Southern Netherlands

The Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain (Spanish Netherlands, 1579-1713), Austria (Austrian Netherlands, 1713-1794) and France (1794-1815). This region comprised most of modern Belgium (except the prince-bishopric of Liège, which was an autonomous, neutral part of the German Holy Roman Empire) and Luxembourg (including the homonymous present Belgian province) as well as, before 1678, much of north-western France.

Their place in the broader Netherlands

As they were very wealthy, the Netherlands in general were a jewel in the ever-debt-burdened Habsburg crown, but unlike others of the Habsburg dominions, they were led by a merchant class. It was the merchant economy which made them wealthy and its over-taxation, to pay for Habsburg wars1, which was a major factor in their proud defence of ancient privileges. This together with resistance to the religious intolerance of the staunchly catholic Spanish monarchy meant that for two major reasons, they became a permanent headache and finally were lost: first the Northern Netherlands in 1581. The Southern Netherlands were lost to France under Napoleon (who made the separate United Provinces of the Netherlands the puppet Batavian Republic, later becoming the Kingdom of Holland). The loss was confirmed at the 1815 Congress of Vienna.

Related Topics:
Habsburg - Merchant - Economy - Taxation - 1 - Catholic - Monarchy - Northern Netherlands - 1581 - Napoleon - Batavian Republic - Kingdom of Holland - 1815 - Congress of Vienna

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The Congress first joined the Southern Netherlands to the former Batavian Republic as the United Kingdom of the Netherlands under the House of Orange-Nassau, but with the south-eastern third of Luxembourg Province made into the autonomous Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, because it was claimed by both the Netherlands and Prussia.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom of the Netherlands - House of Orange-Nassau - Luxembourg - Netherlands - Prussia

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The kingdom was split in 1830, with the predominantly Roman Catholic southern half becoming independent as the Kingdom of Belgium (the northern half being predominantly Calvinist). The autonomy of Luxembourg was recognised in 1839, but an instrument to that effect was not signed until 1867. The King of the Netherlands was Grand Duke of Luxembourg until 1890, when William III was succeeded by his daughter, Wilhelmina of the Netherlands - but Luxembourg still followed the Salic law at the time, which forbade a woman to rule in her own right, so the union of the Dutch and Luxembourger crowns then ended. The north-western two-thirds of the original Luxembourg remains a province of Belgium. The flags of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands are still distinguished only in the tint of their colours.

Related Topics:
1830 - Belgium - Calvinist - 1839 - 1867 - William III - Wilhelmina of the Netherlands - Salic law - Tint

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