A timeline of the Netherlands

100 BC- Frisians and Batavians occupy the area of the Lowlands. Frisians build Terps", (raising up of lowlands on which to farm and build villages)

59 BC to 52 BC- Romans invade and occupy up to the Rhine, Frisians live north of the Rhine and are never ruled by the Romans.

406 to 407 AD- Invasion by Germanic tribes (Frisians, Franks and Saxons) who occupy the area and Roman occupation ends.

450- Franks move south and form a new Frankish Kingdom.

550- Beginning of the construction of St. Servatius church in Maastricht (-1450).

623 to 638- Dagobert, son of Chlothar II is Frankish King and the Low Countries find their autonomy threatened by him.

638- Clovis II king of Neustria and Burgundy succeeds Dagobert I

600 to 700- Beginning of conversion to Christianity.

656- Chlothar III rules as sole king of the Franks.

689- Frankish King Pepin II defeats the Frisian King Radbod near Dorestat.

696- Anglo-Saxon Willibrord ordained as Arch Bishop of the Frisians; Utrecht becomes the See of the Bishop.

698- Willibrord of Utrecht discovers the island of Heligoland.

716- St. Boniface, (originally called Wynfrid, and born in Wessex, England) travels to Friesland to preach Christianity.

725- St. Boniface fells the famous Donar Oak tree near Fritzler, Hesse, thus destroying the old Germanic heathen beliefs.

734- Charles Martel, son of Pepin II, having supreme power of entire Frankish Kingdom, succeeds in forcing his way into Central Frisian centers.

754- Missionary Bonifacius is murdered on Pentecost Sunday by the Frisians in Dokkum.

768- Charlemagne, grandson of Charles Martel, assumes power of the Frankish Kingdom;

806- The Frisian law is put in writing and is known as "Lex Frisionum"; Frisians occupy 350 miles of marshy coastland.

814 to 840- Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, becomes Frank ruler and is also King of the Low Countries; Frisians engaged in fishing and the raising of cattle; establish a strong trading industry.

814 to 1010- Invasion by the Vikings, especially severe up to 900.

843- Treaty of Verdun divides the Empire into Eastern, Western and an extensive Middle kingdom. Lothair, Louis' son, rules the Low Country area. Later his son, Lothair II succeeds him.

885- The Viking Gerulf is ruler of the Low Country area.

1000- The Frisians start to build dikes against floods and invasions.

1096 to 1291- This is the era of the Crusades; Famous Crusaders from this area included Peter of Amiens, and Godfried of Bouillon.

900 to 1100- Low Countries develop into a pattern of more or less independent states.

1100- Brabant and Holland begin to expand and form Principalities.

1122- Concordat of Worms, ruling that Bishops to be chosen by the local Cathedral; start of strong rule by the church.

1100 to 1300- Large areas of land in the Holland-Utrecht peat bog plain are reclaimed and made available for agriculture.

1204- The founding of Amsterdam.

1234 to 1256- Count William II rules

1256 to 1296- Florent V succeeds William II

1337- Outbreak of the 100 years war between England and France.

1347 to 1351- Black Death spreads through most of Europe but spares the Low Countries.

1350 to 1500- Political conflict between two political factions :The "Kabeljauwen" (Codfish) and The "Hoeksen" (Hooks).

1369- Philip of Burgundy marries Margaret, heiress to Count of Flanders, signifying beginning of Burgundian infiltration.

1384- Count of Flanders dies, giving Philip of Burgundy possession of Flanders.

1416- Dutch fishermen are the first to use drift nets.

1426- Holland becomes the centre of European music.

1453- End of 100 Years war between England and France. England gives up all possessions except Calais.

1460- Burgundian Dukes set up viceroys, or "stadholders" for each of the principalities.

1464- Birth of the great Dutch Humanist, Erasmus, who has a new edition of the Greek Bible published (1516).

1477- Maximilian, son of Emperor Frederick III, marries Mary of Burgundy, heiress of Charles the Bold; The Hapsburgs acquire the Netherlands.

1482- Start of Austrian rule and domination.

1490- The first orphanages are established in Holland.

1495- The Dutch morality play "Elkerlijk" is published by Peter Dorland van Diest (later becomes the famous English play 'Everyman').

1504- Philip inherits the Spanish- Austrian crown.

