Politiques and the Netherlands

We started off Friday's class with a short discussion about politiques

      They were basically the people who said that if we could have a strong monarchy AND a strong toleration of the French Huguenots, all would be well in the world.

What Henry would not want the Catholics to do

                 Our famous King, Henry of Navarre, was a strong believer in this idea.

• He wouldn't want the Catholics to ruin the Protestants or vice versa

BUT the most important topic of Friday's class revolved around the Netherlands.


         So basically our beloved Chucky V inherited 17 provinces which made up the Netherlands. 

These 17 provinces were extremely prosperous due to trading

• Antwerp: a huge trading section
• Trade mostly with England (wool!) 

Yet as prosperous as they were, the Netherlands could not seem to unite. Chucky V was recognized as their "king"but each state still had its own taxes and laws. 

The Netherland states's problems could also be categorized as just another religious conflict in our textbook. 

• Chucky V was a Catholic King, and wanted everyone to be Catholic with him. Yet as   Lutheranism was circulating, the country was leaning more towards Protestantism.
• Charles responded with condemnation, but never fully ordered for the states to be JUST Catholic
• So as Charles gets older, his son Philip inherits the land. 
• The Dutch could not forgive Philip for being Spanish 
• Although they were not completely unified under Charles, the Dutch had a respect for him. Yet, Philip, coming from their enemy (and Catholic) country, did not sit well with them. 

The worst thing Chucky V could do for the Netherlands? Die.

The low countries are Belgium and Holland (hint: looking at the map won't help you find that out)

      The Northern Provinces of the Netherlands was highly defensible because of their canals and "sluices"- which is a gate controlling the flow of water. 

• Whomever (Belgium or the Northern Provinces) controlled the sluices, essentially controlled the world. 
• Several times, the Northerners flooded/broke their sluices on purpose as a defence mechanism so that the Belgians couldn't invade.

So as the Northerners are in control of the sluices, there are still people who want to break away from them. 

           These people call on England to help them out. 

• some of you may be wondering: "Now WHY would England help them out?"                   

Essentially, there are 3 (4?) reasons: 

• England's trade route (for wool) 
• William was murdered, thus eliminating a Protestant leader that the Dutch admired
• Collapse of Antwerp: This signalled a Catholic sweep-if the United Provinces went back to Catholicism, they would go back to Spanish rule. 
• This would be the beginning of the end of English Protestantism 
• Finally, they were scared of Spanish Invasion. 

By supporting the United Provinces of the Netherlands, they would be making enemies with Spain, who at the time was the world power. (Think of the Spanish Armada and its power). 

Was it weird that England got themselves involved? 

       Yes and No. Queen Elizabeth was not involved for the religious reasons, but for the political. 

        Overall, the benefits of the possible outcome outweighed the risks for England. 

Of course, Philip is now angry about all of these events. 

Yet England comes out victorious after many years of fighting, and this is really only because Spain lost to "themselves" 

           several fluke accidents helped England to win, and our beautiful textbooks site fireships (lighting a ship on fire and sending it into others) as a main contribution to Spain's defeat. 

This was the beginning of the end for Spain as a world power. Philip couldn't impose religious unity, and the economics of Spain plummeted. 

Highlights of the Class: 

We missed you Hughes and Marve <3

Helpful Hint: There is a full European map on the back of the textbook! 

Julia and Maeve got me very sick! Thanks guys!