80 Years of War

In 1568 the Counts Egmont and Van Horne are beheaded on the market in Brussels. It is the provisional conclusion of the escalating tensions between the nobles in the Netherlands and our monarch Philip II of Spain. And the beginning of a war that would last eighty years. The struggle is about power and freedom of belief. A nun's diary provides a dramatic picture of the Iconoclasm, Egmont's skull is examined to see if his face has been further damaged after his beheading and the search for Van Horne's grave in Weert ends for the time being in the courtyard of a monastery.

William of Orange has fled to Germany. There he organizes troops to fight against the monarch in the Netherlands, Philip II. Apart from a small success in the battle of Heiligerlee, that does not yield much for the time being. More promising are the Watergeuzen, which make the coasts unsafe, including from Emden, Germany. They loot ships, terrorize civilians and finally manage to get solid ground in Den Briel in 1572. On April 1, there is still a large-scale celebration. But the Catholics, who were hanged by the Geuzen in the same Den Briel, are also commemorated annually as martyrs.

The Spanish army retaliates when towns and villages defect to Orange. After Mechelen and Zutphen, it was Naarden's turn in 1572: a large part of the population was slaughtered. The struggle is hardening, also between civilians in the Netherlands. Some side with the legitimate authority, the Spanish king, while others join the revolt. In Haarlem, the Orangists fight bravely for months to keep their city out of the hands of the Spaniards. But hunger eventually forces them to their knees. Only at Alkmaar 'victory begins'; that's where the Spanish army has to run off. It is unfortunately no longer possible to determine whether Brechtje, a reconstruction based on a female skeleton in a mass grave, played an important role in this.

Catholic or Protestant, that is the question during the Eighty Years' War. Although William of Orange has the idea that he can unite both parties. And that seems to work for a while with a treaty in which the various believers join forces to march together against the Spanish monarch. The motto is: tolerance. But that fraternization doesn't last long. In Ghent, fanatical Protestants seize power, with the Catholics having to pay the price. Amsterdam, which remained Roman Catholic for a relatively long time, succumbed to the Protestants in 1578. And that has resulted in an enormous stream of Catholic refugees, including the mayor who is seeking refuge in Kalkar, Germany. Living together in peace turns out to be more difficult than expected. And then in 1584 William of Orange is murdered, of course by a fanatical Catholic.

After the death of William of Orange, his son Maurits takes over. At that point, the Rebellion is not in very good shape. Philip II is still the most powerful man in the world, his empire stretches all over the globe. The symbol of that power is the Escorial at Madrid, which was completed in 1584. But Maurits turns out to be a shrewd and skilled soldier. Perhaps because as a young boy he played with tin soldiers. His triumphal march begins with the famous ruse with the Turfschip, by which Breda is conquered from the Spaniards. After that, he systematically works on reforming the army. The new discipline among the soldiers pays off: in a successful campaign he conquers one city after another, including Groningen. And finally there is the battle of Nieuwpoort, a triumph for Orange, but just in the nick of time.

There has been no fighting in Holland for years, where the Golden Age begins at the beginning of the 17th century. But in the east and south of the country, the struggle continues tirelessly. There, two men from one family face each other: Frederik Hendrik, the commander of the Dutch army, and his first cousin Hendrik van den Bergh, commander of the Spanish army. Frederik Hendrik, for example, managed to conquer Groenlo in 1627, while his cousin Hendrik was left behind. The battle of Groenlo is now reenacted every two years with countless volunteers, horses and cannons. Hendrik suffered the greatest defeat, however, when Frederik Hendrik also managed to take Den Bosch in 1629. Meanwhile, the population is the sad victim of the mutual display of power. Cities and villages are looted and burned by both sides. Due to the long war, part of the Netherlands is completely exhausted.

As long as Holland is willing to pay for the war, Frederik Hendrik can continue his struggle. The war is even expanded with an international branch that cleverly combines trade interests and military struggle: the West India Company. The conquests in Brazil in particular appeal to the imagination of Dutch citizens who closely follow developments there. But cracks will appear in the foundation if the WIC proves less successful than hoped. And Frederik Hendrik's great wish to conquer Antwerp cannot count on support either. Amsterdam merchants see a competitor in Antwerp and prefer to keep that city out. An alliance with France cannot fulfill Frederik Hendrik's dream of conquering Antwerp either. The time has finally come for peace. A delegation to Münster is to conduct the negotiations. Frederik Hendrik was not there, he breathed his last in March 1647. It is the citizens, the merchants from Holland, who emerge as the winners at the peace in 1648.