1507- Margaret of Austria is Regent of the Netherlands, while Archduke Charles is still a minor (7 years old)

1515- Archduke Charles of Austria becomes governor of the Netherlands.

1517- The Protestant Reformation starts; Luther (posts his 95 thesis on the church in Wittenberg), Calvin, Zwingli.

1519- Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire adds the German crown to his possessions.

1530- Anabaptist movement gains strength in the Netherlands.

1533- Prince William (The Silent) of Orange is born (dies 1584),

1535- Anabaptists lay siege to the town hall in Amsterdam; Bishop of Munster recaptures the town and the Anabaptists suffer terrible vengeance.

1536- John Calvin publishes his "Institutes of the Christian Religion".

1536- Menno Simons (a "quiet Baptist") leaves the Catholic church and founds the Mennonites.

1556- Philip II, son of Charles V, succeeds him as King of Spain and becomes Prince of the Netherlands.

1559- Margaret of Parma, sister of Phillip II becomes Regent of the Netherlands (-1567).

1560- Teachings of John Calvin spread throughout the land; Start of Anti- Catholic movement.

. 1560- Prince William of Orange joins with the nobility in Holland and resists Spanish rule.

1566- Nobles present petition to Margaret requesting relaxation of edicts and ordinances against Calvinists and other Protestants. These nobles take on the name of "Geuzen" (Beggars); Margaret abolishes The Inquisition.

1567- Duke of Alba sent by Philip II to the Netherlands and sets up very strict regime.

1568- Start of Eighty Years War against Spain. Started by "breaking of Images" by Calvinists who opposed the religion of the Catholic church. The Calvinists are the driving force against the Spaniards. -Alba sets up his "Council of Blood" imposing severe penalties, including the arrest for treason and beheading in 1568 of the Counts of Egmond and Hoorn; Margaret resigns Regency.

1568 to 1562- During the sombre years of the war, writing of the "Wilhelmus", which becomes the National Anthem.

1568- Prince William of Orange gives authority to the "Geuzen" to resist Spain.

1572- The Dutch War of Independence begins.

1572- On April 1, the Geuzen seize the port of Briel (west of Rotterdam); strategic, because it controls the mouth of the Meuse and Waal rivers.

1572- William of Orange is proclaimed "stadholder" of Holland and Zeeland.

1573- Alba's troops regain control of the South of Holland and try to take the northern cities; lay siege to Haarlem; The Dutch use pigeons for the first time to send letters.

1573- Alba leaves Holland for Spain and his successor Don Luis de Requesens is left to deal with the Hollanders.

1574- Defeat of the Spanish in the Zuider Zee; siege of Leiden is relieved by flooding the countryside; University of Leiden (study of Calvinism) is established as gratitude to the Calvinists for support of the Geuzen; Spanish never again try to invade Holland.

1576- Phillip II makes his half brother Don John of Austria, governor of the Netherlands.

1576- "Pacification of Ghent" is signed by delegates of all the provinces forming the United Netherlands; William's dream is fulfilled.

1576- On November 4th, the "Spanish Fury" occurs in which mutinying Spanish troops murder 7000 citizens in Antwerp.

1578- Duke of Parma succeeds Don John, and brings back loyalty to the King by the Southern Provinces (now Belgium and Luxembourg).

1579- "Union of Artois" binds the Southern provinces loyalty to the King of Spain: retains Catholicism, and privileges of the estates.

1579- "Union of Utrecht" agreement of all the Northern provinces (Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijsel, Friesland, Groningen, Brabant, and Flanders); the new state named "United Provinces of Netherlands" or "Dutch Republic" and in the international community as "States-General"; The provincial stadholders become the political leaders.

1581- "Act of Abandonment"; States- General declare that Philip II has forfeited his sovereignty; Declaration of Independence by Low Countries.

1582- Attempt on the life of William of Orange is unsuccessful.

1584- William of Orange is assassinated at instigation of Phillip II, by Balthazar Gerards, a fanatical Catholic.

1585- Maurice of Nassau, William the Silent's second son, becomes stadholder of Holland and Zeeland; recaptures much of the southern Dutch territory from the Spaniards.

1584- Dutch Trading post founded at Archangel, Russia.

1585- The Frisian Academy is established in Franeker.

