1568- Lodewijk Van Nassau wins Battle of Heiligerlee
Lodewijk defeated at Jemmingen later that year. Prince Willem I Of Orange-Nassau fails with attack in Brabant.

1572- Duke of Alva introduces 10% tax on all turnover (first GST in history). “Watergeuzen” occupy and defend Den Briel. Total genocide by Spanish at Mechlin, Zutphen and Naarden.

1573- Spanish take Haarlem, but halt their siege of Alkmaar. “Watergeuzen” defeat Spanish fleet at Zuiderzee.  Alva leaves, Requesens replaces him a Governor.

1574 Battle of Mook won by the Spanish, Lodewijk and Hendrik van Nassau both slain.
Siege of Leiden fails.

1575 Spanish occupation of Zeeland succeeds.

1576 Requesens dies, Spanish leave the northern provinces, plunder the southern towns of  Maastricht and Antwerp.

1577 Spanish leave the southern provinces

1578 Duke of Parma defeats Dutch troops at Gemblours, Parma becomes Governor.

1579 Declaration of the Union of Utrecht between northern provinces (considered ‘founding’ of the Dutch Republic) and of Union of Atrecht between southern provinces.

1580 Philip II conquers Portugal (Alva his army leader) - bans Dutch ships from Lisbon Harbour.

1584 Assassination of Willem of Oranje.  Prince Maurits new stadholder

1585 Parma takes Antwerp; England sends assistance under Leycester.

1586 Van Oldenbarneveld becomes Advocate of Holland.

1587 Leycester leaves.

1588 1st Armada destroyed in sea battle by the English and by storm, Dutch ships prevent Spanish ships and supplies at Dunkirk from joining Spanish fleet.

1590 Maurits takes Breda.

1591 Maurits takes Zutphen, Deventer, Delfzijl, Hulst, Nijmegen

1592 also Steenwijk and Koevorden. Parma dies.

1593 Maurits takes Geertruidenberg.

1594 Maurits with Willem Lodewijk take Groningen.

1597 Maurits defeats Spanish near Turnhout, rids eastern provinces of Spanish.

1598 Philip II dies, Philip III king.

1599 Maurits prevents Spanish from entering Bommeler Waard.

1600 Maurits wins battle near Nieuwpoort, withdraws however from Flanders.

1601 Spanish lay siege for Ostend.

1602 Founding of the VOC organised by Oldenbarneveld.

1604 Ostend falls to the Spanish.

1607 Dutch fleet defeats Spanishs fleet at Gibraltar.

1609 12 year Truce with Spain to 1621.

1618 J P Coen attacks and takes English lodge at Jacatra.

1619 When appointed Governor-General renames it Batavia.

1620 Willem Lodwijk dies

1621 WIC founded

1622 War resumes. Spanish General Spinola fails in siege of Bergen op Zoom

1623 Coen resigns as GG of VOC

1624 Spinola starts siege to Breda and

1625 takes the town. Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau dies. His brother Frederik Hendrik becomes Stadholder.

1627 Coen GG of VOC again.

1628 Piet Hein takes Spanish ‘silverfleet’ at Matanzas bay.

1629 Frederik Hendrik starts siege of Den Bosch and takes it, Piet Hein slain, Coen dies.

1631 Zeelanders defeat the Spanish at the Slaak

1635 Dutch/French treaty against Spain.  Tulipomania causes bankruptcies.

1637 Frederik Hendrik retakes Breda

1639 Admiral Tromp defeats second Spanish Armada at Duins.

1640 Portugal independent again (also after 80 years), they set out to regain Brazil.

1647 Prince Willem II of Orange Stadholder after Frederik Hendrik dies.

1648 Peace signed at Munster between The Netherlands Republic and Spain (and the rest of Europe) . Independence achieved.

 Peace however did not last for the young Republic as in 1652 the expansionist English Government  attacked the Dutch fleet, starting the first of four wars with England.

Collated by Peter Reynders