History and culture of Holland

Since the High Middle Ages, the region of The Netherlands It had not only established itself as one of the most prosperous areas in Europe, but also, paradoxically, as one of the most politically unstable. On several occasions, the ambitions of the kings of France and the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire threatened to annex it to the region.

In the 16th century, the imperial influence had won the game; the Netherlands had become, in part, through dynastic ties, annexed to the vast Habsburg empire. It was against the Habsburg rule that the largely Protestant northern provinces of the Netherlands, led by William of Orange and Nassau, rebelled in 1568.

The struggle for independence, which lasted until 1648, also saw a remarkable growth in Dutch maritime power (a phenomenon not satisfactorily explained by historians), as many Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the New World and East Asia were confiscated. .

The 17th century, the so-called 'Golden Age', also witnessed a flourishing of art and culture, which placed the small but wealthy country at the forefront of European culture. In 1689, William III of Orange also became King of England, although the association was separated on his death in 1702. During the 18th century, the power of the Netherlands was in decline and it was absorbed into Napoleon's empire in 1810 Subsequently, the entire area of ​​the Netherlands was briefly reunited (1814-1830).

In 1848, the Constitution was amended, leaving the monarch only limited powers. The Netherlands did not take part in World War I, but suffered greatly as a result of the Nazi invasion of 1940. Dutch postwar diplomacy has focused on increasing European unity.

 These efforts culminated in 1957, when the Netherlands became one of the six founding members of the European Community. In the second half of 1991, the Dutch held the Presidency of the EC and were responsible for organizing the crucial summit in Maastricht in December 1991, which was created to decide the future of EU integration into economic policy and monetary, as well as other areas.

In general, the Dutch are the enthusiastic Europeans and their interests have to do mainly with the colonial possessions in the Caribbean (Netherlands Antilles, Suriname) and the East Indies.


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  1.   Daniela said

    Nose