User:Andrei2008507/sandbox

The Dutch Empire

Until 1581, the Netherlands, or Low Countries, was made up of 17 provinces, which included Belgium,Luxembourg and the Netherlands. From 1482 they were part of the Holy Roman empire, ruled by Philip of Burgundy. When he died in 1506 they passed to his son, Charles. Charles became king of Spain in 1516, so they became a Spanish possession. The majority of the people in the northern provinces followed the Protestant religion and Charles's son, Philip II, persecuted them for this.