Page 55 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

THE HIST OR Y OF THE NE THERLANDS  53

The 80 Years War
In the second half of the 16th
century, Holland officially belonged
to the Spanish branch of the House
of Habsburg. In 1567, Philip II sent
troops to put down Protestant
unrest in Flanders and halt the
Protestant Reformation sweeping
through northern Europe; this led
Surviving the Winter in Novaya Zemlya (1596–7) to a revolt against Spanish rule
During an attempt to find a northern route to the Indies, in northern Holland and resulted
an expedition led by W Barents and J van Heemskerck ended in years of civil war and religious
up on the coast of Novaya Zemlya. The group survived in the strife. The 80 Years War ended
Behouden Huys, a hut built from pieces of ships.
in 1648 with the Peace of Münster.
Statesman Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt and the Count
of Nassau, Prince Maurits, were the
main Dutch figures in the conflict
with Holland’s Spanish rulers
1596–1597 The during the 17th century.
winter camp in
Novaya Zemlya

1641 The Dutch establish
themselves on Desjima

1624 The Dutch establish
themselves on Formosa
Johan van
1658 The Dutch
establish themselves Oldenbarnevelt
in Ceylon
1619 JP Coen
founds Batavia Prince Maurits
1606 Willem Jansz
discovers Australia

1652 Jan van de Riebeeck
founds Cape Town
1642 Abel Tasman
discovers Tasmania

The Great Voyages
While Willem Barents was
exploring the Arctic seas, de
Houtman and Keyzer set off on
the “first voyages” to Java. In
1606, Willem Jansz discovered
the north coast of Australia, and
in 1616, Jacob le Maire and
Willem Schouten were the first to
sail around Cape Horn. Abel
Tasman discovered Tasmania Three-Master Ship
and New Zealand in 1642–3. These top-of-the-line 17th-century Dutch
merchant ships required only a small crew.

052-053_EW_Netherlands.indd 53 16/01/17 12:03 pm