Watser?
10-16-2007, 02:22 PM
As some of you may know the Netherlands as well as Belgium was once ruled by the Spanish Empire. Local resentments of centralisation, new tax laws and religious fervour caused a number of uprisings until a group of Calvinists managed a successful guerrilla against the Spanish Catholic rulers. In the 80-year war that followed the Northern part split off as the Republic of the United Netherlands and the southern part stayed under Spanish (and later Austrian) Habsburg rule and much later became Belgium. Some of the provinces were split by the war, such as the one I was born, Brabant, with the Dutch part being called Noord (North) Brabant.
Now a new study concludes this war (1568-1648) was so hard on the Brabant population it can not really be justified. The study will be published next week at the University of Tilburg (in Noord Brabant), according to de Volkskrant (http://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/article470717.ece/Tachtigjarige_Oorlog_niet_gerechtvaardigd).
The writer, Leo Adriaenssen, accuses our national heroes William of Orange and his sons Maurice and Frederick Henry of war crimes such as destroying crops, inundating lands and burning villages.
Adriaenssen focused on the area around 's Hertogenbosch. The farmers/peasants there were caught between the Republican government and the Spanish.
Any resistance was met with hostage-taking, arson, torture and pillaging according to Adriaenssen. The population was reduced by 70%. In 1629 the Spanish were finally forced out.
Now a new study concludes this war (1568-1648) was so hard on the Brabant population it can not really be justified. The study will be published next week at the University of Tilburg (in Noord Brabant), according to de Volkskrant (http://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/article470717.ece/Tachtigjarige_Oorlog_niet_gerechtvaardigd).
The writer, Leo Adriaenssen, accuses our national heroes William of Orange and his sons Maurice and Frederick Henry of war crimes such as destroying crops, inundating lands and burning villages.
Adriaenssen focused on the area around 's Hertogenbosch. The farmers/peasants there were caught between the Republican government and the Spanish.
Any resistance was met with hostage-taking, arson, torture and pillaging according to Adriaenssen. The population was reduced by 70%. In 1629 the Spanish were finally forced out.