of Flanders
15-17 Jan
27 May
18 June
16 July
22 July
2 August
August
24 October
1583
French Fury
Farnese captured Diest
States of Flanders repudiated Anjou
Farnese captured Dunkirk
Orange left Antwerp for Holland
Farnese captured Nieuwpoort
States General and College of Union of Utrecht merged
Hembyze and Dathenus returned to Ghent
February
23 March
7 April
20 May
10 June
23 June
3 July
10 July
4 August
17 Sept
1584
Hembyze negotiated secretly with Farnese
Hembyze arrested
Ieper surrendered to Farnese
Bruges surrendered to Farnese
Anjou died
Hnery III offered 'la souveraineté et protection' of Netherlands
Farnese encircled Antwerp
Orange assassinated at Delft
Hembyze executed for treason at Ghent
Ghent surrendered to Farnese
1585
28 March
English Privy Council discussed intervention in Low Countries
12 August
Agreement of 'provisional succour'
17 August
Fall of Antwerp
20 August
Treaty of Nonsuch
20 October
Act of Ampliation: Elizabeth to send army of 6000
1 November Maurice installed as stadhouder of Holland
1586
1 February Act of Authority: Leicester appointed as Governor General
8 March
Oldenbarnevelt appointed landsadvokaat
15 April
Prohibition of 'trade with enemy'
26 April
Union of Protestant churches at Utrecht
7 June
Grave surrendered to Farnese
28 June
Venlo surrendered to Farnese
8
19 July
31 July
4 August
11 November
25 November
Paulus Buys arrested
Floris Thin excluded from Utrecht
Neuss surrendered to Farnese
Prouninck excluded from States General
Leicester returned to England
1587
29 January Stanley and Yorke delivered Deventer and Zutphen 'sconce' to enemy
5 February Dutch embassy met Elizabeth
18 February Execution of Mary of Scots
8 March
Critical report of Leicester's government received in London
23 March
Lord Buckhurst sent to United Provinces
20 June
Leicester's Instructions issued
5 August
Sluis surrendered to Farnese
11 October
Coup d'état at Leiden thwarted.
17 November Leicester recalled
6 December Leicester left Netherlands
1
Compiled by Dr. Alastair Duke, University of Southampton