1585- Antwerp loses its importance as an International port to Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

1585- The Dutch sailor Lucas Janszoon Waghearen publishes his "Spiegel der Zeevaart", a book on sailing directions.

1592- Windmills used in Holland to drive mechanical saws.

1595- The Dutch begin to colonize the East Indies.

1597- The Dutch found Batavia, Java.

1598- The Dutch take Mauritius.

1600- The population of Holland is 3,000,000.

1600- Dutch opticians invent the telescope; perfected by Dutch Scientist Johan Lippershey.

1601- Dutch Navigator Olivier van Noort returns from circumnavigating the world ( begun 1598). This is the fourth time someone has done it since Magellan.

1602- Establishment of the East India Company in Batavia, the first modern Public Company; initial capital 540,000 pounds; establish the word "share" in 1610.

1604- Spanish capture Ostend , the last Dutch stronghold in Belgium, after a siege of 3.5 years.

1609 to 1713- the Golden Age of Dutch civilization; Trade with countries around the world including Africa, Asia and America; Culture flourished in the arts and literature and science; Antony van Leeuwenhoek invents the microscope; Paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt (born 1609); 1608- First cheques, 'cash letters' used in the Netherlands.

1609- Tea from China shipped for the first time to Europe by the Dutch East India Co.

1609- Tin-enameled ware made at Delft; forerunner of the Delfts Blue pottery.

1609- Beginning of 12 years truce; Gomarists, staunch Calvinists, oppose the Armenians who have a more inclusive attitude; clash over direction of the Reformed Church.

1612- Dutch use Manhattan as fur- trading center for the first time.

1612- Treaty between the Dutch and the King of Kandy in Ceylon.

1614- The University of Groningen is founded.

1615- Dutch seize the Moluccas from Portugal.

1616- Dutch astronomer and mathematician W. Snellius, discovers the Law of Refraction.

1618- Founding of the Dutch West African Company.

1619- Johan van OldenBarnevelt, "advocate" of Holland and an Armenian, is tried for treason and beheaded.

1619- Synod of Dordtrecht by the Reformed Church; dominated by Contra- Remonstrants (Gomarists); expelling of the Remonstrants (Armenians) from the church; reaffirmation of doctrine along Gomarian lines and ordered a new translation of the bible (Staten Bible).

1621- Dutch West India Company formed; main trade is in slaves; later acquired North American coast from Chesapeake Bay to New Foundland.

1621 to 1648- War resumes in 1621.

1623- Dutch massacre English colonists at Amboyna, Moluccan Islands.

1623- New Netherlands in America formally organized as a Province.

1624- The Dutch settle in New Amsterdam.

1625- Prince Maurice dies and is succeeded by his half brother Frederick Henry who becomes Prince of Orange and Stadholder.

1625- Spain takes Breda from the Dutch after an 11 month siege.

1626- Peter Minuit, Director General of the Dutch West India Co., buys Manhatten Island from the natives for merchandise valued at $24.00.

1628- Piet Hein's celebrated victory over the Spanish Silver Fleet off the coast of Cuba.

1628- The Dutch occupy Java and the Moluccas

1629- Dutch mathematician Albert Gerard, uses brackets and other abbreviations in mathematics.

1631- Dutch West Indies Co. founds settlement at the Delaware River.

1633- Dutch settlement in Connecticut.

1634- Founding of the University of Utrecht.

1634- Island of Curacao is captured by Dutch forces.

1635- Dutch occupy Formosa, English Virgin Islands, and French Martinique.

1637- Commercial collapse of the Dutch Tulip trade.

1637- Under Frederick Henry, the Dutch recapture Breda.

1642- Abel Tasman, born in Lutjegast, Groningen, in the employ of the Dutch East India Co., discovers New Zealand and Tasmania.

1642- Rembrandt finishes his famous painting , "The Night Watch".

1642- Frederick Henry's son, William II, marries Princess Mary Stuart, daughter of Charles I of England.

1644- Abel Tasman charters parts of northern and western Australia (New Holland).

1645- The Dutch occupy St. Helena.

1646- The"Great Elector" Frederick William of Brandenburg, marries Louise, daughter of Frederick Henry of Orange.

1647- Frederick Henry of Orange dies and is succeeded by his son William II.

1648- In January William II signs Peace Treaty with Spain; end of the 80 years war.

