rebelsorbeggars_1sxilj

rebelsorbeggars_1sxilj

  • Joined: November 30, 2022
  • Articles: 43

Common Names for the Low Countries

That part of Northwestern Europe forming the deltas and hinterlands of the Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt rivers has been known by many names. And for many Americans, the term “Low Countries” itself is not well known or understood. This multiplication…

Malcontents & Royalists

The Dutch Revolt was not nearly as much an invasion by the Habsburgs as it was at first a civil war between Royalists and a small set of independently-minded provinces and cities. Among those Royalists were the “Malcontents” - former rebels whose Catholic faith brought them back to the king when the Calvinist faction rose in power in cities under rebel control.

Protestant Allies of the Dutch

The Dutch rebels were able to keep up the fight against the Habsburgs and Royalists in large part due to international support from other Protestant (and moderate Catholic) powers, including the towering historical presence of Elizabeth I of England.

Rebel Geuzen & Dutch Statesmen

“Do not be troubled, my Lady! These are just a bunch of… beggars.”

The epithet of geuzen (Dutch for “beggar”) was first hurled at noblemen protesting the policies of Philip II, but it quickly became a patriotic, highly political point of pride for the rebels who would fight to form the early Dutch Republic.

The House of Orange-Nassau

Originally a German noble family with holdings in the Low Countries, the Nassaus rose to singular prominence and influence through the actions of William “the Silent” and his brothers - of whom four out of the five would be killed in the first decades of the Dutch Revolt.

Armorials & Wapenboeken

Collections of sixteenth century heraldry native to the Low Countries – or including significant numbers of heraldic arms from the region Extant Low Countries Armorials Listed in chronological order, beginning in the late 15th century and continuing through the mid…

For Reenactors & Living Historians

References, merchants, and historical costumers for those interested in portraying the “long sixteenth century.” This is a wildly incomplete list and will be continuing to grow. Inclusion in this list does not imply endorsement. Historical Costuming Communities The “Bees” of…

Museums & Archives

Museums and archives of note across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and other regions with historic ties to the Low Countries. (This particular list is very much a work in progress.) Museums Rijksmuseum (EN/NL, Amsterdam): Dutch national museum dedicated to arts…