Нидерланды: Оранская династия в (1581-1795). Часть 1.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has had a long journey to gain independence. The second half of the 16th century was a key period in the country's history. The struggle of the 17 northern provinces of the Netherlands for independence from the Spanish Crown was the result of religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants, as well as the desire to free themselves from the enormous taxes they had to pay to the Spanish treasury. The leader of the independence struggle, Prince William of Orange (1533-1584), founded the Republic of the United Provinces (1581-1795), consisting of 17 provinces of the Netherlands previously subject to the Spanish Crown, and also became the founder of the House of Orange. For two centuries, his descendants were elected stadtholders (the de facto heads of state) of the Netherlands by the States General (the country's parliament), and from 1815 onwards, they became hereditary kings. Watch this video and learn how the Netherlands became a nation in the 17th century. managed to become the world's colonial empire, and what connection the House of Orange has with the English Bill of Rights (1689). #history #culture #Netherlands #monarchy