Spanish street
In the early modern period (especially in the 16th and 17th centuries), roughly from the reign of Charles V to the end of the Thirty Years War , the Spanish Road was an important trade route , a strategically important route between Northern Italy (then the Burgundian Empire , the the Spanish King presided over), and the Spanish Netherlands . It ran through the Swiss Alps and then along the Rhine (on the Rhine rail ) from Basel to the Netherlands. Because of its strategic importance, the Spanish Habsburgs tried to position themselves as well as possible with all the cities and territories along this route. Therefore, Spain interfered partially in the internal affairs of the Holy Roman Empire . It was of particular importance as a supply route for troops for the Spanish crown during the Eighty Years' War with the rebellious United Netherlands .