The Dutch Revolt 1559-1648 begins by illustrating the historical background and causes of the revolt. This is followed by chronological sections devoted to each phase of the revolt and an assesment section that takes a more thematic approach, looking at the military, economic, political and constitutional issues.

The great war in Europe of the 16th and 17th centuries King Philip II of Spain became the monarch of the Hapsburg Netherlands, which included territory in modern day Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, by the decree of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. While the legitimacy of this act may have been indisputable according to the principles of 'absolutist divine right' the relationship between the new monarch and his subjects soon descended into acrimony because Spain was far from the Netherlands and France lay between the two nations making effective rule problematic. Furthermore, the Dutch had accepted the Protestant Reformation which eschewed papal authority whilst Spain remained staunchly Catholic. The oppressed northerners yearned for independence from everything they believed alien and before long the seventeen provinces rose in rebellion. There followed a long period of conflict which spanned the reigns of successive Spanish monarchs, drew in France, Scotland, the England of Elizabeth I and involved religious divisions which, as usual, justified the brutal excesses of sectarianism. The war brought forth soldiers of fortune of great talent and the redoubtable Spanish infantry tercios to the fields of conflict. Finally the Dutch prevailed, won their freedom and established a republic which heralded the 'Dutch Golden Age'. This intriguing history, which has been taken from Grattan's broader work on the history of the Netherlands by the Leonaur Editors, specifically describes the painful birth of what became a modern European nation. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.

In 1568, the Seventeen Provinces in the Netherlands rebelled against the absolutist rule of the king of Spain. A confederation of duchies, counties, and lordships, the Provinces demanded the right of self-determination, the freedom of conscience and religion, and the right to be represented in government. Their long struggle for liberty and the subsequent rise of the Dutch Republic was a decisive episode in world history and an important step on the path to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. And yet, it is a period in history we rarely discuss. In his compelling retelling of the conflict, Anton van der Lem explores the main issues at stake on both sides of the struggle and why it took eighty years to achieve peace. He recounts in vivid detail the roles of the key protagonists, the decisive battles, and the war’s major turning points, from the Spanish governor’s Council of Blood to the Twelve Years Truce, while all the time unraveling the shifting political, religious, and military alliances that would entangle the foreign powers of France, Italy, and England. Featuring striking, rarely seen illustrations, this is a timely and balanced account of one of the most historically important conflicts of the early modern period.

Bringing together the latest scholarship and research from leading experts in the field this study examines the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule in the sixteenth century.