Introduction

A good grasp of the political geography of the Netherlands is essential for even a rudimentary understanding of the revolt. Indeed in many ways the single title Dutch Revolt is deceptive, as it is an umbrella term covering a number of different uprisings in different places at different times which only rarely coincided. Since the Dutch Revolt had been placed on the Dutch school curriculum after an interval of many years, it was thought necessary to provide teachers with a survey of recent research on the subject. Professor Henk van Nierop begins by looking at the traditional reasons for the revolt cited by contemporaries before going on to point out the whiggish nature of historiography that held sway until the 1960s. Moreover, as Professor Andrew Pettegree demonstrates, the Calvinist congregations were indispensable for the success of the revolt after it reignited in 1572. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.