1650- William II dies of smallpox; no successor.

1650- The English and Dutch agree on the respective frontiers of their North American colonies.

1650 to 1672- First stadholderless period.

1651- The Dutch settle at the Cape of good Hope in South Africa.

1651- English "Act of Navigation" forbidding Dutch shippers from acting as middlemen in English trade thereby giving English ships monopoly of foreign trade; This precipitates war.

1652- Enlish defeat Dutch at Battle of the Downs off Folkestone, before they declare war; this becomes the first Anglo-Dutch war.

1653- English defeat the Dutch off Portland, North Foreland and Texel.

1653- Johan de Witt takes office of Councillor Pensionnaire of Holland; He negotiates the peace with England.

1654- Treaty of Westminster ends the first Anglo-Dutch war; Dutch recognize the Navigation Act.

1654- De Witt encourages the rebuilding of Dutch navy during peacetime.

1654- Portugese drive the Dutch out of Brazil.

1656- The Dutch take Columbo from the Portugese.

1657- Christiaan Huygens designs the first pendulum for clocks.

1660- The Dutch Boers settle in South Africa.

1666 to 1667- Second Anglo-Dutch war; Strong Dutch Navy sails up the Thames and destroys the British Fleet and the shipyards at Chatham.

1666- Quadruple Alliance between Holland, Brandenburg, Brunswick, and Denmark to secure the safety of Holland.

1667- Peace of Breda ends the Anglo- Dutch war.

1667- War of Devolution begins as French troops invade Netherlands.

1668- Triple Alliance between Anglo- Dutch-Sweden, to force France to make peace with Spain.

1668- William III went to England to accept the English throne of his father in law Charles I.

1669- Dutch painter Rembrandt dies.

1672- Charles II of England joins France to fight Holland; in July William III becomes stadholder and takes over leadership of Dutch defences from de Witt.

1672- Jan de Witt is lynched by a mob in The Hague.

1672- Flexible hose for fighting fires is invented by Jan van der Heyde nd his son.

1674- English troops are forced to withdraw from Holland.

1678- End of Anglo-French-Dutch war; Peace negotiated at Nijmegen.

1683- League of The Hague; Emperor Leopold I and Charles II of Spain join Dutch Swedish alliance against France.

1688 to 1697- Nine Years War of fighting between an Anglo-Dutch alliance and France.

1689- First modern trade fair held at Leiden.

1689- Natal becomes a Dutch Colony.

1696- William III is campaigning in Holland against the French.

1702- William III dies childless.

1702 to 1747- Second stadholderless period; leadership by Councillor Pensionnaires of Holland; dominance by English interests.

1711- William IV, son of Prince of Orange-Nassau (stadholder of Friesland) succeeds his father and also becomes stadholder of Groningen (1718), and Gelderland and Drenthe (1722).

1701 to 1713- War of Spanish Succession.

1700's- Century of calm and prosperity; Religious life is more relaxed.

1718- Quadruple Alliance signed by France, the Empire, England and Holland.

1723- Antony van Leeuwenhoek, the Dutch scientist who invented the microscope, dies.

1728- Dutch Explorer, Vitus Behring, discovers the Behring Strait.

1740 to 1748- War of Austrian succession.

1746- French victory at Raucoux; Austria loses the Netherlands.

1747- William IV elected as hereditary stadholder of all seven United Provinces.

1751- William V succeeds his father who died; Patriot Movement starts applying fundamental criticism to government, promoting democratic ideals; under pressure William flees to England.

1760- Dutch explorer Jakobus Coetzee advances beyond the Orange River, S. Africa.

1765- The potato becomes the most popular European foodstuff.

1775 to 1783- War of US Independence; US is supported by Dutch; this infuriates England.

1780 to 1784- Fourth Anglo-Dutch war; Dutch Navy which has been neglected for one half a century is no match.

1781- Dutch Settlement at Madras captured by the English.

1787- Prussians are the people of William V's wife Wilhelmina, and she is the stronger personality of the two, and pushes for the reinstatement of her husband; Prussians send in the army and restore the stadholder to his office.

1787- Austrian Netherlands declared to be a province of Hapsburg monarchy.

1795- French cross frozen Dutch rivers into Dutch heartland. Patriots seize reins of office from William V who flees to England and abandons his office.

1795 to 1813- Period of French rule.

