Seventeen Provinces

The Seventeen Provinces were a personal union of states in the Low Countries in the 16th century, roughly covering the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, a good part of the North of France (Artois, Nord) and a small part of Germany.

Economy

In the days of Charles V, there is no doubt that the economic, political and cultural center of the Netherlands was the city of Antwerp, which had succeeded Bruges as the economic powerhouse of northern Europe, although Holland was gradually gaining importance in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Related Topics:
Antwerp - Bruges

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However after the independence of the seven northern provinces and the resulting closure of the Scheldt river to navigation, a large number of people from the southern provinces emigrated north to the new republic. The center of prosperity moved from cities in the south such as Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent, and Brussels to cities in the north including Amsterdam, the Hague, and Rotterdam.

Related Topics:
Independence - Northern provinces - Scheldt - Bruges - Antwerp - Ghent - Brussels - Amsterdam - The Hague - Rotterdam

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