What was the Eighty Years War all about?
by 
wickedwillie
ANSWERS: 1
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Basically, a struggle for independence; various provinces in what is now Belgium and the Netherlands, fought for independence from Spain, which ruled them at the time. As with many 16th-century wars, religion played a signficant role. Calvinism was growing in popularity, and after a series of attacks on Catholic churches, Phillip II of Spain sent the Duke of Alva with an army to restore order. In 1568, William I of Orange, who was "stadtholder" (guardian) of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht, tried to drive Alva out of Brussels, though he still supported Phillip. This revolt failed, and William had to flee. But in 1579, the southern states (mostly now in Belgium) signed the Union of Atrecht, professing loyalty to the Spanish throne. William, meanwhile, united the northern, Protestant states, who signed the Union of Utrecht, which led in 1581 to them declaring independence from Spain. A Spanish army was sent to reconquer these rebel provinces in 1581, and battle was joined...
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