1795- The Dutch surrender Ceylon to the British.

1795 to 1806- French Batavian Republic lasts 11 years. The old historic provinces are replaced by a unitary Republic divided into Departements and electoral constituents; National Assembly replaces the States-General; Equality of all citizens as well as all religious denominations; Trade declines and the Dutch people turn to agriculture for their economic wellbeing.

1806- Republican form of government replaced by a Kingdom.

1805- Napoleon gives quasi dictatorial powers to R. J. Schimmelpenninck.

1806- Napoleon incorporates the Dutch State into his "Grand Empire' of vassal states; renamed the Kingdom of Holland and receives Louis Bonaparte (Napoleons brother) as King.

1806- William V dies in England.

1810- Louis Bonaparte ousted by his brother and Holland incorporated into the French Empire.

1812- Dutch soldiers fight in Napoleon's Russian campaign.

1813- Karel van Hoogendorp leads restoration of autonomous nation; the French are expelled; on November 30th son of William II returns from England to proclaim his reign as hereditary Prince.

1814- Establishment of a Constitutional Monarchy and Prince becomes King William I of the Netherlands.

1815- Dutch troops play a major role in Napoleons defeat at Waterloo.

1830- Start of Belgian revolution; language and religion and different trade interests play a major role in the reasons for the revolt; Belgians are Catholic, speak French, and are industrial, while Dutch are Protestant, speak Dutch and are traders; Belgians are defeated by William I but other European powers intervene and Belgium is declared independent in 1839.

1831- The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, part of the Netherlands since the Congress of Vienna, is divided into two parts, the larger of which goes to Belgium.

1839- First railway is opened in the Netherlands (Amsterdam to Haarlem).

1840- William I abdicates; despondent over Belgian affair; his son William II takes the throne.

1842- Orange Free State set up by the Boers.

1848- New Constitution written based on English model.

1849- William II dies and his son succeeds him.

1852- Dutch army surgeon Mathysen impregnates bandages with plaster.

1880- August 31, Wilhelmina is born.

1890- William III dies and his wife is acting Queen (until 1898) when Wilhelmina turns 18.

1898- Wilhelmina becomes Queen of the Netherlands.

1901- Wilhelmina marries Baron Hendrik van Merklenburg.

1899- Start of Boer War between Britain and the Boers.

1902- Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Boer War; 5774 British and 4000 Boers are killed.

1909- Princess Juliana is born.

1914 to 1918- First World War; Netherlands remains neutral.

1930- World depression starts.

1932- The Afsluitdijk is completed across the Zuider Zee, joining Friesland to North Holland, slowly turning the Zee into a fresh water lake.

1937- Princess Juliana marries Prince Bernhard von Lippe-Biesterfeld.

1938- January 31, Princess Beatrix is born.

1939- Prinses Irene is born.

1939 to 1945- Second World War; Netherlands tries to remain neutral, but German forces invade the country on May 10, 1940; Netherlands capitulates after 5 days; Queen Wilhelmina moves the seat of government to London; Juliana and Bernhard move the family to Ottawa, Canada.

1943- Princess Margriet is born in Ottawa, Canada.

1943- The Frisians finally get the Bible in their own language.

1945- May 5, Unconditional surrender of the Germans after the Allies defeat them.

1947- Princess Maria Christina (Marijke) is born.

1947- Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg form the "BENELUX".

1948- Queen Wilhelmina abdicates and Juliana becomes the reigning monarch.

1949- East Indies declares independence from Netherlands.

1953- Sea dikes break; much of western Netherlands is flooded; extensive loss of human life and property damage; spontaneous support from within and outside the country.

1964- Princess Irene marries Spanish Prince Carlos Hugo and loses her right to the throne.

1966- Pricess Beatrix marries German Diplomat, Claus von Amsberg; arouses bitter debate and imperils the position of the House of Orange as a National symbol.

1968- Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange, heir to the Dutch throne, is born to Beatrix and Claus.

1975- Twelve day siege of train in Assen by South Moluccans who held 24 hostages.

1980- Queen Juliana abdicates and is succeeded by her daughter Beatrix.

1982- Labour government is defeated and a center-right coalition led by Ruud Lubbers takes power.

1986- Completion of the famous Delta Works sealing the Oosterschelde Estuary during dangerous storms.