Union of Utrecht
The Union of Utrecht ( Dutch: Unie van Utrecht ) is a treaty signed in Utrecht on January 23, 1579 by various northern provinces and cities of the Netherlands, which at that time were under the control of Spain .
The provinces that signed the treaty were Holland , Zeeland , Utrecht , the three quarters of the Geldrian Duchy and the Groningen Ommelande ; Later, Overijssel , Friesland , the city of Groningen , the district of Zutphen Gelderns, Drente and many cities ( Ghent , Bruges and the Brugse Vrije , Ypres , Antwerp , Breda , Lier ) in the north and south of the Union also joined. Their union saw itself as a reaction to the Catholic southern provinces (most of which now belong to France ), which at the beginning of January 1579 in the Union of Arras (Dutch: Unie van Atrecht ) had expressly committed to Catholic Spain .
The Union of Utrecht was considered founding of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , which deals with the Act of Abjuration declared in 1581 independence, but only in 1648 by the Dutch War of Independence terminating Peace of Münster (part of the Peace of Westphalia was recognized) internationally.
See also: History of the Netherlands
Web links
- Illustration of the document. Collectie Nationaal Archief